At radio stations all over America, we?re unbelievably busy, doing the jobs two or three people were doing just a few years ago. On top of that, jocks, programmers, promotion folks and even salespeople are charged with updating websites and interact via social media. Unfortunately, a lot of that digital effort results in wheel-spinning, instead of brand-building. Stations need to focus on more brand-building and fan-engaging. There needs to be less website clutter and fewer distractions to our fans on our Facebook pages.
Start by knowing and believing what your listeners know and believe about those digital platforms. Whatever your brand is, your fans have a pretty short list of expectations about what they want to easily find on your site.
For music stations, they want:
- To be able to listen to your stream. Your play should be easy to find and one click.
- To be able to find a list of songs played.
- To know more about what the morning show talked about, topic by topic.
- To know fun things to do in town.
- To know more about ways to win your contests.
- To be able to easily link to your Facebook and Twitter pages
Who are these people visiting your website? They are your biggest fans. They?re hoping for a closer relationship with your brand, by finding out more about what they?re already hearing from you on the air. That?s why all those picture galleries, funny YouTube videos, and pictures of your cute kids you?ve been posting are empty web calories. They keep you from doing critical online brand-building.
Furthermore, who?s ?Liking? you in social media? They are your even biggest fans, and they also have reasons they follow you.
- They want special access, so they can get deals not available to other listeners.
- They want information on how to win contests.
- They want advance notice and specific times good content will be airing on your station.
- They want to engage with your personalities about what they?re talking about on the air.
- Sometimes, they just want to show they support you by ?Liking? you on Facebook.
Now think about what most radio stations are posting on Facebook. Much of what?s being posted has only a tenuous connection to the radio brand that posted it. When our Facebook fans see that stuff, they?re generally pleased to hear from us, but they don?t find those posts useful. Smart radio operators know that they can?t be all things to all people. They also know they can?t revise their strategies and tactics every time the wind changes. They know to stick to their core and be consistent. The same thing applies in the digital world.
Chris Miller has been a major-market PD in Atlanta, Portland and Cleveland. He now operates Chris Miller Digital, which he launched. Visit his website at www.chrismillerdigital.com.
Contact Chris via e-mail, chris@chrismillerdigital.com or 216-236-3955.
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