Where everybody knows your username

Last week's piece from GigaOm discusses how Reddit captures a community in ways that most traditional newspaper websites have so far failed to do, despite attempts.

The article's author, Matthew Ingram argues that in order to grow and maintain an audience, digital first media outlets must establish a community similar to that of Reddit. Ingram says,"As they try to move online, or become reader-supported the way the New York Times is, more newspapers and other media outlets are going to have to get serious about building community — and that means more than just trying to get a bunch of Twitter followers who will retweet a headline. Reddit is a great example of a real community, and Advance has clearly seen the power of what that kind of community can do given the right circumstances. But can it take those lessons and apply them elsewhere? It and other newspapers are going to have to figure out how if they want to survive online."

 It's likely that he's right. Community fosters loyalty, and with an increase in competition in the age of online journalism, loyalty may be the only way to survive long-term.