Every week, people smarter than me remind those of us in RockTernative Radio about the “best practices” for being successful. But let’s focus on this one: be wherever the audience is — go where they are — meet them on their turf.
Hard to argue with, right?
It’s not a new strategy. Stations in the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s went to every circus, concert, and mall opening. They even drove vans around trying to meet the masses wherever they were. I know, I drove the station van.
Then people went “world wide web” crazy. So, to meet listeners on their turf, radio rushed to build websites and social pages on platforms like MySpace and Facebook.
You know what happened next. The smartphone. Everyone developed an app, “digital” became the most overused word in all of media, and now it’s a totally different competitive environment. For the first time in history, listeners didn’t need to find a radio — they had one in their pocket.
There’s no denying where the audience is — on their phones. It’s the center of their universe. Socializing, news, shopping, navigating, love hunting, you name it. It’ll even track their kids.
Now think of the phone like that hot new club in town. Everyone wants a reserved table. It’s THE place to be if you want to be relevant.
What if your brand had a reserved table every night? What would you do with it?
There are four types of table owners.
- Promoters: They sell seats to whoever will pay.
- No-Shows: The table is usually empty.
- Zombies: Frequently there but invisible, passed out in the corner.
- Hosts: The ones everyone wants to hang with.
It’s true that most radio brands fall into being table owners 1, 2, or 3.
Just because a brand has a table — a website, app, and social pages accessible on phones — it doesn’t mean they’re really meeting the audience on their turf.
Many brands technically exist on phones, but they aren’t truly present. Or at least not meaningfully present. Presence means answering comments. Responding to DMs. Showing up when people are talking. Being part of the moment, not just one-way posting and ghosting.
Short of hiring a game-changing talent, I’d argue improving these relationships is the biggest growth opportunity for all of RockTernative.
Yet, look around…
- Profiles heavy on unwanted ads
- Endless loops of self-promotion
- Asleep at the wheel when sh!t happens and everyone flocks to social
- Websites templatized, nationalized, outdated
- DMs, comments, texts — ignored
The irony is everyone talks about the importance of digital. Social is digital. But I’ve heard radio execs say — out loud — there’s no ROI in social; we’re not investing there. That’s because they’re measuring it like a banner ad. They’re not thinking like brand builders.
Social is not a banner ad.
Social isn’t a widget or a simple line item in a budget. It’s fluid and emotional — and a big part of the brand/fan relationship.
Look outside radio for a moment — consider Linkin Park, Pardon My Take, or brands like Wendy’s, 7-Eleven, or Liquid Death — they’re not measuring every post with a calculator. They understand some simple truths:
- Social is the hot club
- It’s also the town square
- It drives other lanes
- Being present matters
If I DM McDonald’s, I get a response. If I reach out to a radio station, it’s usually crickets.
When ratings are neck-and-neck and advertisers demand results, guess what breaks those ties? Relationships.
And the brands that win close ball games are the ones listeners feel closest to.
- The ones giving answers to questions
- Responding to DMs, showing up in comments
- Being there when it matters most — and even when it’s less critical
- The ones pulling up to that reserved table every night
The spirit here is vision, prioritization, connecting with the audience, and being attentive to what moves them. Because what moves them also moves revenue. Building stronger relationships isn’t expensive, but it has become a necessary expense.
Budgets are tight — they will always be tight. But I can walk into any cluster and find ways to cut spending without reducing headcount. And some of the naysayers are dead wrong: investing in engaging social personnel will bring great ROI.
How? Why?
Because the brands with the best fan relationships sell the most cars, case leads, and blue pills.
The phone is the hottest club in town, and RockTernative already has a reserved table.
Which table owner are you?
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
Keith Cunningham is a music industry and Rock/Alternative columnist for Barrett Media and the founder of Black Box Group, a modern-modeled creative & strategic consultancy built for brands that need strategies with teeth. He’s the former Master of Mayhem at 95.5 KLOS-FM in Los Angeles for over a decade, a nationwide consultant, and has been repeatedly voted one of America’s top Program Directors and strategic thinkers. Keith has built his career by taking multi-million-dollar brands from worst to first and leading Marconi & Gracie award winners along the way. A data nerd with a rock-and-roll heart, he is an advisory council member for St. Jude fundraising, a fantasy football champion, and lover of his daughters & dogs. Reach him at keithblackboxgroup@gmail.com or on LinkedIn or X.
Thoughtful, measured, and 100% accurate.