8-27-2014
When it comes right down to it, some radio stations are simply trying to fake involvement. Probably not yours, but you know gaming the system is a common happening across many broadcast operations. How do we make it seem like we care when we?don?t. I just can?t get ?up? for that. So, if that is what you?re into, this isn?t for you.
1. Be real. Listeners respect it, they can feel the difference and the results will be different, too. Don?t do what the big corporations do: fake it, game it, and call it a day. Try to be genuinely interested in your participators and also in the local community and those already engaged in social media on a local level.
2. Choose local causes that matter and run with them. You can be a dynamic leader in the market by assuming the position of a cause on-air and in your social media. In fact, it is often startling how much influence you can have. It, along with hard work, always pays off.
3. Don?t just focus on your own posts. Go out of your way to validate others in social media. Call them out positively and publicly so that others see your personalities and your brand ?taking up? causes, people, and things important to the people you most want to attract.
4. Having a plan always beats not having a plan. You see this this kind of thing: ?What are you doing in social media?? ?Well, we?re on Facebook and Twitter.? ?What are you doing?? ?I dunno.? Develop a plan with your staff and get them engaged by having specific assignments and content spread out so you are interesting, interested in others, and really contributing content that matters to those you most want to attract. And that is much more than contesting and asking people to look at you. Right?
There will always be folks trying to game the system. You see it all the time. Anything worth doing is worth doing well. Your social media can be robust and meaningful. You can profit from it in terms of more loyalty, more ratings, more revenue, and more pride in local! Listeners still respect it when you are plugged in ? not just saying ?live and local.? Plug in, validate your listeners, give them content mixed with funny, smart, and local, and you have the ingredients for a powerful, winning social media formula that all starts with ?keeping it real? and ends with your escalating success.
Now go get ?em.
Loyd Ford is the digital revenue, direct marketing, ratings and social media strategist for Rainmaker Pathway and Americalist Direct Marketing. Loyd 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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