8-13-2012
By Loyd Ford
Many people in our business talk about what to post on social media. There is a big focus on being "on" Facebook and Twitter (among other platforms). However, I have long stated that your focus in social media should be on providing a variety of top flight content that listeners want in those environments -- and it must be content they will spread. At the same time, your focus should be on bringing them back to your on-air and your website (because you own those and they contribute to your revenue). We will not cover on-air here because you should already have basic connectivity points on your station for social media. So, let's take a look at how to "receive" listeners from social media environments on your own website.
-- Explain why they will want to spend more time with you. It's important for your potential new or returning listeners to know "what's in it for them." Explain the value of your on-air, how listeners can use it, and the variety of content they can receive from actually flipping on the radio station and engaging the station on the website (as they have your social media).
-- Only make offers to listeners that are highly relevant. Yes, these easy-to-access "offers" should be made to listeners right on your landing page. If your content is not focused on what listeners crave, they will leave and maybe never come back. In other words, guard your content so you are offering things at the listener's fingertips that they value.
-- Keep it simple. Listeners like to participate (especially the listeners who move PPM and diary). Many, many websites are overblown with too much content and it all gets lost. Your station website should be pleasant to look at and easy to use. Also, make sure you ask listeners to give you their basic information. You should also give them the opportunity to tell you about their access to radio, how much they listen to radio (especially at work), and even what stations they listen to when they are not listening to yours. Don't make it mandatory information. Radio stations miss doing this and it shows. Want loyalty? Do the work and develop a plan that includes understanding listeners and giving them the all-round content they crave. Then use what you know to really connect and become a relevant part of their lives.
-- Test your content often. Test your content against real results. If you test content and test how changes you make impact the engagement rate, you will strengthen what works best.
Give some thought about how listeners find, like, and spread content on social media environments. Have a plan, but make sure that plan includes and is focused on bringing listeners back home with you to your website and on-air. If you do that, you will be the winner.
Loyd Ford programmed very successful radio brands in markets of all sizes for years, including KRMD AM & FM in Shreveport, WSSL and WMYI in Greenville, WKKT in Charlotte and WBEE in Rochester, NY. Learn more about Loyd HERE. Reach out to Loyd via e-mail HERE.
Visit his Facebook radio social media page HERE.
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