Stephanie Winans

Business & Marketing Strategy Consulting

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Why Morning Shows Deserve Their Own Facebook Page

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Three clients have approached me in the last few months, all worried because the station they work for is threatening to cancel their Morning Show Facebook page. Not because their behavior on Facebook is out of line with the station brand, or because it is distracting them from the on-air product, but because they view it as a threat to the growth of the station’s Facebook presence.

While I understand the need to streamline the on-air message regarding social media, I believe morning shows deserve their ownMorning Shows-Facebook social media accounts. Here are five reasons why:

1. A radio station is only as strong as its shows, its music, and its promotions. A show that is using social media to engage P1s and attract new listeners is serving more than itself- but the station as a whole.

2. A smart radio station Facebook or Twitter account represents all aspects of the station brand. This includes new music, artist news, promotions and contests, and shows. Because there are only so many posts that should be made in one day, the morning show has limited opportunity to promote their show and its content on the station page (typically within the time the show airs).

Having their own Facebook and Twitter presence allows them to be a source of entertainment for listeners 24/7, creating brand loyalty and increasing tune-ins.

3. Fans “like” and “follow” radio stations for different reasons than they do shows or air talent. They expect the station to keep them updated with concerts, music news, contests and promotions. They like or follow a show or air talent accounts to find out more about what they’ve heard on the show, and to personally connect with the specific jock they love. Following a person and a brand are different, and they both have a place in social media.

4. Morning show talent almost always ensure their online presence is in line with the on-air brand. If they are growing a fan base online, it’s because they care about their brand and the show’s success. They want to give listeners what they expect, and would not post any content that doesn’t reflect the show’s branding.

It’s unlikely they will behave badly… Facebook isn’t Vegas, so they know what happens there will always make it back to Management.

5. Facebook is a great place to test on-air topics. Many shows use Facebook as a gauge by posting phone topics the night before. Often a topic they thought would be huge has “no legs,” evident by the lack of engagement on Facebook. And sometimes a small topic turns into a huge segment, as the show sees different angles in Facebook comments. Using Facebook to “test topics” makes the on-air product stronger, as it weeds out the topics that don’t resonate with listeners.

And why not let the show keep their page?

If you’re worried that the show’s on-air promotion of their Facebook page is hurting the growth of the station page, set parameters.

If your station Facebook page lacks morning show presence because they only post on their own, set guidelines for when they must post on the station page.

Just don’t cancel their account.

This is a controversial topic by nature. I welcome your opinions, as they may help guide compromise for Management and Morning Show talent.

 

Photo credit: Modified from a photo from clotho98 on Flickr via Creative Commons

Like This If You Like Doughnuts: The Empty Facebook Post

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“Like this if you like doughnuts, too.” “Share this if you’re single.” “Like this if you’ve ever played football.”

What do these statements tell you about the brand, station, or person who posted them? Nothing. Except that they are desperate for engagement.

Every post, tweet, pin you make is representative of your brand. While studies show that asking fans to take action (by requesting likes, shares or comments) works, pairing the call to action with a post that contains strong content is key.

If someone shares, comments or likes a post, it shows up on their Timeline. If the post is meaningless and doesn’t contain content that brands your station and entertains the listener, the engagement is pointless. No one is tuning in to your station or liking your Facebook page because they saw a post that says “Like this if you like doughnuts”.

Although you may receive high engagement from that post (many people like doughnuts!), it’s empty and won’t help you achieve broader marketing goals. After all, you aren’t a company that sells doughnuts… are you?

 

Photo credit: SebastianDooris

Selling Social: Are Social Media Endorsements a Good Idea?

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Social media savvy radio clients are inquiring about online endorsements, creating revenue opportunities for both radio stations and air talent. However, with opportunity comes responsibility.

Stations and talent have built online communities based on trust. Listeners trust that your social media content will be a reflection of what they hear on air- an extension of your station brand or your on-air personality. They also trust that you won’t spam them.

A friend (and high profile morning show talent) recently approached me with questions about social media endorsements. He is hesitant to accept sales offers for social media endorsements, rightfully afraid to taint the delicate relationships he has built with his 20,000 Twitter followers and 35,000 Facebook fans. Our discussion had me thinking of ways to get online endorsement revenue without upsetting the balance of trust you have with your online community of listeners.

Here are some guidelines to help you if you’re considering social media endorsements:

Be Transparent

Make it clear that it’s a sponsored post or tweet. Your social relationships are based on trust, so don’t try to trick your followers or fans into thinking the tweet or post isn’t an ad. They’ll know you’re lying. Michael Brandvold, Music marketing consultant, speaker, author, expert and Klout Star, shares his experience on endorsements with the music industry:

“Endorsements are fine, but you need to be clear that the post is a paid endorsement. You should also only endorse items that you do believe in. So if a discussions starts you can talk intelligently and with passion.

I always tell a story of how [the band] KISS has never been afraid to say they are doing something for money, complete transparency and honesty. But other artists I have worked with would say they want to earn the money that someone like KISS would make, but can they do it in a way so their fans won’t think they are in it for the money. You can’t fool your fans or listeners today. When they find out you were trying to fool them you will have much bigger problems to deal with.”

On Twitter, you can use a hashtag like #Sponsored or #Promoted to let listeners know the tweet is a paid endorsement. On Facebook, you can use parentheses in your status update to indicate an advertisement.

Follow Your On-Air Rules

Michael Brandvold also mentions that it’s important to accept endorsements you believe in, and this is an essential tip for air talent. Follow your own guidelines on whether to accept a social media endorsement; be picky in the same way you are when choosing to accept an on-air endorsement. Your reputation is important, and you are the one responsible for protecting it- not the station, and not the client.

Consider Sponsored Online Content

Think about an on-air Traffic sponsorship, where the content already provided is tagged with a sponsor ad. Offer to create a similar social media sponsorship in lieu of an online endorsement. Provide your own content, along with a note that it is sponsored by [your client]. You can use content you already provide regularly, or create something tailor made for the client (for the right price, of course).

Don’t Do it Often

If you accept endorsements as a station or an air talent, don’t do them often. Your goal is to gain followers, not to lose them. Posting endorsement ads often won’t help anyone. Your listeners will be annoyed, and that’s not good for your brand or the client’s.

Do It Once, Naturally

One last endorsement option: If there’s a client you truly stand behind, share honestly online one time. Not disclosing that it’s an ad will only work once. Choose the time you tweet or post carefully to maximize exposure for the client, and write the copy yourself so it really is just you sharing information about a brand or product you support.

If you have any endorsement stories or tips of your own to share, I would love to hear them. Leave a comment or send me a tweet @StephanieWinans.

You can check out the genius of Michael Brandvold on his website or on Twitter.

This article was written for Radio Ink.

Your Brand Has A Voice

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It’s easy for radio talent to engage listeners with social media. Your DJs interact with listeners the way they would with a friend or acquaintance, because their brand is their personality.

But what about your station accounts? How should brands interact with people on a social media platform? Like a person. Humanizing your station’s Facebook and Twitter accounts is easier than you think. After all, you know a thing or two about being human, don’t you?

To give your social media efforts a personal touch, you just need to develop your brand voice and say the right things.

Developing A Brand Voice For The Web

  • Know your audience. Create your “brand voice” with both your demo and format in mind.
  • What adjectives describe your station– serious, comical, conservative, hip, edgy, fun? Use adjectives that describe your brand to develop a “tone” for your brand voice.
  • Use your station’s imaging to help you brainstorm about how your station should sound online.

What Is Your Brand Voice Saying?

Your radio station is a brand. Your brand has a voice. But is your brand voice saying the right things online? Think of your brand as a person. Would you be friends with someone who talks about himself constantly, doesn’t engage in conversation, or ignores you? No, and neither would your listeners. Here are a few tips to keep your brand voice from sounding like a braggart or a bore:

  • Make it about your audience and not about you. What do your listeners want or expect from your social media accounts? Updates on local concerts, music news, promotions and giveaways, pictures and videos of station events, sneak peeks into what happens behind the scenes? If you aren’t sure, ask them. Use Facebook questions or a Twitter hashtag to start the conversation.
  • Don’t brag. Self-promoting is accepted only when it serves a purpose for the listener. When in doubt, ask yourself the question “What’s in it for them?” before posting. Are you offering content relevant to your demo? Are you giving them more of the personalities they love to hear on-air? Are you giving them a chance to win something they want?
  • Don’t mistake your Facebook and Twitter accounts for a press-release dumping ground. Many brands make this mistake, and radio is no exception to this rule.
  • Make sure your content is relevant. Remember you’re talking to your listeners, so talk about topics your demo is likely to care about.
  • If you wouldn’t say it on-air, don’t say it online. Your web presence should be a natural extension of your on-air brand.
  • Join conversations that are relevant to your brand. Respond to comments on Facebook, and join conversations on Twitter using @replies to create a conversation between your station brand and the listener.
  • Answer their concerns. Be customer service minded, and don’t let listener questions go unanswered. Whether it’s the name of a particular song, the date you’re giving away certain concert tickets, or a gripe about an on-air talent or promotion, let them know their voice is heard.
  • Don’t sound desperate. Studies show that calls to action (asking for likes and comments) produce results, but don’t get carried away.
  • Stick to the strategy. There’s nothing worse than a brand that abandons their social media accounts. If you can’t keep up with them, delete them.

-written for Radio Ink

 

Social Media Policy: Drawing The Line

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When it comes to social media, it should be common sense for employees to act in the best interest of the brand.  The fact that many company brands have been damaged by the online musings of their employees says otherwise.  It’s not just the disgruntled employee whose online mistakes affect the station or show brand.  It could be the social media or blogging novice, the young and inexperienced intern, or the employee with a bizarre sense of humor.  Or it could be your smartest employee with a momentary lapse in judgment.

Most stations have a corporate social media policy in place by now.  But when it comes to the internet, businesses have more than just the management of company accounts to worry about.  With 750 million users on Facebook, 200 million on Twitter, hundreds of millions on YouTube, 25 million on Google+ and countless other social media sites gaining in popularity, it’s certain that most of your employees are active online.

Does your social media policy address the management of your staff’s personal online activity?  It should.

While you can’t control the tone or content of your employees’ accounts, you can control what is said about your brand.  Ensure that your confidentiality agreement covers online activity on both company and personal accounts.  Your employees should know they cannot state or imply any proprietary or competitive information during or following employment to anyone, any way, anywhere (cyberspace is a place).

It’s not enough to require talent or other station employees to add the clause “The views expressed are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of (station name)” to personal accounts.  Their posts about your brand can be damaging, regardless of whether listeners know it is not an official station account.

Developing A Personal Account Policy
Invite your social media savvy employees to a meeting (don’t be cheap; buy them lunch).  Facilitate a brainstorming session to come up with ideas for both your “don’ts” and “do’s” lists.  This is especially helpful for managers who aren’t confident with their knowledge of popular online media.

Remember to keep your company social media policy separate from your company’s policy on employee accounts.  Your company social media policy will give you extensive control over your station’s official sites.  Have respect for your employee’s personal (cyber)space by understanding that you can only control the content relevant to your company.  Outline the big picture of how their accounts can affect your station’s brand image.

Include the confidentiality agreement information, and a short, specific list of topics that are off limits.  Give them examples of what they are not allowed to discuss online with regards to the station, and examples of the types of conversation you encourage.

Make the policy clear, and post the most important points in a place employees can easily find without asking- on the wall, or in an email reminder.

Don’t Panic!
While all of this talk about damaging brand reputation sounds scary, the benefits outweigh the risks.  Your employees are your station’s #1 brand ambassadors.  In media, your employees are the face of the brand.  Listeners develop an opinion on your brand based on their interaction with your talent.

Don’t give them so many restrictions that they are scared to engage listeners.  Talent who are active online increase reach and build brand loyalty, for both their personal brands and the station brand.  Encourage them by giving them more than just a “don’t” list.  Give them positive guidelines to inspire engagement that will build your brand image.

Controlling the Chatter
Your social media manager (SMM) should be able to keep an online eye on employees without much effort.  If your SMM sees an employee online flirting with danger (and I don’t mean a hot man on a motorcycle), he or she should report to your Human Resources Manager immediately, after taking a screen shot of the offense.  The HR Manager can decide what action to take.

Your SMM should also be available as a resource for other employees.  Make “when in doubt, ask” your social media motto to avoid unintended online injuries.

Before you get started, watch this video from the Department of Justice, Victoria inspiration.  You’ll be glad you did.  They have done a fabulous job at creatively exhibiting the importance of social media policy.  It wouldn’t hurt to pass this along to your employees, either.