Going in the opposite direction to your instincts is difficult, but you can do it if you want to attract and engage others well. This column is about creating impact with your social media content, and to do that we are going to look at how you focus on others.
- Think about the listeners you most want to attract. Look at your own research; certainly, look at your own goals for the station and think backwards toward your social media environments of choice. Who do you see in social media that matches the lifestyle and loves the “vibe” of what your station is creating today. No matter if they’ve come to the party yet or not.
- Work to get everyone on your team to think about the values they have that match with the listeners you most want to attract. Everyone on your team is passionate about something. Next time you talk strategy, ask around. See if you can create matches between their passions and passions that would match the station and listeners you most want to attract and build relationships with. If you can, engage them to create some content around those passions instead of just the station.
- Engage listeners on subjects that relate to the format and lifestyle of your station daily in social media. Yes, you can do what listeners automatically do: people watch. See something, say something. Make comments about what they are talking about. If you do this every day, you will draw them closer to you. It will have a direct impact on your overall social media.
- Be friendly, be visual, be helpful, bring them back to the properties your team owns (on-air, online). Get your flow moving by motivating yourself to constantly engage in ways that focus on them and you’ll always be a winner.
Radio has a great opportunity to engage, but we must force ourselves to think about the listener first. That sounds natural, but it isn’t. Human nature is to talk about you, you, you, you, you. If you focus on them and helping them, entertaining them, giving them something they can really connect with, and bringing them back to your content on air and online, you will score everytime!
Loyd Ford is the digital revenue, direct marketing, ratings, and social media strategist for Rainmaker Pathway and Americalist Direct Marketing. Loyd has programmed very successful radio brands in markets of all sizes, including KRMD AM & FM in Shreveport, WSSL and WMYI in Greenville, WKKT in Charlotte, and WBEE in Rochester, NY. Learn more about Loyd here: https://about.me/loydford.
