FriendFeed

Talk shows are using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and many other social networking sites. One important network site most are forgetting is called FriendFeed. Here is a short video, which explains exactly what it is and what is can do for your business.

It’s true, Facebook and other social networking sites such as that allow the user to do many things with the application. But FriendFeed is simply a way to connect and maintain relationships with people. This is especially important when it comes to companies trying to maintain their relationships with their customers. FriendFeed would be a great social networking site to use solely for the purpose of their customers. The customers would like this approach used by companies because customers would view this approach as a way to communicate with their company. It’s an easy way to stay connected and reach people.

According to Duncan Riley’s blog, many people are saying FriendFeed is the new Twitter. FriendFeed aggregates to blogs and social networking services so you can follow your friends and they can follow you. It’s easy to use and allows you to read more than just tweets. Now, companies such as talk shows can follow their audiences and vice versa, to see what their audience is doing, wants, and then act on that feedback. This relationship is more personal and takes less time/interference for both the company and viewer to communicate. More talk shows should begin to use FriendFeed to connect to more of their viewers to form a better relationship.

State of the Media

Digital delivery is everywhere now. Social media platforms have helped to establish how most Americans get their daily news. According of The State of News Media 2010, six in ten Americans rely on getting their news online. Currently, half of these online consumers are using social networking sites to get these news sites to their cell phones. News and talk show sites such as CNN.com, is an example of this. It has an app you can pay for to have CNN on your phone. Obviously, it’s becoming clear that more and more people are turning towards digital technology, and social networking sites as way to obtain information.

Video content is very popular to watch on news and talk show sites as well. Being able to watch talk shows such as CNN, online to get the news has begun a new revolution. Online talk shows are much more appealing to the ear and eye, not to mention the producer’s pocket. CNN online, features over a half a million video links on its website for viewers, as well as gives the ability for viewers to upload videos and photos of their own to the website. CNN.com has really tried to promote consumer feedback and consumer involvement. For example, CNN have now started an iPhone and iPod application. This will allow CNN viewers to upload videos and news to these technologies. CNN is just another example of how news and talk show sites use social media.

The Next Largest Country!

Why do designers often say they want in interfaceless interface?  According to Logic of Transparent Immediacy, an interfaceless interface in one in which there is no recognizable electronic tools, no buttons, windows, scroll bars, or icons. The viewer instead will move through the space interacting more naturally as he or she would do as if they were out in the everyday world.   In a sense, this is more of a virtual reality where three-dimensional graphics help to make digital technology transparent. A transparent interface would erase itself, meaning the viewer is no longer aware of confronting a medium.  Instead the viewer stands in an direct, immediate relationship that connects to the contents of that medium.

Morning talk shows such as Good Morning America and the Today Show each provide links in their websites to social media such as twitter or Facebook. That immediate relationship to their customers on Facebook or whichever social media outlets provides an effective way for Good Morning America or the Today Show to directly connect with their viewers. It also provides another way for their viewers to connect to their show to show their support as fans, and to receive daily updates.

Facebook is still growing today and becoming increasingly popular. Facebook allows viral communication in many different forms which can boost your company’s appearance and relationships with customers.  As you saw in the video, if Myspace was a country, it would be the eighth largest in the world. Who knows how big of a country Facebook will become next year!

Old AND New Media…Together?

Although talk shows are using new outlets in order to reach their audiences, according to the article Old and New Media Coexisting Nicely, Thank You, television is still necessary to raise awareness. Many people began to believe the traditional medium (television) would cease to exist after the invention of new media outlets such as Facebook, twitter, and YouTube on talk show websites appeared. But getting information however you like to has made both traditional and new media forms beneficial for talk shows. Not only do they use their regular television broadcasting segment time, but also using online websites allows easy access for viewers.

But which medium is more effective for talk shows to use in order to reach particular demographics groups?  The blog How Social Media Can Help Your Business, believes using websites and social media tools help to connect directly with your customers. Knowing your customer is the number one goal, because once you know your customer, they’re easier to reach; therefore, increasing your company’s awareness and social identity/visibility. In addition, most social media online for talk shows, increasing their visibility, is cost effective (for both the company and the viewer). You can access videos, links, and other information for free. With 67% of people using the internet strictly for social networking, it’s obvious which medium people are choosing as their preference.

Talk shows such as the Rachael Ray Show, demonstrate how effective both old and new mediums are. Not only are audiences watching her show to see how to cook a certain dish, but audiences are also going online to get the recipes.

Help Wanted!

Many talk show websites feature the standard photos, links, and videos which website viewers can browse around.  For example, the Ellen DeGeneres website allows the visitor to make a plethora of choices when first arriving to the website. The viewer can shop, watch videos, view the upcoming week schedule of the show, purchase tickets, learn about Ellen, listen to music, and play games. In addition, one has the choice to follow Ellen through twitter and Facebook.  Ellen also has her page setup similar to a blog-like style format. She posts videos and pictures and provides comments along with them, allowing for feedback from her fans. Most people would probably agree Ellen is up-to-date with her audiences’ needs and wants. But, what if what her audience wants is to ask her a question. Where is this link? Why can’t viewers such as you and I find a link on the web page where we can ask questions that aren’t already answered? Aren’t the questions from your audience the most important? They provide feedback on what needs to be improved and most importantly, provides a loyal relationship with your customer.

According to HOW TO: Gather Feedback With Social Media, to simply only be connected with your audience through social media such as twitter or Facebook, is not enough. There are so many other cost efficient ways to stay connected with your audience. In order to sustain consistent feedback for a social media website, one can create surveys, polls, and connect with audiences in more professional social media places such as LinkedIn. It also wouldn’t hurt to create a page where viewers could post and ask questions they may have on the social media websites so other viewers can see this too. This shows commitment from social media talk shows to their audience as well as an effort to answer any questions or problems anyone might have.

Everything Rachael Ray

Using a blog as a talk show’s website proves to be an effective tactic concerning social media. While comparing Rachael Ray’s website to a blogger’s page on Rachael Ray, one would find it easier to surf the blogger’s page than the website. Don’t get me wrong, the website’s page offers a variety of different links to cook if your away, on a budget or for your children, but the blogger’s page is more personal (More personal in a sense that each comment from its viewer appears on the same page). The blogger’s page gives recipes to try from Rachael Ray and allows for comment areas on ways to improve her blog. This makes the viewer feel as if they can comment on the page and it will be seen instead of being overlooked.

If more talk show websites had a more personal viewing such as the blogger’s page as their official website, more people would most likely be inclined to comment and provide healthy feedback more often. The whole point of a blog is to post, and most importantly gain feedback from its viewers. Isn’t that the goal of social media right now? Companies are trying to listen to their customers’ feedback and opinions in order to maintain loyal relationships. If they use blogs, this would enhance their relationships to a more personal, one-on-one relationship. The viewer of the page could view other comments from people to learn what they might have missed in a recent airing. This new blogging strategy could really boost feedback ratings.

Comedy for news

Isn’t it great how making fun of public figures is considered okay to do and funny on talk shows such as the Daily Show? In this YouTube video, Jon Stewart, the host of the Daily Show, pokes fun of the election in 2008. But more importantly, people viewing these form opinions after watching and use this as their main source of news. Comedy talk shows use this as a  form of social media because people love to laugh.

On the Daily Show’s website, there is an array of different videos that you can pick from to watch. Most videos contain a catchy title foreshadowing what the video will be making fun of. You can also meet the news team of the Daily show. Each employee displays a picture of themselves posing with a funny face. If a first time visitor were to visit the site, without hearing about the Daily Show, the viewer would think the sites a joke. This use of social media helps talk shows such as the Daily Show to add to its popularity. Advocate watchers of the Daily Show do know there is a lot of truth to what Jon Stewart is poking fun about. Only, it uses different social media to draw its audience in.

According to The Internet Gains in Politics, most people, especially younger demographics are obtaining information about campaigns from talk shows such as the Daily Show. Shows like the Daily Show appeal to younger demographics such as college students and young graduates. Many young adults turn to comedy talk shows for information not only in campaigns, but also in other various forms of news such as war. Is this becoming a trend?

Where do YOU get your source of news from?

Almost every talk show has a website you can visit to get information about the show. It is very easy to navigate the Oprah Winfrey website. You can email Oprah, watch the show you missed online, and follow the latest topics. A unique feature the website features is its message board link. In this link, you can share your thoughts about today’s show, read and discuss on Oprah magazine, connect with Oprah’s book club and radio, and gain advice about health, weight loss, healthy recipes, money, your home, relationships, style, the world and more. There is a place for everyone’s comment on the website in whichever area of topic you chose to comment on. This heavy rely on feedback from the Oprah community makes it obvious that the website and show thrives on its viewers’ thoughts. Without its’ thoughts, the show would not be as popular as it is today.

According to Cable and Internet Loom Large in Fragmented Political News Universe , it is obvious people refer to talk show websites as a source to get their information from. In a study about where Americans learn about the candidates and campaigns, there was an overall increase in talk shows of two percent from the year 2000 to 2004. In addition, younger people are turning towards the internet and talk shows such as a comedy shows as a  form of news source. It’s easy for one to pick up on this trend, especially when you have some down time at work. You pull up your favorite talk show website, and there it is, starring you right in the face, all the talk show hosts’ and their viewers’ opinions, of all the world events occurring.

Measuring Success

One of the biggest advantages for companies and organizations lies with the openness of the Web according to Keeping an Eye on the Competition Through the Social Web. With the amount of information available on the Web, it makes information about company and organizations’ competitors easier to get a hold of. With the Web, competing talk shows such as Live! With Regis and Kelly, are able to see how many people saw their show, linked to, tweeted about, bookmarked to, and commented on. These companies and organizations are not only looking at their own reviews, but also their competitors to see how they can improve to get better ratings.

According to Choosing Metrics for Measuring Impact, success in terms of measuring a buzz online is measured differently according to each company or organization.  Whether you measure success in terms of the size of the group you build, or the number of interactions you generate online, usually the number of interactions generated prove more meaningful. Again, the website Live! With Regis and Kelly has its own personal email page where its viewers can send personal e-mails to Regis and Kelly to be read on national television or to be responded back to in e-mail. This creates a more personal interaction with the talk show’s audience.

Personally, I know someone who has e-mailed a talk show to try to get their opinion across. Their e-mail was answered in another e-mail (which was expected), but five or ten years ago, this e-mail would have probably been ignored. Communication with the audience is so vital because consumers have the power now. They are tweeting, commenting, saying what they liked or disliked about the company or how they were treated. And others are reading all about it! So talk shows such as Live! With Regis and Kelly, need to make sure they are communicating with their audience in order to keep them as loyal viewers.

Live with Regis and Kelly!…online

Talk shows such as Live with Regis and Kelly show how a company uses social media to help create a relationship with their audience. On the Live with Regis and Kelly website, the site provides a place where its audience can watch video clips of the show that they may have missed. This enables the company a stronger relationship with their audience, letting the audience able to access the show at anytime. YouTube has even added interviews by Regis and Kelly with celebrities or influential people on their website now. For example, in this YouTube video, Regis and Kelly interview one of the stars from the Twilight movie series. Not only are Regis and Kelly fans able to watch their favorite Twilight celebrity Rob Pattinson from the Live with Regis and Kelly website, but fans can also access it on other forms of video archives such as YouTube. There are many videos of celebrities being interviewed in which fans can watch directly from the website as well.

In addition, the website has a button one can push to send Regis and Kelly an email or text. The button is Regis and Kelly’s Inbox. Both in which Regis and Kelly read your personal email or text when they open their email live on their show to answer any of your questions. Giving their audience the choice to have this communication allows the show feedback in order not only help the show, but also help create a loyal customer relationship with the company.