Social Scorecard: radio’s top social posts this week

From a perfectly executed Instagram Story to Snap’s Spectacles, this week radio delivered some very creative content by both commercial and regional stations.

This week’s special mention goes to SCA’s digital producer Christian Hull for creating a super engaging Instagram Story that leads by example.

Radio is a live medium. Listeners want to see behind the scenes LIVE content, not just a constant stream of polished, edited studio videos.

As someone who understand both broadcast media and social media, I’m often surprised at how little live content makes it to radio’s social channels.

Balance is the key to listener engagement across your social accounts.

Create a mix of both, but understand it’s the little trivial things that often make the best content; making coffee/breakfast, chit chatting to talent during a talk break. The stuff listeners can’t see and hear during your shift. You are essentially showcasing that you are accessible, real people, therefore your audience feels that they can relate.

1. 2Day FM: Em & Harley – Instagram – Em slept in

It certainly helps your socials when you have viral content sensation, Christian Hull, generating it! The beauty of making live social content is creating in the moment and using the situation to your best advantage.

In this case, Christian executed an Instagram Story beautifully. Host Em Rusciano had slept through her alarm after a late night shelf spraying session and practically gassed herself to sleep. Hull, in turn, rolled with it, creating a story line that carried right through the show. The Instagram Story was repurposed as content on Facebook – engaging, hilarious, raw and real!

2. Nova: Smallzy’s Surgery – Instagram – SnapChat Specs

This is a perfect example of how social content should differ across platforms. Great grab and cross promotion of the newly released Spectacles – short enough for a tease, long enough for followers to maintain engagement right through, and importantly, making them want to use a pair.

I have yet to hear Snap’s Spectacles utilised by any on-air team, so this may be a first by Kent ‘Smallzy’ Small on Australian radio. The specs, priced at $130 USD, are currently only available from a travelling vending machine called a Snapbot in pop-up locations in the US – one day and location at a time. You can track its current location daily via Snap Inc.’s map.

No word on their local release right now, but given its debut on the popular night show, it’s only a matter of time!

Watch Smallzy’s Instagram Story here.

3. 102.9 Hot Tomato: Flan, Emily 7 Christo – Facebook – Daddy Daughter Do’s

A great activation. Who could resist watching a Facebook Live feed of fumbling dads fashion their daughter’s hair for school? Clocking 1,300 views in a few hours, and executed brilliantly.

The video was shot live while announcers were broadcasting, demonstrating that stations need to post content in the moment. Well done team!

When trolling social media trolls, fails

Try as you might, we all know it’s hard to resist the temptation to bite back when some feel it’s their ‘right’ to express an opinion on social media. Especially if we are protecting our own – on-air talent, staff or even someone we know personally.

Spotted on Sea FM Gold Coast’s Facebook page this week was a classic example of what not to do – it’s unlikely you’d insult or belittle a listener over the phone or on-air, so why would you publicly do so on social media using your branded page?

In this case, it was just plain sassy. If we all started publicly shaming listeners, we’d be opening the floodgates to some serious defamation lawsuits – likely something you have all been made aware of at some point in your media career.

As a social media producer, I understand what it’s like and have had my patience tested – whether it’s receiving a mountain of trivial Facebook messages, reading through repeated visitor posts about a prize that was supposed to be delivered yesterday and horrible feedback about a station/talent/format.

But this doesn’t give stations or digital producers the right to relay an unprofessional response on socials media.

Accept it as constructive feedback.

If this happens to you, take a deep breath – don’t be subjective about it. Opinions are like assholes: we all have them! Don’t let that click on your mouse be the undoing for you and your station.

My advice to the digital producer? DO NOT ENGAGE. Simply hide the comment, so that everyone but the person who posted it, couldn’t see it.

Problem solved.

Social Scorecard is compiled exclusively for Radio Today by Jess Frangelli – an AFTRS graduate (Class of 2001) and Account Manager at social-first digital agency Jaden Social.

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