How can social media strategies boost engagement with TV broadcasts?

The way we watch TV is undoubtedly vastly different than it was five years ago. You only need to take a look at the programme for this year’s Guardian Edinburgh International TV Festival to see how things have changed. This year’s lineup included sessions from "Should my show have an App?" to "What do your audience really think?", highlighting an increasing focus on the importance of audience engagement and digital platforms. The usual dominance of channel controller sessions was still there but there was noticeably an equal focus placed on the environments surrounding the programmes, as there was on the shows themselves.

Social media is perhaps the most obvious way broadcasters and show producers can muster online engagement with their shows and capitalise on the 87% of consumers (Source: Accenture) who use a second screen whilst watching TV. Not only is it instant, it can amplify quickly and drive awareness of specific shows across a variety of channels.

According to The Guardian the ‘Elite’ top 30 shows, which include behemoth hits such as Britain’s Got Talent, The X Factor, Sherlock and Doctor Who, accounted for 50% of all TV related content posted on Twitter between May 2013 and May 2014. In fact, the impact of social goes further than that. The growing quest to create the modern equivalent of "watercooler TV", meant that 11% of shows, which actively encouraged social media participation, saw their ratings spike during the same period. For commercial channels like ITV and Channel 4 this is obviously an attractive prospect, which can help drive higher advertising revenues. So for broadcasters finding shows with a high social index is understandably a priority.

Striking the right balance on social however, is not such a easy task. Show producers’ approach to social media needs to reflect not only the content of the programme and the objectives of the broadcaster, but also be in keeping with the audience, and however they choose to watch or interact with the show. When you consider that traditional TV viewing amongst 18 to 24 year olds has fallen by 18% over the past five years, according to Ofcom, the way in which social media is used to amplify programmes needs to be considered with even greater precision.

Live TV hashtags such as those used during a Simon Cowell talent show or the exploits of the inhabitants of Essex or Chelsea may work for audiences who see those shows as ‘events’, and encourage interactions in the moment as moments unfold. However, they have questionable value for those who watch the show on their iPad a day later. If viewers watch live on a device other than their TV, shows have to bank audiences having a second device to post their thoughts nearby, so as not to disturb simultaneous viewing.

With more viewers choosing to watch shows through other means than the traditional television box in the corner of the living room, show producers are looking at how they can adapt their approach to social and digital, to ensure engagement goes deeper than simply being aligned to the live broadcast. This is particularly the case for shows that typically target young audiences. In fact, according to research conducted by Thinkbox, 30% of 16 to 24 year-olds now watch videos on tablets and smartphones, double that of the average individual in the UK at 15%.

Show producers therefore need to make sure that the formats they create and the social media strategy they deploy are not only in complete synch, but compatible with the vast array of methods in which audiences will consume them. The social media or digital strategy for a show needs to be carefully crafted and enhance the viewer's enjoyment of the programme, whether they watch in live, on catch up or Netflix where they might burn through an entire box set in a day. Incentivising social posts is only part of this process.

Real engagement can only be born through the creation of an immersive environment which transcends multiple channels. Shows which provide a wealth of other content, allow for wider conversation with fans and innovative ways to engage with specific elements of the show, will not only help to drive greater social status – it will also incentivise wider watching outside of the TV broadcast. The Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) factor, cannot simply be limited to the live broadcast. Shows that are only broadcast on demand can’t rely on the live TV experience either. With the number of shows on Netflix and Amazon Instant Video rising, the urgency and appreciation to look at wider strategies is only like to increase in the coming years.

It is clear social media and digital channels can, do and are having a profound impact on how, what and where we now watch our favourite TV programmes. Whilst the increasing prominence of online platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Instant Video can’t be ignored, TV still reaches 92% of UK population. However with nearly six in 10 young people watching on demand and catch-up TV on their laptop or PC, and almost half (45%) watching on a smartphone, we are seeing a number of different worlds emerge: the traditional, VOD services, and growing online consumption of traditional TV through digital channels such as BBC iPlayer. Programme makers need to acknowledge these changes and ensure that the formats they create can be housed within a wider social and digital ecosystem to truly build deep and lasting engagement with these fluid audiences.

By Adam Smith, Owner and Managing Director at Rawnet