Social TV: Myth or Reality?

Brands need to prepare for a multi-medium world by integrating strategies that incorporate both offline and online screen use.

Since the invention of the television, we have been entertained and informed by this amazing device. However, for all its benefits, the television is still a one-sided medium. But with the increasing popularity of social media, the television-watching experience is becoming more relevant to the Web 2.0 era.

Television viewers are increasingly enhancing the TV-viewing experience by using their smartphones and tablets to access and interact with content. This union of television and social media is known as “social TV.” According to the 2014 Nielsen Digital Consumer Report, 84 percent of U.S. smartphone and tablet owners today watch television with a second screen in hand. These devices are allowing real-time social media conversations between the program and the audience.

The research also reveals a clear to call action is more relevant than ever, since 26 percent of tablet users and 16 percent of mobile phone users looked up product information online upon seeing a television ad. 

Southeast Asia 

In Asia, the rapid up-take of connected devices, especially smartphones and tablets, is seeing a shift from traditional media formats such as broadcast and cable TV. The 2014 Nielsen South Asia Cross-Platform Report found eight in 10 digital consumers in Southeast Asia own a smartphone and half of digitally engaged households in the region own a tablet. The report also found nine out of 10 consumers commonly engage with two screens simultaneously, and as many as eight in 10 digital consumers in the region engage with three screens simultaneously.

The evolving media habits offer valuable opportunities to marketers to sync the offline and online marketing efforts and get real-time results on campaign effectiveness. Here are some tips to get you started: 

Define Your Audience 

Many companies still think that they are targeting two different audiences with their offline and online content. But switching between screens is becoming most popular. People may watch part of your show on TV and continue the rest on their iPad. Therefore, consistency between the online and offline content is becoming key to engaging the audience, especially for advertisers if they want to reach the audience with the same message. 

Develop Two-Way Content 

The conventional marketing process is geared to develop one-way content. For relevant product categories, organizations have to start developing processes where the content is geared to drive conversation. This means, the content has to add value and brand has to be ready to participate in the conversation. A great example of this is The Discovery Channel’s Shark Week. The channel’s iPad app automatically syncs content online to what you’re viewing offline and is completely integrated with Facebook and Twitter. This allows viewers’ to post on social media and to see if their tweets end up on live TV. 

Not for Every Brand 

Reality TV shows like The Voice and Big Brother are great platforms for social TV since their content is ever evolving and participative by nature. For social TV, content is king! Before deciding whether you should spend your marketing budget on a social TV campaign, take a close look at your brand. If you think your brand does not have a lot to say in the space, look for other channels to engage your audience. 

Measure Success 

The metrics around social TV are still evolving. However, the conventional social media metrics like likes, tweets, QR codes, and comments are still valid. Coupled with the votes, call-ins, Google searches, and visits to your website, you should have a good understanding of the impact of your campaign. Unlike the conventional market metrics like viewership, these metrics are real-time and give you more flexibility to understand success.

With the ever-increasing smartphone penetration, the second screen will become integral to the TV-watching experience. This is a great opportunity for brands to take a holistic marketing approach and integrate their online and offline marketing efforts. The question is, are we ready to break the marketing silos?

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