I was listening to the radio this morning (Preston & Steve on WMMR to be exact) and it reminded me of an idea for a blog post that my friend Josh Wright had passed along to me some time ago. So the credit for this idea comes from Josh.
The Local Radio Station
The local radio station can tell you a lot about social media, regardless of whether the station uses Twitter, Facebook or whatever. The ways in which radio stations go about their business provides a number of relevant lessons for how you can succeed in Social Media. Lets take a page out of the old media playbook.
1. Your goal is to make money, but don’t rub it in people’s faces
Radio stations are often very good about this. They have ads that come on, but many stations have begun to apologize to their listeners that the music has to stop. Then they leave the audience hanging on for what comes after the break. The audience understands that the commercials are necessary to keep the radio free and are normally happy to wait, or flip to another station during the commercials, in order to hear what’s next.
Radio stations often promote products and services via the DJ talking about a product. It feels more natural to hear the hosts talk about a new car they’re driving or their lightning fast internet.
We all know Radio Stations need to make money but they do it in a subtle way. You need to make money, we all get it, but don’t be too blatent about it, it’s a turn off.
2. Your audience is opt-in
Much as with anyone that follows you on Twitter or subscribes to your blog, the radio is entirely opt in. I can change the station if I don’t like country music…which I don’t by the way. If you aren’t keeping people’s interest by educating, inspiring or entertaining, you are likely going to lose them to another “station.”
3. Get to know your audience and give them what they want
So if we accept that our audience is opt-in, then we have to know what they want and give it to them so that they’ll keep coming back. Getting to know your audience means understanding why they are listening. It means understanding what gets them to participate. It gives you the opportunity to give them what they want.
This means not playing Elton John when the listener is tuning in for “old skool hip-hop wednesdays.” Honor the agreement that you’ve made with your audience. If you have a blog that talks about sports, don’t go into politics unless you can easily bridge that gap. When you know your audience and what they want, the best thing you can do is give it to them, or at least tease them with it so that they’ll stay interested.
4. They are called “Radio Personalities” for a reason
Preston and Steve, Pierre Robert, Jaxson, Matt Cord and Jacky Bam-Bam. These are the personalities that rule the airwave on Philadelphia’s 93.3 WMMR.
How do I know this?
Because this is the only radio station I listen to. I have gotten to know these people. I feel connected to them and have a sense of what they value. They all let their personality come through and it helps the audience to relate to their content producers.
That being said, is your organization letting people’s personalities come though?
5. Incentivize
Most radio stations give away several things a day , and they have their audience glued to the radio listening for them. What other examples are there of people at 11:53 on a weekday, calling a phone number to try and be the 53rd caller to win tickets to a concert? Who else is giving away $1,000 to say “the phrase that pays” or tell everyone who’s playing today’s best R&B?
Think about how you can incentivize behavior. What’s the carrot you can put on the end of the stick?
What do you think? Did I miss anything? Are these good lessons to learn from?