Friday, March 5, 2010

Finger Candy Friday: GET SOCIAL with WSIX’s Andie Lynne



GET SOCIAL with WSIX’s Andie Lynne

I remember working at a radio station back in 1995 and having someone tell me that I needed to get off the internet and get back to doing show prep. Then it was “We don’t need a website! It’s a waste of time and we can’t sell it”. Now if a radio station doesn’t have a website you start to wonder about the company that owns the radio station… I mean, after all… what kind of station doesn’t want to reach their listeners online??

Broadcasting companies even spend a little on webmasters and have weekly web meetings. This is GREAT! But in a sea of information, how do you reach your listeners and gain the unique hits you need for that website?? You stream your station online, post pictures, videos, have contests that you can only win if you register online, have shows where the listeners have to get “the complete details online” and each jock has a blog. FANTASTIC!!! You’re catching on!! But with ALL that information… how do you get it out to people??

A)     They already know your website address and check it every day for new content. Sure… the P1’s do… but what about Suzie homemaker that LOVES Blake Shelton and checks his twitter account all day long to see what else he has to say??  You just posted a great video about him on your site but she has no idea because Suzie home maker doesn’t go to your website everyday because she listens to the competition.
B)     You have your jocks talk about the website as much as they can. Perfect. But radio is a 20 minute turnover and the average listener missed the part about winning the trip to see __________.
C)     You have your website address on your bumper stickers. Great! And when I see that bumper sticker while I’m driving down the road, I’ll just hop online and (CRASH) Whoops…

Now that we are no longer afraid of websites and putting content up to help your listeners find you and give the sales department another tool to sell… we still aren’t using it to its potential. AT LEAST 90% of your employees from the sales department, air talent, management and office people have their own Social Media page… you chat, schedule, find information, show prep, post information, get music, videos, movies, and stay in touch with family and friends on different social networks. They have at least one Social Network they go to like Myspace, Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Friend Feed or LinkedIn where they post pictures of their car or cat and write blogs about the new Health Care Reform Bill or Taylor becoming the new CMA Entertainer of the Year to their 3,000 friends.  But when it comes to your radio station, you either don’t want to take the time to set up an account or you have them and don’t do anything or ENOUGH to make it interesting to pull current listeners or potential new people in. So here’s what you do… Post an occasional contest, photos once and while, maybe a video, announce a concert…Just enough to tell them what’s going on and send them back to the website for details. But THAT alone isn’t what’s going to get your followers interested in you because when your on the air you don’t just put advertisements on, you have personalities to give your station PERSONALITY! SO… you have to give your Twitter & Facebook personality too. Talk to your followers, say “HI” to them, Retweet a few things from listeners in the area, do @replies and add your RTers to a few Friday Follows! Be a personality in-between the information you throw out there. That way they feel more like a friend than just another person you’re trying to target to get web hits. You will see them start to spread the love to THEIR people and soon you will see your numbers increase! We ALL know that it all leads back to numbers and unique hits! Right?

Andie Lynne has been an on-air talent for the last 20 years in markets like Detroit, Ohio, Fresno and now Nashville. She’s led the marketing campaign for many successful promotions for morning shows, station events, artists, and even night clubs. She is currently on-air in Nashville and works with artists in Media training, Social Networking, Radio Promotions and Syndication. She also writes for a few different Radio Show Prep services has a Syndication called The Nashville Spill and performs stand-up.


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