Report: How US TV Networks use Web 2.0 (from a search point of view)
We love white papers. Here’s a smidgen of the report on US TV websites by search engine company 360i. “Tuning into Emerging Media: How Broadcast and Cable TV Shows Use Blogs, the Mobile Web, Mashups and Other Media,” a new report from 360i, provides insight into the extent by which TV networks embrace various forms…
We love white papers. Here’s a smidgen of the report on US TV websites by search engine company 360i.
“Tuning into Emerging Media: How Broadcast and Cable TV Shows Use Blogs, the Mobile Web, Mashups and Other Media,” a new report from 360i, provides insight into the extent by which TV networks embrace various forms of online and emerging media to promote themselves and their shows. Our research team reviewed the promotional strategies of broadcast and cable television networks to determine adoption practices for these emerging media formats. This report shares the findings from the study, outlines the strategic relationship between search and emerging media, and finally concludes with a list of best practices to offer some guidelines for marketers and media properties.
- Among the top 35 TV networks, the four most commonly implemented media formats (Email Alerts, Blogs, Audio Podcasts, and Mobile) are utilized by at least 80% of the networks, with the most common media, Email Alerts, used by nearly all the networks.
- The least commonly implemented media (Mashups, Virtual Worlds, Wikis, Widgets/Gadgets, and Tagging) are utilized by 8% of the networks.
- The short list of most frequently adopted media is fairly consistent between broadcast and cable shows; however, rates of adoption vary substantially. Moreover, there is no clear “winner,” as cable adoption levels exceed the broadcast networks in some formats, but trail in others.
- Among the least commonly used emerging media formats, cable and broadcast shows have identical adoption rates for some formats (Virtual Worlds and Wikis), while cable shows are the only adopters of other formats (Mashups and Widgets/Gadgets).
Nearly 8% of TV networks offer users resources to create Mashups; this constitutes twice the adoption level ofthe next most popular format, Virtual Worlds. The differences in implementation may be attributed to level ofinvestment need: Mashups utilize existing creative collateral while Virtual Worlds require substantial development and design resources.
It was interesting to note- and a little bizarre in my web 2.0 saturated world – to see that tagging (digg, del.icio.us) was ZERO%. Not a single sausage. Such a key component of social search. (Have a read – it does cover statistics specific to the broadcast and cable TV industry but the rest of the stuff is not TV specific and has points that EVERY company who wants to engage with the social network of their customers should note). For example:
The Big Picture
Analyzing consumer search patterns offers insights into consumers’ online behavior that can significantly inform social media content, both in concept and dissemination. Emerging media formats are well-suited to reinforce and support search marketing goals. Collectively, search marketing and social media formats drive a comprehensive, multi-channel experience that builds and reinforces brand awareness.
Search engine op. companies that ignore the consumer‘s input and see the tagging/folksonomy/social search thing as fad – as I heard by one MD of an Aussie SEO company say at a presentation – will die. Quickly. These 360i guys are advising their clients appropriately and professionally.
The consumer now has a role to play in search – after all, if it’s user generated rich content then the search engine is gonna pick up on user generated content. Another good reason for going through the old forums and deleting all those Viagra spam posts. Unless you are in that particular growth market. Heh.