1-15-2015
It is easy to understand that radio can connect with local listeners by being on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Look around. Every radio station is generally doing ?something? on these platforms, and others are having a varying degrees of success attaining ?likes? and keeping some level of engagement with local listeners. However, I don?t think that should be your goal for 2014. I think your goal should now be clear to you: Offer the most unique content on social media for local listeners, to attract them and grow your following by always sending them back to the assets your company owns.
To do this, it takes focus. If you are the employee at your station who develops the skills to really get results doing this, you will influence others in your cluster and company and you will help your long-term career goals. What are we talking about and how do we do it?
1. Being unique requires thought before action. So, start by looking at your individual radio station or stations. Write out everything about them that is unique to the local listeners you most want to attract. Take those elements and think about how to present them in social media in a fun, entertaining, and compelling way where the focus is on ?getting more at the source.? Bring them back to you.
2. Consider this example as a great way to think differently about how you make an impression. At a recent NFL playoff game, the local NFL team hired a trumpeter to play the national anthem. Doing this gave the stadium audience, TV audience, and social media audience a fresh way to see the national anthem presented and caused talk about the unique performance. This wasn?t, ?Have singer come out and sing the national anthem? like we always see time and time again. You can create more traction for your local brand by ?twisting? the way you think about presenting your engagement on social media so it is unique, visual, and attention-getting. Why do what everyone else is doing? Try something creative. Be unique and different. *Check out the link below to see the trumpeter.
3. As I consistently preach, use visuals. The more unusual the visuals, the more unique the ?tune in.? People are moved by visuals in social media. If your radio station (and especially your morning show) is not using video in social media, why are you allowing them to get away with that? If you are a morning show and you are not using video, why are you failing to see such a great opportunity for your talent and to really connect and grow audience?
As with everything, having a well-thought-out strategic plan and being consistent in execution will very often bring high productivity and success. Missing either of these steps will often bring failure to achieve anything much.
One last thing. Lots of radio stations set ?likes? on Facebook as their goal. I would encourage you to become skilled at, and set your goals in the areas of, super-defining and reflecting local tastes and what your listeners want to see and hear about today, and making sure your engagement of them is highly creative and unique in social media. This will set you apart and allow you to grow your career, grow your radio station, and boost your connectivity abilities in the 21st century.
Be unique and focus your attention on engaging the audience you most want to attract and bringing it back to assets your company owns. That?s the real goal. Become good at that and you can write your own ticket in and beyond radio.
Take a moment to enjoy the trumpeter and the Star Spangled Banner HERE.
Loyd Ford is the direct marketing, ratings and social media strategist for Americalist Direct Marketing and has programmed very successful radio brands in markets of all sizes, including KRMD AM & FM in Shreveport, and WSSL and WMYI in Greenville, WKKT in Charlotte and WBEE in Rochester, NY. Learn more about Loyd here: http://about.me/loydford. Get his radio-social media content sent directly to your smart phone or email for free here: www.rainmakerpathway.wordpress.com. Reach out to Loyd via e-mail HERE. Visit his Facebook radio social media page HERE.
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