There’s no doubt that phone response on radio shows has declined. There are many reasons, but the problem is compounded by changes in listening patterns, but some shows are finding creative ways to get listeners on the air. Here are a couple of tactics to cross-promote topics and generate great callers.
It’s pretty common to post what has already happened on the air on social media. But that isn’t always the most effective way to promote.
Cross-Promote Online First
This may shock some programmers and personalities who believe all content should first be heard on the air, then promoted online. But I can make a strong case that the opposite approach would drive more attention and response to the on-air content. Plus, it would make social media more interesting. And, it’s a free source of pre-testing content before using it on the show.
Start a topic online with a simple question. The GetUp Crew on Hot 96.9 in Boston asked this question in a Twitter poll:
When the reaction blew up, they realized how passionate the topic might be. So they started the debate on the air which led to a spirited topic that drove more response to the poll.
The topic worked on the air because:
- It is a simple question that had been pollified and polarized. The two choices are very different. That made it easy for listeners to pick a side and have a fairly strong opinion.
- The wording is extreme. It’s not just “Which is your favorite?” but “Which would you get rid of?”. That elicits a far stronger emotional response.
- Everyone on the show had a strong feeling about which holiday to sacrifice.
Perhaps best of all, it worked because the show had confidence it was going to succeed because they saw the amazing reaction. In this case, it worked to cross-promote online content before taking it to the air.
Expand The Audience
For time-sensitive topics and breaking news, it makes even more sense to start the conversation online and continue on-air. The online audience is not the same as the listening audience. That represents an opportunity to expose the brand beyond the on-air cume and potentially turn them into listeners.
NPR even publishes stories (including audio and sometimes video) on social sites before airing the exact same segments on over-the-air radio signals. Think of it as pre-purposing rather than re-purposing content. And the audience duplication is likely minimal, considering the average listening levels of even the biggest listeners.
Creating online content first has another benefit. It can make the on-air conversation more compelling.
