TikTok

Skip Intro? You know the one when you're streaming the latest episode of Ted Lasso and you can't wait to binge watch the next one, so you quickly search the couch for the remote so you can skip that beautifully produced piece with the theme song because you want to get to find out whether Ted will win over his boss or not STAT!

I sat there the other night watching and wondered, "why do they even spend all the time in producing that intro anymore if all of us are skipping it?" So why are we spending all the time to intro our radio station, back sell a song, and say our name instead of share the hook of the content first?

It's the same thing when a friend emails you a funny You Tube outtake and they say "skip to 2:24 to get to the good stuff." I never want my listeners wanting to skip what I'm saying to get to the good stuff. Why are we continuing to tell our listeners the radio station, name of the song, the weather, when her car computer or phone tells her that.

A good radio personality produces content like a video on Tik Tok. The best videos that travel the farthest have their best stuff first, not the last.

Here are the latest hooks that kept me watching:

"You've been making mashed potatoes wrong your whole life" - random tik toker who is now famous with millions of views

"Having a teenage daughter is like having an office crush...you're thinking about them a lot more then they're thinking about you" -Tina Fey

"At any single moment in your life you can change your life... make a decision" -Mel Robbins

"The 5 biggest regrets of people on their deathbed" -@Motibraintion

No one on Tik Tok ever says "Hi my name is..." first. Never does a video on Tik Tok introduce their brand first either. You have less than one second to hook the viewer before the scroll to the next video. Why would you waste that precious time when the app tells you the name on the screen? So why are we wasting that precious PPM time when their car or app tells them the name of the station and the song playing? Tik Tok algorithms are brilliantly designed to keep the viewer watching for hours. They feed you videos that match your interests and have the most views. I admit to wasting HOURS on it. Radio personalities should replicate this algorithm. I recently spoke with a programmer who wanted custom voice tracking for their station instead of carrying a syndicated show because they want the radio personality to experience the music with the listener. Instead of having great content that keeps the listener tuned in, they want the song and artist identified along with a comment about the song. In my opinion, the best content first wins every time whether it's live and local or not. Why would we share our opinion about the song and ruin her personal experience with it? I never want to tell my listener what she should feel, I want her to feel with me.

To win at PPM and get your listener to lean in, start with your best stuff first. This is what our listeners are experiencing on Tik Tok, so they will expect it from radio too. They always say you only have one chance to make a good impression. That happens the first second you turn on your mic. Make your first words count. Think like a tik tocker, and never become the intro that everyone wants to skip.

Amanda Carroll is a syndicated radio host with Salem, and hosts the morning show for The Fish Sacramento. If you'd like more information about talent coaching and carrying her syndicated show, send her an email: amanda@salemsacramento.com

Amanda Carroll
Assistant Program Director | Salem Sacramento
Syndicated Host | TCM Network
Morning Show Host | 103.9 The Fish