A Lesson Learned.
Over the last few weeks, I have learned a lot about how the television industry is using social media. Even though I was familiar with a few shows on Facebook and Twitter, I had no idea of the extent to which the industry was involved. Here are a few things I learned.
First, I did not think so many networks would have begun to use social media. I thought maybe one or two would have a blog, so I was surprised to see that every single one of the ten networks I researched had at least one item on their website that could be characterized as social media.
I also realized how broad the range of social media is. I didn’t think much beyond blogs, podcasts, and Twitter, but there is so much more out there. From the ability to upload pictures to virtual reality websites, networks are providing all sorts of ways for viewers to connect.
I never understood how much networks depend on social networking sites to keep their viewers on their websites and watching their shows. For example, announcements are “tweeted,” blogged, podcasted, and made a Facebook announcement, and they are all connected to one another. Viewers can see any or all of these, and they all lead back to the main website. This is such a good tool for advertising and communication.
I now see how important it is for viewers to feel connected and for them to be able to communicate with each other and the network. And I definitely am more connected to some of my favorite networks now, as a result of my research, and I will continue to watch how the phenomenon expands in the future.
July 19, 2009 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: Social Media, television | Leave A Comment »
Music To My Ears
BET and CMT are both networks centered around music. Albeit very different genres of music, most people would visit each website for the same thing- music videos, ringtones, etcetera. The websites are actually eerily similar in layout, but that is beside the point. As seems to be the trend with other networks though, both websites also prove to be a hub for social media.
Of corse, both sites offer links to blogs on their home pages, but that is expected at this point in my research. What I am more interested in is the fact that both networks have a link to a community page in their main tool bars. This brings up an interesting idea.
I have never really thought about a music network website being a community before, but I suppose that is actually exactly what it is. Where else are fans from all around the country going to discuss and share their favorite music? Local radio stations’ websites can provide a limited platform, but that would only provide a small perspective. Because networks like BET and CMT are centered around a specific genre of music and are accesable nationwide (and internationally in some cases,) their website is the perfect forum for discussion and music sharing.
In the community page on BET, viewers are allowed to upload a picture of themselves, and other viewers vote on the hottest male and female of the day. While this may seem silly to some, a lot of people might use this feature as a way to get themselves out there and be a part of the entertainment world. You also might not realize that, while for superficial reasons, this allows viewers nationwide to physically see the people they are communicating with, which helps strengthen the feeling of community.
Something that caught my eye on the CMT community page is something called “CMT One Country” where viewers nationwide can come together and volunteer. The volunteer projects range from making donations to charities to teaching kids how to swim. Anyone can search volunteer opportunities in their area to see what is available then share their stories on any of the social media provided. On the site, there is a link to groups on Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, and Flux. (Evidentially both CMT and BET have twitters that are advertised on their home pages, so why they didn’t come up in my first search remains a mystery.)
I think something as community driven as volunteering is just a testament to how strong a community can be on the internet. Whether it is centered on music, food, books, etc., online communities are definitely on the rise and becoming stronger. It is definitely to their advantage for BET and CMT to be so involved.
July 15, 2009 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: BET, CMT, community, music, Social Media, television, Twitter | Leave A Comment »
Kids These Days…
Recently I have found myself thinking “Wow- we didn’t have this when I was a kid!” a lot more often than I used to. The Nickelodeon website is just another instance of this. First of all, the website is awesome. It has games and videos, but it is so bright and eye catching that it is hard to not want to explore. I also likes the colorful Popsicle advertisements scattered about the homepage. Overall however, I found the Nickelodeon website to be a wealth of social media.
The first thing I noticed on the website was that kids (and parents I suppose) can create a “Nick Name” and log in every time they visit the site. This allows them to do anything from keep track of game scores to upload videos. They can also win points for doing anything from winning a game to receiving the newsletter. To me, this is such a good idea. Kids love to have their own space, and allowing them to log in as themselves and keep track of their favorite shows and games is brilliant.
While the whole “Nick Name” thing makes sense, I wasn’t really expecting them to have too much more. I was wrong. Linked to from the homepage, the “Buzz” page offers SO MANY ways for fans to connect and communicate with the network.
The first link on the Buzz is to subscribe to the newsletter. This is a good tool for both parents and kids, in that they can keep up to date on the happenings at Nickelodeon. The newsletter also gives subscribers access to “Nick Newsflash.” Like I expected, the newsletter is sent via email, which of corse, will always link readers back to the main website.
Next is “Nicktropolis.” This seems to be some sort of Nickelodeon-sponsored virtual reality world. Those with a “Nick Name” can make an avatar (or NickSelf) and do everything from pick out your clothes to adopt a pet. This is a really good alternative for kids who may not be mature enough for other games like Second Life or Simms.
The Buzz also has thirteen podcasts. These short, but useful videos are mostly just behind-the-scenes looks at shows and movies, but to kids, they are golden. For kids who idolize the stars of Nickelodeon shows, this is a perfect tool.
The last really interesting thing on the Buzz page are message boards. There are over a hundred boards, all based on shows, movies, games, and Buzz pages like MyNick and Nicktropolis. This is an excellent tool for viewers to communicate with each other as well as the network about their favorite shows. They can share ideas and also ask questions and voice concerns. Nickelodeon even has a whole page of rules teaching kids some basic guidelines for having an online presence. The tips range from password safety to what to write about.
To be honest, I was surprised at the amount of social media found on the Nickelodeon website. For a network that centers around kids and pre-teens, they are definitely embracing social media to stay connected and keep their viewers coming back. Like I said, they sure didn’t have this when I was a kid!
July 12, 2009 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: avatar, message boards, Nickelodeon, podcasts, Popsicle, Second Life, Simms, television, virtual reality | 3 Comments »
