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If You're Doing Your Job The Same Way You Were A Year Ago, You're Already Behind
November 29, 2016
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As we begin to wind down from another year gone - it's important to carve out time to assess workflows, structure and what I call your "hierarchy of attention."
We can't be excellent if we're trying to be everywhere digitally and socially.
We need to prioritize platforms - which ones have a higher propensity to complement and maybe even help deliver ratings and revenue?
Just looking at social - consider rethinking the way you use this space in 2017.
Facebook: It's Personal
No doubt every brand should be there.
In Zuckerberg's latest quarterly earnings call, he noted 1.09 billion daily active users on mobile.
That's a lot of opportunity to be (literally) in the hands of the fans - inches away from their face.
So what do we do with that? Be part of their conversations.
The Huge Show, based out of WBBL/Grand Rapids, took to Facebook Live to talk to the audience in real time after the University of Michigan suffered a heartbreaking loss to rival, Ohio State.
People jumped on the opportunity to interact with him.
Memes and cat videos are easy "wins," but try to go deeper, like that example, in the New Year.
It's in these emotional times - when we're present and connected - that we'll do well.
Asking fans to interact with us gives them a purpose. It's far more impactful than sitting around watching you (while our comments go ignored).
Twitter: A Powerful 'Tip Of The Hat' Tool
While live tweeting during sporting, news or pop culture moments will continue to grow in 2017 - make a stronger commitment to acknowledge the audience.
Create a real plan around this.
Twitter released a study to help brands understand the power of acknowledgment.
And it should come as no surprise people who receive replies are more satisfied with their experience and more willing to recommend the brand.
Instagram: Seek To Resonate - Not To Be Seen
Often times Instagram can feel like a wasteland of inspirational posters and pleads to join bar remotes.
But you know that's not really what the 18-34 core love about the app, right?
Consider Instagram's photo zoom feature.
Create content so the audience has to actually zoom your photo to see something specific.
It can be fun interaction.
For example: you had to zoom this photo to see where the driver was heading to. (It was Wisconsin - tough to see in a screen shot.)
Use Instagram to create liquid content - the stuff that people can play around with.
Snapchat: 10 Billion Video Views A Day
"Snapping" is the primary mode of communication for 13-34 year-olds.
Commit to a more impactful focus for Snap in 2017. Reinforce why you matter each time you show up.
Earlier this year, rather than talent posing with artists and looking self-indulgent, KRBE/Houston had artists autograph snaps on the KRBE account.
(L to R; Tori Kelly, Charlie Puth)This is just one example of how you can differentiate yourself on Snap.
It's about being useful to the fans.
When we come at content from the audiences' point of view - we get closer to becoming an even stronger, more memorable brand.
Always assess where you should be socially.
Rather than being OK everywhere - find where you can create the most impact and be fantastic there. There are very cool and rewarding moments just waiting to happen for your station and its fans.
Social is opportunity to be a part of the audiences' lives when they're not listening. And also, our chance to "pinball" them back to the assets we own, such as the "mothership," the FM/AM stick.
Shake it up and focus on moving fans. Don't get caught doing your job in 2017 the same way you did in 2016.
Catching up is just going to get harder.
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