After a long day of work, a dozen conversations on Twitter, a few cat pictures on Facebook, and still forgetting Google+ exists many of us sit down in front of the TV. Some of us watch the news, others watch Mike Rowe jump in mud pits, or if you are like some of my fellow SMCDC team mates you watch Pretty Little Liars (I have no idea what that is).
Regardless of your choice in show, one thing you will likely find is a social media component. Some have dedicated hashtags bugs sitting in the corner throughout the program, others may wait until a commercial, or maybe they just helped create a custom sticker on GetGlue. Whatever the methodology, it’s hard to ignore that our favorite shows and news broadcasts are being influenced by social media (I’m looking at you, lazy broadcast journalists).
With this in mind we gathered some of the finest DC minds on the subject of social TV for our October event, and there was a great deal of information to be consumed. Though yes, we did have a bit of an audio problem and I was having to hold up a speaker, what came from New Media Strategies’ Jason Runyan (@JasonRunyan), Travel Channel’s Nisha Chittal (@NishaChittal), and Weber Shandwick’s Jackie Titus (@JTitus) was fantastic. Also our moderator and SMCDC digital team member, Lacy Baugher (@LacyMB) of WETA did a great job driving the discussion. What you will see below are just a few of the interesting points that came from our #SMCTV event.
What show do you think does #SMCTV the best? Tweet us with the hashtags or tell us in the comments. We may even convince our actors to do another filming.
Requisite photo of #SMCTV panel. twitpic.com/b53bq4
— Alison (@tikidaisy) October 18, 2012
Social media can add layers and content to a tv program… #smctv
— Jason Rocco (@ThatGuyHugs) October 17, 2012
#SMCDC Fringe’s dedicated fan baseis one of the most impressive social audiences ever. #SMCTV
— Kevin Olivieri (@KevinOlivieri) October 17, 2012
Are we moving towards a social TV guide where through SM you can see what people are watching/saying about it? #smctv @cocosmcdc
— Alexa Fox(@afox1130) October 17, 2012
Getting a user to use a branded app is hard because you risk fragmenting your audience. Focus on creating content for existing apps! #smctv
— Sarah Jørgensen (@sosarahsays) October 18, 2012
I’ve never felt there was a value-add w/ GetGlue. Twitter provides a better second-screen experience and everyone is already uses it. #smctv
— Sarah Heffern (@smheffern) October 18, 2012
“Get your brand on Google+!” Said no one. #SMCDC #SMCTV
— Kevin Olivieri (@KevinOlivieri) October 18, 2012
To reel in bloggers offer them access to talent, backstage. Even niche blogs. #SMCTV
— Alison (@tikidaisy) October 18, 2012
Social checkin apps for tv aren’t scaling well. #SMCTV
— Alison (@tikidaisy) October 18, 2012
Use storify to curate content other people are creating about you/brand/show. #smctv
— Alison (@tikidaisy) October 18, 2012
Also for those who may have missed our promotional Social TV campaign, check out our recreation of a scene from Mad Men, and a new take on the terribly cheesy caffeine addiction scene from Saved by the Bell. Of course we also included our own #SMCTV contest to try our hand at social TV, and it booster our viewership quite a bit in comparison to our videos in the past.
We would also like to thank CoCo Sala for hosting our event space and Treater.
Stay tuned for our next event coming up on November 7, when we will discuss What Associations and Non-Profits Can Learn from Election 2012 for DC Week. Please keep in mind that due to Thanksgiving we will not have our regularly scheduled third Wednesday event; however, our annual holiday party will make up for it as usual.
