Eight New Year’s Resolutions for Social Media Results

Everyone has a favorite holiday. New Year’s is mine. Not for the glamorous parties. Not for the New Year’s kiss. Not for the black eyed peas. It’s my favorite holiday because it teems with opportunity- not for one celebratory day, but for an entire year.

While it’s fun to make personal resolutions each year, it’s smart to make professional resolutions. The New Year is the perfect time for reflection. What worked last year that should be repeated? What failed, and what changes should be made to ensure different results this year?

When you reflect on 2012 and set goals for 2013 for your station, include your digital presence. To help you brainstorm, here are eight New Year’s resolutions:

 

1.    I will look at our website and social media presence with fresh eyes. I will read the copy, and assess the design like a listener seeing it for the first time.

Do the graphics look amateur? Is the copy well written? On social platforms, is the request line number clearly visible, and are the frequency and call letters obvious? Does the content give listeners a reason to return to the website?

2.    I will review (or create!) a social media strategy for the station. I will consult with other departments in the building to ensure the plan fits the needs of the station as a whole. Once our goals are defined and the plan is developed, I will measure the results regularly, tweaking as necessary to ensure we’re on track to meet those goals.

3.    I will conduct informal research on my competitors to see how our brand stacks up against theirs online. Are we missing any key content categories on our website? What are they doing on social media that engages listeners?

4.    I will review the analytics for the station website each month with our webmaster. Together we will assess both the highest and lowest ranking pages.

If any low ranking pages feature updated content, we’ll create a plan to increase traffic. Are the pages promoted enough on-air and on social platforms?

If pages that consistently perform poorly feature content that costs the station money or barter, we’ll reevaluate those contracts.

5.  I will develop an incentive for air talent to increase website traffic. A fun contest will motivate talent to update their blogs and podcasts without the nagging or guideline reminders. The incentives can be non-monetary or inexpensive, like the best parking spot or a free Starbucks coffee for the weekly winner.

6.    I will appoint someone to research Facebook contest applications, so that when we have an idea for digital revenue, we have someone who can price and execute the promotion.

7.    I will remind the staff to pay attention to the online contests of non-radio brands. Which ones stand out? What types of contests go viral or create buzz? I’ll save the ideas for inspiration for the next digital promotion or contest.

8.    I will add a digital twist to annual promotions. Is there a way to get more exposure for the promotion and the station by adding a social element? Is there an opportunity for digital revenue? Can we make the event bigger by streaming video or including listener tweets on projectors?

9.    I will encourage the use of social media for fan engagement. Stress to staff that conversing with listeners, answering their questions, and providing content they care about is first priority. The online filter should be “What’s in it for the listener?”
Make professional resolutions you can stick to… so when you stop going to gym mid-February, at least you have something to be proud of.

 

Photo credit: bayasaa on Flickr via Creative Commons