It’s not enough to be heard in 2023. You really need to be seen, too. TikTok helps. Unfortunately, a lot of radio folks either can’t do it … or don’t get it.
For some (ahem, me), it’s difficult enough to put a show together every day. Or so I think and say.
However, if you truly want to grow a brand these days, you need to be creative, and you need to be a multi-media producer.
Matt Shearer of WBZ Radio in Boston gets it… and does it. And it’s paying off big time.
He has nearly 50,000 followers on Instagram, more than four times the number of his station’s account. On TikTok, his videos are even more impressive, often garnering more than 100,000 likes.
He started the old-fashioned way: At the bottom.
“I’ve been a radio producer for a long time,” he told me. “When I started reporting at WBZ, it was audio-only, but then the bosses chose me to get the TikTok up and running.
“I was hesitant at first, but they were right. It’s been a total game-changer.”
The game-changing element of it all is that he’s authentic and authentically fun. His signature series is to go to a town, announce he’s there to find something fun, and then traipse around town talking to people and trying to find something fun.
“Someone left a comment on a video that simply said ‘Go to Bellingham, try to find something cool.’ I thought it was a hilariously bad pitch, so I had to do it,” he said.
“After that, the requests came pouring in for me to visit everyone’s town.”
Brian Shactman: When did you know you were into something?
Matt Shearer: When I started seeing comments like “When did WBZ become cool? My grandpa used to make me listen. Can’t wait to show him this video.” So much potential to reach a new audience that has never pushed the AM button on their car radio.
BS: People now see you and the mic and the camera and know you and what you are doing?
MS: Absolutely. When I have the mic with me, I always get recognized. Even without the mic, it’s very common. It’s nice because I’m not on celebrity status where I’m constantly getting harassed, but having random people say “Hey, I love your TikToks” is really cool.
BS: Are you still a “radio guy”?
MS: Yeah, I’d say so. But I also try to avoid boxing myself into a particular role like that. When I make radio, I don’t want to sound like everyone else on the air. When I cover a story, I don’t want to sound (or look) like every other journalist. It’s important to me to always be seeking new ways to tell a story, and try something unique with every video, even if it’s only a subtle difference.
BS: Do all the views and likes help the actual business?
MS: Without a doubt. I don’t have access to the numbers, but I’ve heard that streaming is up, and sales is always looking to make sponsored posts on the socials now. At the very least, brand awareness is so important, even for a 102-year-old heritage station like WBZ.
BS: Anything else you’d want me to know?
MS: I could talk about this stuff all day, but two main things to keep in mind when you start making videos are authenticity and originality. Post what you would want to watch, and don’t worry too much about the numbers, especially in the beginning. If your stuff is consistently good and unique, eventually the views/follows will come. Plus, the algorithm is so unpredictable, no matter how much you try to manipulate it.
Brian Shactman is a weekly columnist for Barrett News Radio. In addition to writing for BNM, Brian can be heard weekday mornings in Hartford, CT on 1080 WTIC hosting the popular morning program ‘Brian & Company’. During his career, Brian has worked for ESPN, CNBC, MSNBC, and local TV channels in Connecticut and Massachusetts. You can find him on Twitter @bshactman.
