Many — maybe most — radio stations use Facebook wrong.

“Social Media is NOT ‘broadcasting…’”
“…it’s engagement,” according to Arbitron’s Digital Media Manager Jacquelyn Bullerman and DMR’s Trip Eldredge, co-presenting “Let’s Get Engaged,” at the recent Arbitron Client Conference.
They summarized a study of how 45 stations employ Social Media, and demonstrated some important do’s and don’ts.

The most-common, most-fundamental mistake stations make? Using a tool like Facebook as another one-to-many transmitter. “Social media is NOT about the station. It’s about ‘them’ [listeners who Friend you].”
And “listeners are using Facebook as Customer Service.” It’s “a very public, very transparent consumer dialogue;” and those who take the time to post are likely P1s (so-called “First Preference” listeners, those who listen to your station most), mathematically your most-valuable listeners.

Common Facebook faux pas:
Pushing the station’s agenda. “Contests, talking about the station, etc., are not ‘engagement.’”
Another no-no: Inviting questions and not responding, “like not showing up for a date.” Facebook requires attention.
Others: Ignoring direct questions. “Everyone sees that you do!” Or not-expressing-interest-in what’s being posted.
Worse: Ducking tough questions. One laughably-bad example: a station deleted all the negative posts about a fired DJ and posted an advertiser’s coupon. Ouch. A more useful response: transparency, have the conversation.

All-of-the-above are typical of how stations misuse Facebook: “No clear strategy;” the station is there “because everyone else has a Facebook page.” Better than not being there at all? Yeah…but not much.
More, including how smarter stations use Facebook, in my Arbitron Conference notes, below…

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