When you think about social media, what type of media content first comes to mind?
Did you answer video or text? Fair answer. Text was the primary means of communication in "primitive" social networking and now online video is the current darling of social media enthusiasts everywhere. Audio content, however, has been around for forever and it's something you should consider when figuring out the mix of digital content you'll distribute through your social media program.
What counts as audio content?
Music, mashups, podcasts, audiobooks, audio recordings of presentations, mix tapes… Okay, well maybe not the last one in this particular application (or maybe it would in your situation), but you get the picture. As a business or brand, you create content in multiple formats today and that includes audio. It's important to remember that people consume content differently as well, given their situation, access to technology, and so on.
Integrating Audio with Social Media
As a technology company dedicated to putting the "media" back into social media, we define the idiom "social media" as the socialization of media. "Media" encompasses any digital content – including video, audio, images and documents – that can be shared across the Web and used as a means of communication between peers. When thinking of integrating audio content into your social media mix, treat it as you would video and make sure it resonates with your target audience. Here are three ideas:
1. Online Radio Station
Whether it be music, podcasts or audiobooks, an online radio station is a great way to stream your audio content to audiences in a protected format. You can even monetize your content by running advertising or charging subscription fees for access to your station.
2. Vocal Contest
Host a talent search for the best karaoke singer or voiceover actor. You can then publish the entries to your website where users can listen and vote for their favorites.
3. Music Sharing Community
Music is an easy one to socialize. People love listening and sharing the latest hits, "liking" their favorites and leaving comments. You can publish original music or allow users to upload their own tracks to an online radio station. It doesn't necessarily need to be around music though. Business can share podcasts or HR departments can distribute audio training, too.
Yesterday we
announced support for MP3 audio streaming on our
Spotlight online video platform. This new capability enables you to publish and stream music, audiobooks, podcasts and other audio files to websites, blogs and intranets. It's also easy to add commenting and ratings to the custom player. Take it for a test run at
http://spotlight.realitydigital.com. The free 30-day trial is a perfect way to see how MP3 streaming might work for you.
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