Stephanie Winans

Business & Marketing Strategy Consulting

frequency

Facebook’s Schedule Feature: Why Schedule Social Media?

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Facebook recently made a giant step forward with the creation of the scheduling feature. You can now schedule a Facebook status (which may include a link, photo or video) for future post within the Facebook platform.

Use this feature to schedule Facebook posts in advance in lieu of HootSuite, or similar third party apps. It’s easy. From your business page Timeline, add a status update the way you normally would, adding your text, link or photo/video. Instead of choosing the post button on the bottom right of the box, choose the clock icon on the bottom left. This will allow you to choose the year, month, date, and time you would like the post to appear on your Timeline. You can edit or review in your Activity log within the Admin Panel.

Why Use Facebook Instead of the App I Already Use?

It’s assumed that Facebook’s EdgeRank, the algorithm that determines which posts appear in a user’s news feed, may penalize posts that aren’t created within Facebook. Using Facebook instead of another application may maximize your reach for each Facebook post.

Why Schedule at All?

Studies show that brands that post (or scheduled posts) outside of business hours showed engagement rates 20 percent higher than those that posted only during business hours, and that Facebook posts made on Saturdays and Sundays receive more likes than posts made during the business week. This means it’s a big mistake to post only while you’re at work.

Assuming you don’t want to be glued to your computer, tablet or phone 24/7, scheduling is a smart option. It allows you to focus your time spent on social media based on the strategy you have (I hope!) created, and get on with the other facets of your job- like what’s coming out of the speakers.

Scheduling is also helpful so that you don’t become what I call a “social media machine gun”, posting twenty tweets and four Facebook posts within two hours (when you’re at the computer) and then running out of “ammo” until the next day (when you’re back at the computer). Posting on Facebook too often will annoy your fans, so use scheduling to spread your content throughout the day. You can be a source of entertainment all day, long after your show ends.

What Is Scheduling? What Is It Not?

But let’s clarify one thing: Scheduling is NOT automating. Scheduling means taking the time to choose content targeted to your audience, crafting the post for each platform, and scheduling it the same way you would in real time. It does not mean setting up an RSS feed for every blog, feature, and podcast on your site and letting those apps automatically post for you. You still want to choose your teases carefully to entice listeners to click through to listen or read the content on your website. RSS apps won’t do this for you.

Scheduling does not replace interaction, so don’t schedule and run. You will get replies, retweets and comments you need to respond to throughout the day. Although you may not always post in real time, you should respond in real time. Scheduling is a way to ensure you’re planning your content in advance, and to maximize the time you have at the computer. It is not an excuse to neglect your social relationships.

Continue to post in real time when you can, but schedule posts to maximize your time and spread your social media content throughout the day.

Sources: Buddy Media via All Facebook and HubSpot via Mashable

Also posted at www.randylane.net

Social Media and Appointment Listening

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Facebook and Twitter are different animals, and your frequency strategy should be different for each one.

For one, Facebook is not an of the moment, breaking news network like Twitter. (They want to be with the addition of subscriptions and the ticker, but they aren’t there yet.) Facebook users are less likely to take immediate action than Twitter users.

Secondly, while posting new Facebook status updates several times an hour will likely annoy your fans, tweeting several times an hour is not only excepted — some say it’s optimal.

  • Use Facebook to post show-related content that remains relevant in news feeds once the show is over (think podcasts, phone topics, videos or stories you shared on-air). Save the appointment listening, what’s happening right now updates for Twitter. Since you are only posting on Facebook every 1.5 hours or twice per show, choose your posts carefully.

 

  • Post the same A+ updates from Facebook on Twitter, along with more appointment listening and of the moment updates. Recent research by KISSmetrics shows that it is optimal to tweet 1-4 times an hour. Posting more often on Twitter means you don’t have to be as picky with the content you choose.

Here’s an example of how an appointment listening post differs on Facebook and Twitter:

You post “We’re giving away tickets to see Adele in 20 minutes” on both. What happens?

Twitter: The immediacy of Twitter may elicit a response, encouraging followers to listen to the show to win. By the time the tickets are given away, the tweet will be buried by other tweets.

Facebook: The post may be visible in your listeners’ news feeds long after you gave away the tickets. The way Facebook’s algorithm Edgerank works makes it impossible to gauge how long this post will be visible.

The results of a 2011 study from knowDigital based on interviews with 30 KROQ/Los Angeles Facebook fans matched my own observations on Facebook and appointment setting. This study shows that Facebook posts about show or station features increase awareness, but do not encourage fans to tune in at a specific time.

Use Facebook Insights or another analytics program to measure your Facebook engagement to see if this is true for your station or show.

 

-written for The Randy Lane Company Content Ideas

Why Tweet? 7 Reasons Your Strategy Should Include Twitter

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“Twitter is not a technology. It’s a conversation. And it’s happening with or without you.” –@charleneli

It’s true. Your listeners are tweeting. Whether you’re rocking Twitter, have neglected your Twitter account or have never even signed up, people are tweeting about your brand- the station, the personalities, the music, the events.

As of September 2011, there were 100 million active users on Twitter. It’s is a social media powerhouse that radio shouldn’t overlook. If statistics alone aren’t incentive enough, here are seven reasons your station’s social media strategy should include Twitter:

1.    It’s popular. In 2011, Twitter topped an annual list of most-buzzed about social networks conducted by Zeta Interactive. According to Mashable, “these rankings measure both volume (number of mentions in more than 200 million blogs, social media outlets and online posts) and tone (comparing positive and negative buzz).”

2.    It’s a free focus group. You can manage your brand reputation by using Twitter to monitor what is being said about your station as well as the shows, personalities and music you feature. Use Twitter search to keep an eye on conversations about your station or competitors. Ask questions about new music, features or shows to get honest feedback about what listeners like and don’t like.

On Facebook, you only have access to the comments listeners make on the station wall. With Twitter, following the listeners who follow you gives you access to their stream of tweets.

3.    Contesting is easy. Running a contest or promotion on Twitter is simple, with no budget for third-party apps required. Twitter’s official contest rules are much less rigid than those of Facebook.

4.    It’s a resource for show prep. Use Twitter Lists to organize the accounts you follow. You can create separate lists for entertainment news, local news, and other stations or shows that inspire you. Twitter trends also provide entertaining on-air topics.

5.    It’s helpful for on-air interviews. Celebrities prefer Twitter, and many personally manage their own Twitter accounts. Air talent can use Twitter to research their guest before an on-air interview. They can reach out before and after the interview, increasing the station’s exposure to the artist’s fans all over the world. Tweeting links to audio, video, or pictures of an interview draws web traffic from more than just the artist’s fans in your market.

6.    You can tweet often. Research from KISSmetrics shows that it is optimal to tweet 1-4 times an hour. The frequency etiquette of Twitter gives you leeway to post a variety of content daily- contests and promotions, music news, concert updates, breaking news, entertainment stories, and character tweets from your air staff.

7.    There is opportunity for creativity. Television is a great example of how Twitter can transform a one-way broadcast into an interactive experience. The X Factor used #hashtags, encouraging viewers to tweet #IAmSimon, #IAmLA, #IAmPaula or #IAmNicole to show their affinity for a certain judge’s comments during the show. They read the tweets aloud in real time to get viewers more involved in the show.

Whether you’re already a pro or just getting started, exploring new ways to use Twitter will create value for your station’s online brand.

Have ideas or other uses for Twitter to share? Leave a comment or send me a tweet @StephanieWinans.

 

-written for Radio Ink Magazine

5 Tips for Online Success in 2012

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January is an optimistic month that connotes a new beginning for business owners and managers. New budgets and new goals bring a clean slate full of opportunities to succeed.
Amidst these opportunities for success lies your station’s online presence. Make your online brand a priority in 2012 with these five tips:

1. Define your goals.

Do you want to increase your number of Twitter followers, Facebook likes or YouTube subscribers? Would you like more traffic on your station website? You can’t measure progress if you don’t know what your goals are.

Ask your staff for input. The people who implement your online strategy on a daily basis are likely the same people who know its weaknesses best. Ask your webmaster, social media manager, promotions team and air talent for their insights.

2. Assess your competition.

Take an objective look at other stations in your market. Is their website superior to yours? Do they have more participation from listeners on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube? Comparing their online brand to yours will help you create goals for 2012. If they have a competitive edge over you online, check in regularly to learn what they’re doing right.

If your station is sitting pretty compared to market competitors, compare your brand to successful stations outside your market. There is always room for improvement.

3. Develop frequency strategies.

How often will you be tweeting or posting on Facebook? How often would you like your air talent to post a blog on the website? Develop minimum frequency goals and stick to them. This will ensure your website and social networks don’t get stale. If social media participation isn’t an issue, consider a maximum frequency goal to ensure you aren’t over posting or tweeting.

Plan a meeting to discuss frequency parameters with your staff to ensure that the strategy is realistic. The goal is to increase participation, not to stifle it. Their input will generate attainable goals you can work toward as a team.

4. Make it easy for air talent to manage the station’s social networks.

Choose a social app to manage various social networks. Your air talent will be able to manage the station accounts and their personal accounts from one interface, increasing their participation. Because air talent participation humanizes your station accounts and showcases the personalities you have on staff, it’s important to get them involved.

Your social media manager can also schedule some of your promotional tweets and posts so your message reaches a larger percentage of your audience. Social Bro, Buffer, Hootsuite, and Market Me Suite are a few of my favorite apps.

Many apps will even tell you when your audience is “listening”, which helps you understand the best times to post important information about contests or promotions.

Make your air-talent page admins of the station Facebook page so they can post content without logging out of their personal account. (You can always revoke access later, if necessary.)

5. Follow up.

Don’t wait until 2013. Evaluate progress and re-evaluate your strategy quarterly. Because the Internet is an ever-changing entity, a winning strategy isn’t static. Regular evaluation of both your efforts and the changing online environment will ensure you’re celebrating with your staff at the end of 2012.

 

-written for Radio Ink Magazine

A 12 Month Resolution for 2012: Build Your Own Personality Brand

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If you were asked to define your personality brand in 3-4 words, could you do it?

The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a “name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.”

The key word in this definition is distinct. Today everyone has an opportunity with social media to strengthen and distinguish their personality brand.

A brand is the personality behind the name. Defining your personality brand doesn’t end when your show is over. What you do online should reflect your on-air character and strengthen your brand by sending a consistent message to listeners.

Make your online presence a focus for 2012. It’s an important part of radio today, and could be considered a strength when your contract is up for renewal (or if you find yourself on the job hunt).

Here are social media tips to take you through all twelve months of 2012 (so no giving up on this resolution after January):

 

January:   Define your character in one phrase. (If you’re a Randy Lane Company client, you already have this down.) What adjectives describe you? Are you serious, comical, conservative, hip, edgy, fun? Use these to develop a “tone” for your brand voice. Listeners should get a sense of your personality by the way you write.

(While we’re on the subject, read Angela’s article on How to Write Funny if comical is in your character.)

 

February:   Set goals for yourself. Do you want to increase your number of Twitter followers, Facebook likes or YouTube subscribers? Are you interested in developing relationships with listeners or others in the radio industry? You can’t measure progress if you don’t know what your personal goals are.

 

March:   Choose a social app to help you easily manage various social networks. You’ll be able to manage your own accounts on different platforms (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), and manage the station accounts as well from one interface. You can also schedule some of your tweets and posts so your message reaches a larger percentage your audience. Here are a few of my favorite apps:

Many apps will even tell you when your audience is “listening”, which helps you understand the best times to post a status update or tweet.

 

April:   Develop a minimum frequency goal and stick to it (permanently). How often will you be tweeting or posting on Facebook? Regardless of your time constraints, setting a frequency goal will ensure your accounts stay active and don’t look stale.

 

May:   Share your opinion this month. What’s your take on the topic you’re posting about?  Provide the information along with your thoughts on it. Your opinions are part of what make your voice distinct.

 

June:   Create organic content by making a hot topic your own. For example, when Scarlett Johansson’s nude pics leaked, Nat from Breakfast with Nat & Drew, Virgin/Vancouver, took her own Johanssoning picture. Instead of her butt in the mirror, though, it was a donkey (still an ass!). This was a fantastic way to put a personal touch on a hot topic.

 

July:   Share what you’re passionate about this month. Love cooking? Make a video of yourself preparing your favorite recipe, and share it with listeners via your social networks and station website.

 

August:   Be self deprecating. Find a way this month to showcase your endearing flaws online the way you do on-air. If you’re known for having great hair, share a picture of the oh-so-rare bad hair day.

 

September:   Give listeners a peek into what you’re up to off the air. Use pictures and videos to show what’s going on behind the scenes.

 

October:   Network with others in the radio industry. LinkedIn and Twitter are great for finding people you would like to meet, or reaching out to someone for the first time. Building relationships within the industry is important because you never know when that person could be your next co-host, PD or GM.

 

November:   Use social media for show prep. Following shows you admire can be the catalyst for brainstorming on topics, features and contests. With Twitter, you can favorite tweets and look back at them when you have time.

 

December:   Focus on your listeners. Talk with them, not at them. Developing meaningful relationships with listeners can convert them into brand ambassadors, and give you a sense of what listeners like and don’t like about your show.

 

Just a reminder: All content should support the brand essence of your show and station, as well. If you’re posting on the station or show accounts, what you say represents more than just your personality brand. Keep this in mind if you want to keep your job!

Have other tips to share for 2012? Leave a comment. I would love to hear from you.

 

– written for The Randy Lane Company