11-30-2011
You?ve heard it time and time again (mostly probably from me), now that relevant, engaging, entertaining and/or informative posts are the only path to showing up on users? News Feeds so you can be seen, content is king now more than ever. You are simply dead meat without it. And you can?t get by with filler this time?it?s got to be good or it?s not going anywhere.
Which may leave you scratching your head wondering, ?Okay, just what content is so good, or at least good enough, to make my listeners so excited about it they?ll Like or share it?? Step 1: Ask the on-air entertainers you have right there in the building, because they instinctively know. Don?t bother asking card readers and board ops. Successful on-air talents have the answer, because it?s their job and it?s how they win. They come up with that content every single day. If you have no entertainers, please see the ?dead meat? comment above.
Step 2: Why not take a look at which TV shows are generating the highest levels of social network activity? Clearly, there?s something about these shows that makes them shareable, tweetable, and re-tweetable. Separate out the elements that make them social ?hits,? apply them to your radio station, and you could be in decent shape.
Top cable shows ranked by social activity from Trendrr for the week of 11/21:
#1: CNN Republican National Security Debates
Why it?s Social: It?s an event vs. regular programming.
What You Can Steal: Without staging the occasional special event, you?re 24/7 audio wallpaper.
#2: Soul Train Awards on BET
Why it?s Social: Users love to discuss performances, people and clothes as they watch in real time. What You Can Steal: Yes, you?re radio, but try giving users something visual to discuss, even if it?s just still pictures. Or why not set up a feature where you debut a new song and invite users to post or tweet their reaction to it as they listen? The real time element is the critical thing here. Social is immediate.
#3: The Walking Dead on AMC
Why it?s Social: Users classify and identify themselves by genres, and tend to be cliquish about it. Zombie fans want to talk to other zombie fans. What You Can Steal: Sounds mean, but pit your listeners against each other. Pro and anti-Justin Bieber. People who think Steven Tyler?s a sell-out vs. people who don?t. Etc. Build camps.
Top broadcast shows from the same period:
1. X-Factor
Why it?s Social: People like to critique, but without risk.
What You Can Steal: Ask listeners what they think of the station and you may or may not get honest answers. Ask them what they thought of the Katy Perry show last night and you?ll get plenty of engagement. Why? People love to give opinions while safely out of reach of the person they?re opining about.
2. Dancing With the Stars
Why it?s Social: It?s sport. It gives users someone to root for.
What You Can Steal: People love to take sides. People love to pick their horse, then see how it does. Any time you can set up a competitive feature where users are asked to take sides, they will and they?ll stick around to see if they were right.
3. Family Guy
Why it?s Social: Aside from wanting to connect with people who have the same sense of humor, this is an easy show to take social. Individual bits/jokes are easily passed around.
What You Can Steal: Like Dorothy?s shoes, you had this all along. Radio bits and talent comments have always been a sourceof short material and short attention span material. In the social world, short is gold.
Key Takeaway: Your listeners owe you nothing. Your social presence is 100% about them, and getting them what they like and what they want. Their behavior will show you the way, provided you don?t ignore what they?re telling you with their social actions.
Mike Stiles is a writer/producer with the social marketing tech platform, Vitrue, and head of Sketchworks comedy theatre. Check out his monologue blog, The Stiles Files.
Find him on Facebook or on Twitter @mikestiles
Stiles Facebook: www.facebook.com/mike.stiles
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