You may or may not have heard the term social TV, but it's not only changing the world we live in but how marketing is done. Defined as the act of social networking while watching television, this new practice is not just a trend but becoming the norm in many households.
In fact according to a 2013 study by Social Guide and Nielson, more than 80 percent of American TV viewers now access a second screen for content during a program. They though aren't just engaged in conversations about what they are watching. They are also shopping, writing emails and reading news content.
People are watching on average of 35 hours a TV a week according to Neilson. That shows it's still a very popular medium. People are also watching TV live. That is very important to note! In fact, 87% of all broadcast TV is watched live. That number rises to 93% on cable.
Social media is also affecting TV ratings, especially with younger demographics. In fact, when Twitter chatter increases about a TV show ratings also increases.
So you may ask what does this all mean for marketers. Well social media, especially Twitter is all about real time information and by merging live television with people looking at a second screen (tablet or smartphone) during a television show can only mean a huge opportunity for businesses and marketing.
Through Promoted Tweets and highly optimized social media content, brands not associated with broadcasted shows, especially big event shows like the Super Bowl and MTV Video Music Awards, can add their two cents to Twitter and Facebook chatter, and seize attention from online consumers. We know they are on the social networks looking for content. Why not give it to them!
By adding a brand-appropriate comment during a hit show or popular TV event in a funny or witty Tweet or Facebook post can create a relatively easy and inexpensive surge of new attention for any brand.
Obviously you don't want to spam the network and turn people off. But, by being creative and adding a relevant branded tweet or post during a major TV event can be a great way for a business to get in front of a big audience.