WHAT’S NEW ON THE WEB Chris Byrnes – ByrnesMedia There are always interesting new trends happening around the world, especially when it comes to the internet. This month we will look at how radio stations are using the web to create a better interactive experience for their listeners. Perhaps the most talked about concept on the web across all sectors today is “social networking.” If you don’t know much about social networking, one definition is: the ability to help connect with friends, business partners, or other individuals using communication and social mapping tools.
Radio was the first electronic social network. It was the first time one person could interact with many. People phoned radio stations to request songs, have their say in talk back programs, and it was not long before politicians realized that radio was a great tool to reach thousands of people and influence their vote as much by the way they sounded as by what they said.
Radio continues to be a powerful social network, but it is quickly being taken over by the new social networking tools such as Myspace and Facebook. The politicians have also been quick to adopt this technology and it’s likely the winner of the White House in 2008 will be the Democrat or Republican who wins the war being waged on the internet. One interesting site is my.barackobama.com where you can watch streaming videos, sign up for email alerts, volunteer, or purchase online merchandise. It's clear that the two main functions of Obama's social network is to help supporters organize events and connect locally with others.
Other companies are using social networking tools on the internet to create awareness and interest in their products and services. Here are three examples:
Sony created a Halo Wars community for their popular X-box 360 game to build the pre-launch interest in the game. There were screen shots, movie downloads and discussion boards. I first learned about this from my 12-year-old who had heard about it from his friends at school. Check it out at www.halowars.com.
Mazda created an entire social network for MX-5 owners. It allows all generations of MX-5 owners to connect with each other, offering blogs, the history of the car, tips and tricks, frequently asked questions and user downloads. Owners are encouraged to register to get access to additional features, and this allows Mazda to communicate directly with each owner. Mazda is able to present the latest information regarding their various product lines to a market segment that they know is interested in their offerings. By the way, the hottest topic on this site is how to install and use an iPod in the MX-5. Check it out at www.mx-5.com.
Visa created its own social network to showcase their Rugby Legends ahead of the Rugby World Cup 2007. Visa’s Rugby World Cup debate featured video integration with Flash and multiple customized solutions, including the creation of six different "skins" for key target markets spanning Europe, South Africa and Australasia - all of which are centralized through one database.
Radio is also doing some interesting things in the area of social networking and I’d like to share three examples with you.
In South Africa, a country that has more than its share of social and economic issues, the hugely successful youth targeted radio station, 5FM in Johannesburg, has created a social networking portal similar to that of Facebook and MySpace. What is fundamentally different about www.youngblood5.co.za is the local focus so the relevant issues to the youth of Johannesburg are front and centre. This radio station has found a way to play lots of music on the air while engaging their target audience in a space they are comfortable using. It also allows the station to tap into the key issues and discuss them on the air so it gives users a chance to be heard. Users have a choice of whether they prefer to start a blog, podcast their issue or simply just enter the website's forum via email - it's up to each user to decide how they want their thoughts to be headlined. By the way, it is worth visiting the station’s web site www.5fm.co.za to see how they interact with their audience.
In England, the BBC is running a test project using a social network website to bring together listeners to its 10 national radio stations in what some are saying could be 'the radio service of tomorrow'. The project, called Radio Pop, allows users to instantly access BBC radio stations online, log their favourite programs, and share their listening preferences with friends in their network.
The recommendation facility is similar to that used by music site, Last FM, where users share their musical tastes and discover new artists by tapping into other users' preferences. Radio Pop users can bookmark their favourite programs using the "pop" button and share it with the rest of their network. They also have access to a series of graphs showing which stations and shows they listen to the most, and what their friends are tuning into. The data gathered by the site allows the BBC to send targeted promotions to listeners and better analyse their radio listening habits. This will give the BBC instant access to data detailing which programs are popular and how listeners use word of mouth to recommend radio content to others. The more people who join the service, the more reliable the data. This could offer real-time feedback to the BBC with sample sizes larger than the current Raja measurement service.
South of the border, the folks at Clear Channel are also dabbling with the whole social networking phenomenon. They have introduced a number of station-branded social networks that take advantage of some of their huge audience numbers. While each site has a common feel to it, the focus is on local social networking. Some of the features offered on these branded sites include:
Users will also be able to customize their profile pages with videos from Clear Channel's catalogue of over 6,000 music videos licensed from major and independent labels.
If you would like to check out some of these sites, go to wildspace.wild949.com to see what they are up to in San Francisco. In Dallas, at KHKS, you’ll find kissnation.1061kissfm.com. Unfortunately, because they track IP addresses a lot of the cool features are only available to users within the US.
Adding social networking tools to a radio station’s website seems like a no brainer. By the way, the people who developed the software that runs Myspace and several other major social networking portals offer their basic service for $30 a month. Check out www.onesite.com.
The challenge for any radio station is how to cover the costs, and ideally make some money on the web. While some of the sites mentioned in this article look to be running some online advertising, there are very few stations that are actually getting a return on the effort they are investing in the web at this point. They key as in any business decision is to create a solid business plan scaled to your market and your station. You also need the folks at the top to believe in and agree to the strategy, and then focus in on one area and build from there. |