We Are SO Smart

I went with that headline instead of just stealing the one atop the Country Radio Seminar's latest press release:  "Young Country Fans Use an Average of Five Different Social Media Sites" because "we are so smart" is what Mike O'Malley, Becky Brenner and I said to ourselves after seeing this yesterday:

Where should Country radio engage with its new generation of listeners? Everywhere and at once.  A new study on Country listening and media usage among 12-to-34-year-olds shows that the average number of different social media sites used by that demographic is an impressive 4.4. But 12-to-34-year-olds who listen frequently to Country music are even more prone to be using multiple social media sites simultaneously, an average of 5.0.

Edison Research’s “Understanding Country Radio’s Next Generation of Listeners” is the newest research on the music and media habits of 12-to-34-year olds. The full survey will be unveiled February 19th at the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville by Edison’s Larry Rosin and Megan Lazovick, along with Jayne Charneski, an expert on “Millennials.” A follow-up session will be held February 20th.

Edison surveyed 1,550 12-34-year-olds, including nearly 900 respondents under age 25.   In addition, Edison conducted face-to-face interviews with Millennials about their attitudes towards Country music, Country radio, and music listening and media habits in general. Those interviews will be unveiled for the first time at the Country Radio Seminar presentation. 

The average number of social networks used is the number that respondents said that they used “actively or occasionally.”

“Broadcasters are at widely varying places in their social media efforts, and acknowledging the need to engage with listeners and potential listeners does not always translate to having a strategy,” says Edison Research president Larry Rosin. “Knowing that young Country fans are on even more networks than their already savvy peers means that Country needs a wide-ranging social media strategy that goes beyond ‘like us on Facebook.’ We look forward to helping guide broadcasters craft that strategy at CRS.”

That process already started long ago at A&O&B. 

That's why we hired Jacobs Media's Lori Lewis to help our clients navigate the future.  It begins publicly at A&O&B's Pre-CRS Seminar February 18 in Nashville, where you will want to hear Lori's presentation, part of our best client seminar EVER.

RSVP for 2014's 2/18 client seminar now (click)!

Live Tweeting Life

I have been attending what was once called "The Consultants' Fly-In" as far back as before when Dwight Douglas was a rock consultant loudly and publically pushing for better representation of young males. 

Trust me, I know it seems like the issue is still unresolved, but that was a long time ago.

So, when I had to miss this years it was so great to see both of my partners in attendance with a large presence among the other experts who were live Tweeting during the event.

It made me feel almost as connected as being there and it was a comfort knowing that Mike and Becky were on hand and aggressively representing our clients' interests as powerfully as ever.

What if there was a #yourtownthismorning?

Would you have a large, consistent and live presence on it in real time?

I know Mike O'Malley and Becky Brenner will be there.  I'll be looking for you too!

You Could Buy Facebook Ads

You know the drill:  "if you like Luke Bryan, like (station brand)."  And, it certainly works as long as your competition hasn't figured that out yet, but the goal is to drive listening to your radio station and hits to your website, isn't it?

Check this blog out on Seattle's 100.7 THE WOLF and learn how to move well beyond social media 101.

My Personal and Private Struggle with Weight, Body Image, & Self-Confidence by Ellen

When's the last time that listeners responded to anything on your website by writing things like this?

You are the real you, and people do see that, and soon, you will too!  
I feel your pain.
You aren't alone.
You just wrote everything I too am experiencing.
I'm here for you! Maybe we can start a FB page to help each other keep motivated? Like a support group.
Changing your attitude is the first step.
Thanks for writing this blog, it is good to not be alone. 
You are sooo my hero! You're not the only one! I feel the exact same!
Raining Hope!  What a great way to face this struggle.
Thank you for sharing.  I feel like I was reading something I wrote myself.
I love listening to you every day and enjoy you bring so candid but the bravery you exhibit here makes me love you even more.
I think you are brave and I have so much respect for you sharing your most personal thoughts.
Your transparency truly says the most about what is on the inside and your character - thank you for sharing your heart with all of us.
You Can Do It!  We all struggle with something in our lives.
You so beautifully expressed . . . Exactly the way that so many of us feel every single day. You are an amazing woman to share this with your fans, and I am hopeful that you stay on this path with your guardian angel. 

Being yourself, opening yourself to others is a magical thing.  

So is opening yourself to listening to the responses genuine authenticity elicits.

Not Gonna Do It. Will Your Listener?

Facebook makes it seem that all of my friends want to send me a greeting card.

They even appear to have the algorithm set so you get no more than one day.

I have a feeling Julie doesn't even know she sent me this, but of course I like her so it takes all the restraint I've got to not give the day, date and year to her.

I'm not ashamed of my age.  It's identity theft I worry about.  You should too.

It's time to move beyond the simplistic and "easy" low-hanging fruit in your social networking.

What are you doing throughout the day to move these numbers in your Facebook account?


Sure, I'll "like" your Happy Birthday, but who's going to talk about it?

Improve your edge rank by working on the quality, buzzworthiness and topicality of your posts and interactions.

Stand out.  Go far beyond the ordinary.

Don't Give Up Your Email Database

When you read the online social media advocates, you'd think that email is so yesterday and the best place to get engaged response is by going social. (3 in 4 US Orgs Say Social Media Poses Challenge to Email)

Especially if you're trying to reach listeners where they live and not other businesses. (Email Conversion Rate Benchmarks Higher Among B2B Cos)

This is the final week for A&O's seventh annual client online perceptual study, Roadmap 2012, and I've been checking response rates for the more than 80 country radio stations participating.

We recommend that stations email an invitation to the study to 5,000 target age/gender listeners and most clients who do that are getting 7-10% response and a nice, robust sample.

Then, there are others whose numbers are lagging behind the averages. Several told me that they decided to try Twitter and Facebook this time since they have many more than the suggested 5,000 "friends" there.

I suggested that if they want a larger reliable sample, it was time to stop hoping for their social network connections to maybe do the survey and to send a well-written email with a powerful subject line explaining how they plan to make use of the opinions folks give.

24 hours later.

Just one day later, the response rate to the survey is 20 times what two weeks at social media was able to generate.

Social media is, no doubt, a fabulous way to listen to your audience's stories and converse with them. Reflect the best of them on the air. Your programming will be more engaging, but if you want a timely response to a specific offer or event, send a personalized email.

A Letter From Vancouver

.. from "special guest blogger," Gord Eno, PD of JRfm and The Peak, Vancouver, B.C.:

While watching TV coverage of the Stanley Cup celebrations inside the arena, CBC cut to video of a burning police car outside their studios. From that point on, I was scanning the channels seeking more information.

My mistake Wednesday night was not digging deeper than the #canucks and #nhlplayoffs hashtags I was following on Twitter for the game or searching Facebook for updates. I defaulted to what I was watching on TV, the tried, true and dependable CBC.

It appeared their coverage was struggling, resorting to sensationalizing events they couldnʼt support with video.

Finally, when I was able to find other sources, the images were of police were guarding empty intersections and video of stragglers trying to find their way out of the downtown core.

One channel even included night shots of street cleaners peacefully making their way down Georgia. Those images did not even come close to what I saw early the next morning. Nor did it have the impact of the aggregated videos and pictures that began spreading yesterday afternoon.

The real story of the rioting was portrayed online, much of it through social media. Thousands of images and videos were taken from hundreds of perspectives. In fact, there was criticism that the people who passively stood by to document the destruction and violence were part of the escalation.

As it turns out, the very same documentation that may have been a catalyst to the crime is now evidentiary in arresting the criminals. Blogs, Tumblr, YouTube and Facebook pages are posting the faces of thugs caught in the act in order to publicly expose and identify them. It is working with a vengeance. The public has provided names, backgrounds, even phone numbers of the identified. Apparently some have already been arrested.

Now, today there are fears expressed that the vigilance has devolved to vigilante with inaccurate accusations and intense personal attacks on people whose status updates are deemed contrary to current popular opinion. Young Offenders Act infringements have also been cited. But it was also Twitter and Facebook that created the ground swell movement to motivate hundreds of volunteers to team up and clean up the mess left by rioters.

Through this, a wall of positive reinforcement rose from the sheets of plywood covering broken windows.

Heartfelt comments written by real Vancouverites, ensuring us and the rest of the world that the ugly Vancouver they were exposed to Wednesday night is not the beautiful Vancouver we all saw, experienced and loved during the 2010 Olympics. I suspect social media will play a big part in our understanding of what happened to us Wednesday night and how we will move beyond the tragedy and feel optimistic about the future.

The Social Network Called Radio

Click to read:

• Social Media Has Little Impact on Online Retail Purchases [STUDY]
• If social media is no good for ecommerce, is social commerce DoA?

SCBA has lost an executive, Katz has gained one, but radio retains one of our most effective advocates. Mary Beth Garber sent along this chart, with a note:

"I began working as EVP/Radio Analysis and Insights for Katz Radio Group on April 1. My role is quite similar to what is was at the SCBA (and still is until all my SCBA responsibilities are reassigned). Please know that I have even more resources to be able to answer questions regarding radio and all its platforms. If you need support in defending radio or to overcome objections, or questions in general about radio, I can still be of service. I'm located in the Los Angeles office of Katz, 6500 Wilshire."

I Don't Know Bill & Jillian. Same With Christine Mac Shane. Don't Want To, Either.

And, maybe they are real nice folks, working for fine businesses.


Obviously, they want me to "like" them, but why would I?

Just because they want me to?

Get a clue, people. Radio is one to one. Has been for years. The days of "broadcasting" to a "mass audience" ended decades ago.

Social networks only work "one" to "one."

If you're "announcing" on Twitter, Facebook, et al and you've looked at your competition's ratings, cume, size of their community, followers and they do it as well, maybe you can still get away with "yelling" at people you want to be drawn to you.

For awhile, maybe.

If, on the other hand, you'd like to have more influence on more new people, consider this:

Pass It On: The Tweet Before Christmas

@JessicaNorthey just met @SClarkWXYZ last week at the ARB-Jacobs Media meetings in Baltimore and already they have 1,000++ folks watching their networks' #TweetB4Christmas video.

Allow me to add my voice to the throng: "Greetings! or maybe I should say "Tweetings"!"

It's nice to see the country format so well-represented.

Continuing The Conversation

Last week Tucson-based Jessica Northey really impressed A&O clients on our latest bi-weekly client conference call, as she shared her expertise, taught us a lot about the "do's and don'ts" of Social Media Networking for Radio.

There's no doubt that country radio is playing catchup in this fast-emerging social economy as new "do and don't" lists seem to appear almost daily.

It's easy to mistake all this sharing and blogging as absolutes instead of what it really is, an ongoing dialog where new rules are constantly trumping old ones.

In that light, allow me to toss in the possibility that Jessica is "86% right" in our very enlightening exchange.

Two things she suggested raised caution flags for me.

1. Videos of the morning show (unless its compelling) can be an issue I'd try not to do. Of course, if it's truly incredible, there's nothing like Facebook to take something absolutely worldwide, but "broadcast" sparingly in social media, and engage generously. Don't find yourself with two million "likes" for all the wrong reasons, none of which grow your radio audience locally.
   
2. DO NOT update "Status" hourly on Facebook. It is self defeating. You won't make your target's news feed, since over posting drives down your score. If you want to post hourly or more often on Twitter, that's fine, since it usually leads to nothing.

It's not that I think Jessica is absolutely wrong, really, but it's just that I worry about folks taking this advice too literally, feeling that they have quotas to meet and thus damaging their efforts.

Sadly, most of the online content produced by the average radio station doesn't compete very successfully outside their current, small, group of 'friends.'

It's not that "less is more," it's that better is better.

I Wanted To Be The Wizard Of Oz

I was a shy kid, inspired by the greats of Top 40 radio in the late-1950's and 1960's from Youngstown, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Chicago and Philadelphia.

My goal, (perhaps yours too?) if you worked in broadcasting in the 60's, 70's and 80's, was to get to the city of Oz (the largest metro station that would hire you) and find that little room with the huge transmitter and a booming "voice."

Many of those stations were high on the AM dial and it was exciting to exude the power of mass appeal which seemed to magnetically draw huge audiences.

Thankfully, radio remains an immensely powerful tool, made even more so when it works in tandem with phones, both land line and mobile, texting, the internet, and all sorts of emerging smart devices and apps.

The listener now knows that the power has long-since shifted away from the megaphone. It started with car radio presets, accelerated when "seek" and "scan" appeared and now the dial has become "infinite" in the number of instant choices on offer.

Tribes, communities, groups now know they are in charge. The learning curve is steep and old habits remain.

And, about the time you figure out YouTube, comes MYTube!

A quick bit of advice from a reformed wannabe wizard: social media is like a very crowded, loud party. You may be talking, but no one can hear you above the din.

Instead: listen. Weave a listener-generated tapestry.

Create, find meaning, context and entertainment from the chaos.

As Dorothy discovered, Oz is actually populated by people from her small home town and they're all yearning to get back to a more simple life. The wizard's magic comes from just being himself.

"Oh no, my dear, I'm a very good man; I'm just a very bad Wizard."

Roo Gets It

Something wonderful is happening every evening in Vancouver on JRfm. It's real social networking, using all the tools, being employed masterfully by Roo Phelps.

Tomorrow, I'll explain, share some recent studies, write an article. Today, just take a look at what happens when you engage and interact, "ask" instead of "telling":

93.7 JRfm - Vancouver's New Country hey it's Roo....I'm playing Train on the JRFM new country challenge right now..."Hey Soul Sister"...thoughts...comments?

15 hours ago · Comment · · Promote

2 people like this.

Cody Hendriksen

There is nothing country about that song

15 hours ago · · · Flag

Lisa Fowler

agree'd

15 hours ago · · · Flag

93.7 JRfm - Vancouver's New Country

call and cast your vote 604 280 9370

15 hours ago · ·

Ricke Pants

What Cody said. May as well play Drops of Jupiter.

15 hours ago · · · Flag

Brianna McDonald

awsome song, but not so country
please don't be like the Beat who play country music when they arent a country station
stick to the goold old country that JRFM is known for!

15 hours ago · · · Flag

Alexis Badger

hate that song, it's not country at all....it's the kind of song that belongs on Z or whatever that station is called now.

15 hours ago · · · Flag

Diane Paddle ʚϊɞ

I LOVE that song!!!!!!!

15 hours ago · · · Flag

Vicki Tunbridge Williams

Love the song!!

15 hours ago · · · Flag

Cecily Dickey

Love it!!!

15 hours ago · · · Flag

Claire Woofenden

I do love that song but it doesn't belong on a country station....

15 hours ago · · · Flag

Alexis Badger

yes for the love of god don't become one of those stations that play country one minute and R & B and other genres the next. I am afraid that JRFM is slowly drifting off of my regular radio play, mostly because I hear "the house that built me" SO MUCH IT'S ANNOYING! I've given up on doing those surveys, constantly saying I hate that song yet still hearing it numerous times in a day. But back to the point, that song is NOT country!!!

15 hours ago · · · Flag

Erica Kurpiela

It's kind of a sell out when you don't play music that's not country

15 hours ago · · · Flag

Robin Nessel

way overplayed

15 hours ago · · · Flag

Jennifer Parnell

Good song but its not country. Its like putting johnny cash or willy nelson on the beat.. =/

15 hours ago · · · Flag

Donna Sawyer

Variety is the spice of life!

15 hours ago · · Loading...2 people · · Flag

Alexis Badger

Variety doesn't belong on a station touting that it is "COUNTRY" .....variety is for 95.3

14 hours ago · · · Flag

Julz T

c'mon guys.... although i love it that you rock my country.... you can't make rock, Country

14 hours ago · · Loading...1 person · · Flag

Mathew Mosher

DISLIKE!!! JR is a COUNTRY station... not a variety station! Let's keep it that way!

14 hours ago · · · Flag

Marlene Pierpont

Love that song but it's not country... I don't think Train is trying to cross over into the country market but there are a lot of country artists that have crossed into the pop market which is why you hear country on the pop stations now.

14 hours ago · · · Flag

Heather Tottenham

dislike it as much as Carrie Underwoods new song,,JUST NOT COUNTRY!!!!!

13 hours ago · · · Flag

Tracy Mack

Love the song, but it does not belong pm JRFM.

12 hours ago · · · Flag

Jacquie Guyot

love it !!!!

12 hours ago · · · Flag

Jake Roder

NOT COUNTRY !!!!!! GET THAT OUTTA HERE. if i wanted to hear that i would listen to some other station

12 hours ago · · · Flag

Jake Roder

play Hicktown or something good instead !!

12 hours ago · · · Flag

Glenn Nelson

Very much dislike!!!

12 hours ago · · · Flag

Jody Hagel

Good song, but definitely not country in the slightest. Don't let JRFM lose its touch :(

11 hours ago · · · Flag

Gail Baker

AWE MAN - country challenge??? soul sister...ummm...YAH WHAT EVERYONE ELSE SAID...hey Roo...go look up country music in the dictionary..if JRFM changes to be just like everyone else...i will just have to go download all the country music i can, and drop the station -my Ipod still has room on it...lots of room - please dont make me do that. its too much work..lol

11 hours ago · · · Flag

Susan Jane Rothenbush

Absolutely, and without a doubt, NO!!!!! Keep JR unique, nothing but country!!

10 hours ago · · · Flag

Jody Hagel

To quote Tim McGraw: "I'm reading Street Slang for Dummies 'cause they put pop in my country.... I miss back when"

2 hours ago · · · Flag

Alexis Badger

Gail - I've started doing that, I rarely listen to JR now as I put all the songs I love on my ipod and have a radio adapter for my car :) ....I felt I had no voice with the music advisory panel, they still play that crappy Miranda Lambert song a million times in a day, so I said screw it and now I have my iPod with songs I want to hear!

about an hour ago · · · Flag

Leah Clark Shuttleworth

Alexis, you may not want to hear Miranda, but thousands of others do. I guess it's hard to please everyone all the time but good for you if you like your solution.

about an hour ago · · · Flag

Jean Dong

Not all country songs are good and not all good songs are country. I think "Hey, Soul Sister" is a good song and is country enough for JR.

about an hour ago · · · Flag

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