#NABradioshow: Digital Think Tank

DIGITAL THINK TANK SUPER SESSION

It’s all about ENGAGEMENT, engagement, ENGAGEMENT!!

Good examples of digital in use

• Humane Society invests $350k in radio using social media and gets back $3.5 million over one weekend in donations. (Canada)
• Ford Focus
• Tennis Shoe Company: Comedic Naturists viral videos (100k views overnight).
• Dunkin Donuts: “Everyone Runs on Dunkin”. User-generated content – How do you run on Dunkin?

How to make it work

• Stations should be able to turn a profit in 18 months if they are taking it seriously.
• Do you want your personnel creating content or creating tech?  Duh, content.  So use existing technology and spend your time creating content.
• Currently radio is getting 2% of local digital pie, which is probably what we deserve considering the engagement levels.
• WEEI.com is an online brand for all things sports in Boston (very specialized).  Good job!
• GAP Broadcasting loyalty rewards programs are bringing in amazing royalty.  Good job!
• Driving traffic is a way to monetize.  Sell for higher rates because of larger audience.
• Multi-channels of HD may work to create a bigger collective audience.
• CBS Radio putting Last.fm on the air using one of their HD channels in Los Angeles.  Good example of how online radio is working its way into main stream.
• Microsoft Zune HD will help bring younger audience back to radio with it’s RDS-enabled HD tuner.

TRENDS AND EXAMPLES

These are trends and examples of what the panelists are seeing bubbling up to the top in the marketplace.

Jelli.net

PaidContent.org

Itsy.com

Mashable.com

Cloud computing

Everyblock.com (MSNBC just bought)

Casual gaming

User-generated content

Episodic videos

Entrepreneurs tirelessly increasing and bettering the tech

Pandora.com

Popsugar.com

Change your day.  Get up an hour earlier, read blogs, and everything else.