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Obsessed With Getting A 'Like' Over Bringing Your Brand To 'Life'
March 17, 2015
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Admissions from a new research piece by Joseph Grenny and David Maxwell, co-authors of various New York Times bestsellers on interpersonal communication, reveals that more and more of society is "losing connection with their lives in order to earn 'likes' and social media praise."
Much of what's found in the study isn't a big revelation to those who participate on social platforms daily. (For example, three out of four people surveyed admitted to being rude because they focus more on their phones than those around them.)
But what I couldn't help think about in reading the study is how brands are also losing connection - with their story, their essence and ultimately their social audience, all in the name of chasing "likes" and other types of applause.
We see stuff like this all of the time:
But superficial behavior contradicts the interactive nature of social platforms and handicaps brands from building affinity -- what's really needed to make any type of impact in this space.
Developing motivated relationships is difficult. Yet there are ways to build on and increase station loyalty -- and it starts with one word.
Respect.
While there are many layers to this word -- the first step in applying respect towards the audience socially is to really feel what it's like to be a fan of your station and eat your own social "dog food."
I wrote a piece about it in this week's Jacobs Media blog.
"Eat your own dog food" is an expression that describes a company using its own products or services for internal operations -- to try and feel the consumer experience and grow from it.
While in radio, we often do the same with the on-air product, blocking out a day here and there to really listen to the station and make notes for improvement -- how much of our own "dog food" is being consumed in the digital and social space?
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently talked about how he and his company eat their own dog food, too. Zuckerberg believes that in order to serve the Facebook community as best as possible, the company must use all aspects of the platform so they can better understand the consumer experience.
So how about putting yourself in the shoes of the audience and really assess what it feels like to have your station's Facebook posts, Instagram photos, and tweets show up in your News Feeds? Or what it feels like after pressing your thumb on your phone screen for 60 seconds to watch the Snap you created?
Radio's opportunity with social is to accommodate the audience's desire to connect with others, not just with our stations.
It's our chance to build trust beyond the mothership (the AM/FM stick). And after that trust is built, that's when all kinds of opportunities can happen to increase the power of your brand, including ratings and even revenue.
Eat your own dog food this week. Not as a talent or a manager, but as a fan.
How does your station really make people feel socially? Chasing 'likes' or really bringing your talent and station's personality to life?
Reach out to me anytime on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter.
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