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Stephanie Winans

Business & Marketing Strategy Consulting

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Social Media vs. The Station Website: Who Wins Biggest Priority?

November 16, 2012 by Stephanie Winans 5 Comments

I spoke at the Ontario Broadcasters Association Fall Conference and one of the questions for our panel was “Where does social media fit against where your website sits?”

This question comes up often, as managers and talent alike try to prioritize and determine the relationship between the station website and social media.

So, what is the answer? In the short term, the answer depends on your goals. If your goal is to beat your competitor in Facebook likes, then social media may be your current priority.

In the long term, your goal should be to use social media to support the station website, and to create website content that can be shared on social platforms- by you and by your fans.

Fish Where The Fish Are

You’ve likely heard the statement “fish where the fish are” in support of making social media a priority. This phrase is powerful- it is a visual reminder of the marketing power of social platforms like Facebook, which boasts over 800 billion users.

And the phrase makes a strong argument. We cannot afford to ignore any touch point where we can reach listeners, market to them, and build relationships with them.

Don’t Put Your Eggs In A Basket You Don’t Own

While the engagement we see on mainstream social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube (and even SoundCloud, Instagram and Pinterest!) may encourage us to make social media our first priority, it’s important to remember that we can’t control these social networks.

We’re just one irritating change, privacy mishap, or trend away from a shift in social media. Popularity can change at any time- just ask MySpace. Because we don’t own (and don’t we wish we did!) Facebook or Twitter, it is smart to use social media to support the products we do own.

What I mean by “support” breaks down into two arguments:

1. The Content Marketing Argument

Where do you find the content to post on your social media platforms? If you have strong website content that is frequently updated, the first answer is the station website.

Without a robust content strategy, it is difficult for social media managers (or Promotions Directors, or whoever runs your social media presence) to find quality content that supports both the station brand, and the social media strategy in place.

For example, having frequently updated jock blogs and show podcasts, music news and videos, gives you a stable cornerstone in which to build your social media strategy. If your website is static, you are forced to seek out relevant content 100% of the time.

Social media management is easier when you’re website is something worthy of sharing.

2. The Digital ROI Argument

Using social media to drive listeners back to the website should be your second goal. (What’s the first? Using social media to drive ratings by nurturing listener-station relationships and sharing content that promotes the on-air product.)

Why do we care about driving listeners to the station website? Because we like our jobs and our stations are supported by advertisers, many of which are shifting to an interest in digital ads, interactive online promotions, or website feature sponsorships.

Racking up likes and comments on Facebook serves whom? Facebook (unless a client of the station sponsors that post). Using a Facebook post to drive traffic to the website serves both the station and its advertisers.

When listeners click a link you post, they (you!) are increasing traffic to the station website. Whether the specific page you linked to is sponsored or not, the overall traffic statistics are the numbers our Account Executives use to sell digital.
Because I believe driving website traffic is a goal for social media presence (and not the other way around), and because we should never put too much focus on a product we don’t own, I believe social media is secondary to the station website. What are your thoughts? Share by adding a comment below.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: advertisers, content marketing, morning show website, ROI, sales, social media, website, website traffic

8 Quick Tips for Better Air Talent Blogs and Morning Show Websites

May 28, 2012 by Stephanie Winans 2 Comments

Blog smog. You aren’t a blogger. Why should you worry about improving your writing skills?

As radio companies put more emphasis on digital growth, you are now responsible for website traffic and social media engagement in addition to on-air ratings.

Becoming a better blogger will give you organic content for your social networks, increasing web traffic as users are enticed to click through. Better blogs may also forge stronger relationships, turning casual listeners into P1s.

Convinced? Read on. (Unconvinced? Keep reading!)

Before we get into the tips, let’s define “blog”. According to Google, a blog is “a website on which an individual or group of users record opinions, information, etc. on a regular basis.” For radio, that includes your talent blogs, as well as the content you add to your website to reflect that day’s show topics.

So your entertainment buzz, stupid news, phone topics, and audio clips count as blogs, too.

Here are eight tips to improve your talent blogs and the content you post from the show each day:

1. Focus on Your Headline. When you plan your show, you write teases to keep people listening. With blogs, you write headlines to keep people reading. It’s really not that different.

2. Include your opinion. Often you blog about pop culture, music, or current events. Listeners can find these stories anywhere, but they found it on your website because they have an affinity for your brand. Along with Gotye’s new video or news about John Travolta’s massage misbehavior, include your opinion the way you would on-air. Don’t blog just to meet a corporate requirement or to provide listeners with strong content. Use the opportunity to showcase your character and create a connection with listeners that will keep them coming back- to your website and to your show.

3. Define your goal before you begin. Are you writing to inform, entertain or inspire? Read your blog when it’s done and make sure it cuts through in the way you planned. Will your readers learn something (about the subject, or about you)? Will they laugh? Will they be entertained? Will they be moved (to tears, or outrage)?

4. End with a call to action. Write to Done has a great blog on this that says “you need to make the reader take action”. Ask your reader to leave a comment, or to tune in to tomorrow’s show to listen to the topic on-air. For example, end your blog with:

  • “Are these masseurs telling the truth about John Travolta? Leave a comment and let me know what you think.”
  • “Listen tomorrow at 7:20 when we talk to Gotye and ask him about the ex that inspired this song.”

5. Respond to blog comments. Your blog is an opportunity to engage listeners. Call listeners by name. Continue the conversation with your reply. Be personable.

6. Craft Your Social Media Tease. An enticing on-air tease often makes a great tweet or Facebook post. Like on-air teases, your social media teases should pique the reader’s curiosity. Ask a question, develop a creative headline, and use images to increase traffic to your blog from your social profiles.

7. Be Enticing, Not Misleading. As this blog by Daniel Sharkov suggests, make sure you can back up the claims you make. Writing headlines that are enticing but misleading will only annoy your listeners and keep them from coming back. Follow Huffington Post on Twitter for a good example. Their tweets are creative and intriguing, but never misleading.

8. Measure. Don’t wait until your contract is up for renewal to find out how you’re doing online. Track your website traffic. Use Facebook Insights (or other third party measurement tools). Let the analytics guide your content. Listeners will tell you which blogs they find interesting. You just have to listen (or study the stats).

Have other tips to share? I’d love to hear them. Leave a comment below- I promise I’ll respond.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: analytics, blog, blogging, character, engagement, facebook, measurement, morning show, morning show website, online content, social media, talent, twitter, website, website traffic

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