Monday Memo: Social Media That Clicks
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
If you’re on-air, it’s an important part of your job. Here’s what I see and hear working:
- Daily Presence. Not just for-the-sake-of-posting, but to engage. Ask questions that spark conversation, reply to comments, repost listeners’ content (very flattering – they’ll repost you).
- Share behind-the-scenes moments from the studio – inviting, insightful – not silly or self-amused. Watch how the cast of “This Morning with Gordon Deal” executes “When the Mic is Off.”
- Tell stories. And at today’s blurry, attention-starved tempo, “word economy” is more imperative than ever. Make your point, without long setups, rambling, needless repetition or inside jokes… then get out. Like on-air breaks, every post has a purpose: entertain, inform, or connect. And a beginning, middle and end.
- Stay in Your Lane. If the station doesn’t do politics, don’t do politics in social media. If the station is upbeat, you stay upbeat.
- Done right, short video is powerful. Think: appetizer. 10- to 20-second clips can tease show content, or react to trending topics.
- Consistency beats perfection. To differentiate you from soulless robotic new-tech audio competitors, raw beats polished, authentic beats staged, frequent beats flawless.
- Close the loop on-air. Reward engagement with shout-outs. Superfans drive ratings.
As with on-air work:
- Ask yourself: Why does this matter to listeners? How can I make this relatable? How can I make this interactive?
- Avoid taking “lazy radio” habits online: reading long articles, bits with no payoff, inside jokes.
Execute with intention and heart, and you’ll stand out in a world full of noise.
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn
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