Twitter on the Tube: How Social Media is Influencing the Tune-In

So I have a confession to make…a confession that up until this point has only been shared with a very select few. 

I’m in love with the CBS live reality show “Big Brother.” Like, really in love.

In fact, I sometimes dream about becoming the next BB contestant. Dream about having the opportunity to live with complete strangers, become isolated from the outside world, be continuously monitored by in-house television cameras and personal audio microphones for an entire summer while ruthlessly competing to stay in the game, and win it all.

It’s unhealthy, I know.   

But with that out of the way, we can now discuss how this particular show, and many others quite similar, have become so relevant in the world of social media marketing. 

According to early numbers from Nielsen,  the most recent episode of “Big Brother,” which was televised live,  drew 6.83 million viewers. Those numbers created a whopping 8% increase compared to the week prior.

With the modern technology of instant streaming thanks to YouTube, Netflix, and DVR, we can easily control what we want to see and when we want to see it. So how are live reality shows still getting such high ratings?

The answer: Live Tweeting!

To clarify, I’m not just talking about watching your Twitter feed become quickly populated with episode spoilers (aka The Red Wedding). I’m talking about watching a program live as you simultaneously watch highlighted tweets appear as a banner across the screen. This encourages all viewers to get in on the action, voice their opinion, and see what others think about how the show is unfolding…while the show is on! On top of that, viewers can also vote on certain events to happen throughout the season.

RT if u are watching #BB15 now 2 see which HG gets evicted! Tweet live w/us & join the convo on Big Brother Connect http://t.co/6J4T5kFp5S

— Big Brother on CBS! (@CBSBigBrother) August 23, 2013

This is becoming a quickly evolving and highly effective engagement technique amongst TV programs, and one that has been recently proven by Nielsen to be statistically accurate. 

Social Guide Intelligence provides a continuous ranking service of Twitter TV data analytics amongst major networks…and as of this week Big Brother is the only reality TV program to be sitting at a top spot throughout all network types.

With over 162,000 tweets during the show’s hour time slot and over 50,000 unique shares, the partnership between social media and TV programming is continuing to advance the user experience for viewers, while solidifying a cycle of high ratings = better twitter engagement /  high twitter engagement = better ratings.

Although some may believe that live TV is dead, with users instead going straight to the internet for content...these facts show that's quite the opposite! 

So why does it all matter in developing your social media strategy?

It all goes back to the ideas discussed in how to successfully run your social media marketing like a newsroom.  

There is A LOT of content exchange occurring during these times, and it's your job to make sure that your voice is heard! 

Quick Tips to #LiveTweets 

1. Absorb the Content - If you don't know what's going on, who will?
2. See What the Others are Saying - Always monitor all sides of the conversation...the good, the bad, & the ugly! 
3. Provide Your Insight - Share useful content, ideas, & don't forget to ###! 

No matter it be a royal baby or a reality show, content doesn’t necessarliy have to always pertain to your industry. When you make a note to become part of national and global content exchange you are playing part to a much larger conversation. A conversation that will only help to continue to build the success of your brand!