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The Value of Relevancy
April 12, 2011
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I hear it all the time: "I get it, I need to be on Facebook and Twitter - but while everyone talks strategies, what to do and when to do it - nobody seems to have any examples that work long-term."
Wait no more. Here are two of them -- one for the channel Facebook, and one for the channel Twitter.
First, meet Stephen Clark, lead news anchor in Detroit for ABC affiliate WXYZ.
Stephen found himself "getting bored' with delivering bad news every night during his newscasts so he did something unconventional - he turned to Twitter to turn this all around. Stephen blogged:
"I want you to stop complaining that all you see on TV is bad news and give me some good news. Yeah, we see more than our fair share of bad news in Detroit, and bad news about Detroit. Don't get me started on this..."
Then Stephen announced The #Backchannel:"Starting immediately I want you to find the stories that I will cover on Channel 7. I don't want you just to tell me about it. I want you so show me ... It doesn't have to be perfect and polished.
Just take your flip camera or iPhone and shoot some video. Show us the pictures of why it is a compelling story ... Post the video on YouTube or Vimeo or wherever and hashtag a synopsis to the #backchannel..."
And it starts out with something like this tweet exchange:
The content is then shown to the #backchannel community and if they agree that Channel 7 viewers would like it, he grabs camera gear and shoots the story for broadcast.
Stephen then pushes the #backchannel story for approval to post on the station's website or incorporates the #backchannel footage into an official story on-air on WXYZ Channel 7.
"The Backchannel" is a prime example of integrating and engaging the audience via social media. It is well worth checking out on Twitter. Just go to #backchannel and watch the conversation about Detroit.
"For Those About to Talk"
Putting fans first and building a community that has less about winning prizes and more about indirect brand conversation is what WMMR/Philadelphia Bill Weston and his team do.Whether it's a well-written status update on opening day:
Or extending the morning show dialogue...
It's about conversation around the product, not directly about it. You won't find WMMR regurgitate on Facebook what they do on-air. The have mastered the art of conversation and enhancing the primary purpose why their audience is on Facebook -- and that's simply to talk.
This type of successful usage on Facebook and Twitter doesn't come about by luck. Both examples started with a goal, then set strategic elements in place to succeed. These efforts are about building on the long-term health of the brand.
As mentioned in last week's Merge it's not always about increasing the bottom line.
Without digital and social strategies in place to build on our brands' long-term overall health, it's possible we're unknowingly chipping away at their equity.
We have an exciting panel coming up at the All Access Worldwide Radio Summit on Saturday, Apr. 30th, titled "Radio - The Original & Biggest Music Social Network"Leave any comments you have below on specific areas that you'd like to see addressed on this panel. I'll make sure we discuss them and bring you actionable takeaways for successful results.
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