Radio and Social Media – Enriching Listeners’ Experience

by Joe Carlos

Radio practitioners should consider social media as their friend and brother that they can tap to engage audiences more and enhance their listening experience.

Doing so will require an awareness and understanding of the activities and rules in social media, according to   

Mr Martin Liss, Media Consultant and Trainer, Germany.

Mr Liss spoke at the AIBD/Radiodays Europe/RCS Pre-Summit Workshop on “A World of Listening- New Ways to Tell our Stories” held in New Delhi, India, on 9 May 2019.

In social media, Mr Liss said there is no editor as everyone can write, produce and distribute stories. Everyone becomes the editor. He also said users press like or share buttons for various reasons, to include telling the world they are cool and fantastic,  helping and explaining the world, and highlighting emotions, which focuses on the ‘how’ rather than the ‘what’ in storytelling.

If radio practitioners are to tap social media, he advises them to tell stories using the classic dramatic arc. “This starts from introducing, setting up  or exposing a character, place or situation, then to presenting a crisis or a confrontation, followed by a climax and a resolution”, he said.

Mr Liss suggested that if a radio station produces a talk show, it should post the show’s topic onto Facebook  not only to publicise and promote it, but also to see what happens in generating comments and feedback. It must also identify the participants in this engagement.

“One can find interesting people with interesting ideas and comments on the talk show topic. They can be invited and interviewed on the air. If a topic doesn’t generate much engagement and dies, let it be and drop the topic, but ensure you have an alternative topic for discussion”, he said.

In using Facebook, Mr Liss offers  radio practitioners a set of strategies, namely:

• know your market and what competitors do with social media  

• know your brand – what do you do and what you do not do?

• tryout on Facebook; be proactive

• learn Facebook analytics

• develop a feel for what works on radio – and see how a piece works.

• take users or listeners, fans seriously.

• create human connection as a brand; you’re radio.

• dare to explore. don’t be afraid to try anything on Facebook  

Mr Anders Held, Co-founder and Manager, Radio Days Europe, Sweden opened the workshop, highlighting the many advantages of radio in telling good stories.