Posted by Tom Stark

Texting (SMS) is huge and many stations have a texting program or are thinking about adding one. If you are the later, there are a few things to consider before you take the plunge. Is texting right for your station or is it going to be monthly money pit that is a drain on your resources?

Take a look at your station and think about your station’s audience. While text messaging companies may say that parents and soccer moms do a lot of texting, it is mainly a tool for the youth. Teens and twenty somethings might not own text messaging, but they have embraced it as another way of communicating. If your demo skews from teens to thirty somethings you are more likely to get a big response with a text messaging program. Not to say that a station with an older demo won’t have success, it will just be easier with a young demo.

I don’t know if there is a magic bullet that will make a text messaging program successful but there are things you can do to increase your chances of success. First, remember that people listen to your station because they like it. Don’t go off on a tangent with your text program or you might end up confusing your listeners. Tie it into your normal routine and make it a way to enhance your great product. If you’re a music station, have listeners text to win concert tickets or interact with the DJs. If you’re a news/talk station have listeners text in their opinions or even traffic reports. Of course you don’t want to ask listeners to text while driving but when they are at a safe place to text they will be more than happy to tell you about a traffic back up that your report missed. Many people that fear calling a radio station may feel more comfortable texting, plus they know they don’t have to wait on hold.

Another thing that is key to your text program’s success is your on-air personalities. Every time they mention your phone number they should also mention your short code (texting number, normally 5 digits). Not only does this brand your short code but it also tells your listeners that you are serious about the texting program. Your personalities should feel comfortable using it, if they don’t embrace it your listeners will give up on it. If you’re not willing to make texting part of your on-air product, don’t waste your time with a text program.

Another thing you may want to consider is how the text program may make your station look. On one hand it can make your station look like it is up on new technologies and accessible to its listeners. On the other hand it may not fit your audience and make them feel alienated from a station they thought they knew. Surveying your audience through an email blast may not be a bad idea. This can give you a lot of insight as far as how interested your listeners are and whether text messaging is worth the effort.

Okay, you believe your audience is perfect for a texting program but you can’t afford the costs. Cost should be a concern but there are many opportunities to make a decent income with this technology. Most texting campaigns can be sponsored including the generic message texters receive when they text a keyword that is not attached to a campaign. You will have your own short code with your texting program, and some texting companies will allow you to lease that code to your clients. That way, clients will be able to add a keyword with your short code at the end of their on-air spots. Listeners will know your short code from your on-air branding so all they have to remember is a keyword. Example: Text FLOWER to 12345 for information & directions to Jill’s Flower Shop.

One of the first things you should do when considering costs is look at your sales staff and ask yourself if they will be able to embrace and understand this technology. Some texting companies will assist your sales staff and put together pitches for them. It is extremely important when pitching your program that a sales person considers your station’s interests, their client interests, and the potential for texting to help both of them with a campaign. Some clients are just not suitable for a texting campaign. There will be some hits and misses all of which should be used to guide your program in the right direction. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to set-up criteria for your text campaigns to help your sales staff prevent poor choices.

Another way to save money is to get a random short code and not bother with vanity codes. Short codes are normally 5 numbers which your listeners will have no problem memorizing if you brand it well. You can ask your texting provider for a list of available numbers and pick one that you feel has a nice ring to it (no pun intended) or is easily memorized. Vanity short codes are costly and not necessary.

If you feel your station is perfect for a text campaign and you can handle the costs, your next step is to decide on a company to go with. Look at what they offer, sometimes companies that are more expensive will give you great support. If texting is new for your sales staff the extra money for the additional support will pay for itself. Have the texting companies walk you through their demos. Also have a list of some of your key clients and ask the texting company how a text campaign would work for them.

Hopefully you have a good idea whether a texting program would work for your station or not. A successful texting program is a team effort. If you feel you have the right audience and a strong team then there is money to be had. If you feel deficient in one or more areas, put your money towards something else. New technologies are popping up all the time, some will work for your station and other won’t. Take your time and pick the ones that make the most sense. Don’t confuse a loyal listener base with a technology that a majority of your staff doesn’t understand.

Tags: keyword, message, radio, short code, sms, text, text message, txt

This entry was posted on Monday, August 4th, 2008 at 4:38 pm and is filed under RadioGlue Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.