Finally: A Rational Analysis of Hyperlocal Sites
Writing for American Journalism Review, Paul Farhi delivers an objective and practical analysis of hyperlocal journalism. It's the best hyperlocal-themed piece I've seen to date.The article covers all aspects of the hyperlocal world -- from independent publishers to major news organizations -- but what I found most interesting was the rise and fall of Backfence.com. The once heralded and now defunct hyperlocal initiative followed a trajectory that's familiar to those of us who lived through the dot-com implosion:
"Backfence's rapid expansion burned up its $3 million war chest. The partners have split; Backfence's staff, which once numbered as many as 25, was laid off. The company's online communities are largely ghost towns now."What bothers me about Backfence's model is that it eschewed one of the Web's greatest assets: low-cost proof of concept. Rather than jump in with both feet, why not test a hyperlocal initiative on a small scale? It's cheap, easy and, most importantly, it reveals problems before they become costly.
I've done this with a number of blogs targeting industries/arenas outside my comfort zone (I'm a pop culture junkie, so anything to do with the real world is definitely beyond my reach). More times than not, the blogs didn't take off, but their failure has never caused me or my business any undue harm. The lack of success was certainly disappointing, but I'm glad I learned lessons without taking the financial hit.
As Farhi's article notes, Backfence's demise doesn't undermine the entire hyperlocal movement -- it's just a milestone along a path. Let's hope Hyperlocal 2.0 (copyright 2007, Mac Slocum) is marked by common sense and a focus on sustainability.
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