Social media is a big promotional tool for radio hosts, right? Or is it?
I was speaking with a hiring manager at the BNM Summit a while ago. This manager was explaining to me that they had recently hired a new talk show host, and one of the key factors in hiring this individual was their social media footprint. Seems like a decent ingredient in making a hire. This individual essentially came from the YouTube social media space, which would seem like a good barometer, right?
I am going to be a tad bit skeptical on that.
There have been several hosts who have reached the syndicated realm with practically zero experience hosting a radio show. Using social media as your deciding factor is a huge mistake. Now, I am not saying that using a potential host’s social media following as part of the hiring process is a bad idea. I think the track record is not a successful barometer.
I have had affiliate people brag about a new host’s following as the lone measurement of whether the host should be added to my lineup. It is not. Does the person execute compelling radio, or are they a soundbite machine that is successful on Instagram? Reels and TikToks are great, but the average viewer watches only a small part of a short video. Can the person hold my attention? Will the ability to generate clicks, likes, and shares translate to radio?
If you are a hiring manager for a local host, unless that person is a known and successful commodity in your market, a social media footprint is meaningless. Speaking of the known or well-liked local radio host, I have found that the majority of listeners will automatically connect that talent with the previous station. This is especially important to note if you are in a diary market. There will be a short sales bump, and when the result is not overwhelming, sales will slump.
Frequently, stations overpay. Yes, even today, for that known local favorite. In my first programming job, the station owner highly urged hiring people outside of the market. There were a few reasons why. He felt that the in-market host had already failed or proven that they were not a ratings and revenue winner. I didn’t understand that at the time, but today I do. He was 100% right. Getting out-of-market talent will automatically connect with your brand alone. I like that. A large social media presence will have zero impact on the station’s ratings and revenue.
Your company may have social media goals, which is a great idea and smart. Considering the challenges of monetizing a personality on social media, and also recognizing that the social media platforms are not cooperative with radio in their algorithms to make successful posts, is it worth the time? Would your personality’s time be better served creating fresh podcast content, show prep, or personal appearances? I really think that concentrating on great radio and being in public is essential. Doing great radio. Imagine being the must-listen destination to your community. This should be the priority.
Social media is a different type of media. Fitting content that is not designed for clicks, likes, and shares, and hoping for the best is not a helpful use of time. If your company wants a certain number of posts per day, consider the following: are you demanding too many posts per day? I read a recent piece about how more than three posts a day can work against your page. Using social media as it is designed to work is important. Look at very successful accounts like MrBeast, Jillz Foods, The King of DIY, and more to see what is connecting. Repurposing complete shows is not going to work. Having a special video reel that you can promote will certainly have a better feel.
I tried something that is working very well on my stations. We stopped posting complete shows for my station’s morning show. I asked the producer to post important interviews and fun segments individually. We are putting up smaller segments, and the numbers are mushrooming without extra promotion. I believe it is easier for listeners to locate on the app or website. The listener may have joined an interview at the end, and now it is easier to find.
Social media is not the all-purpose indicator for news/talk success. Making a new hire can be a stressful event. Being fair to any new host, you likely will need 18 to 24 months to determine if the hire was right. With the revenue headwinds faced by many radio operators, you don’t want to make a mistake. Great companies, brand managers, and market managers occasionally miss. Here is what you don’t want to do. If the show is good but is not catching on, it just may take a while. If the show is terrible and the host isn’t connecting with the audience, and especially with clients, it will never work.
As an industry, we are often asking what is next. Many amazing hosts rubbed the audience the wrong way right at the beginning. Don’t be too impatient. Rush Limbaugh was fired by radio stations that gladly took his syndicated show years later. If the show is great, stand by the talent.
Social media following can be used as a tool. If there is no revenue tied to something, focus on ways to increase the bottom line.
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Peter Thiele is a weekly news/talk radio columnist for Barrett Media, and an experienced news/talk radio programmer. He currently serves as News/Talk Format Captain for Zimmer Communications. Prior to joining Zimmer, Peter held programming positions in New York City, San Francisco, Des Moines, Little Rock, Greenville, Hunstville, and Joplin. Peter has also worked as a host, account executive and producer in Minneapolis, and San Antonio. He can be found on Twitter at @PeterThiele.
