Adding the social element into static television watching is exactly what the TV experience was missing out on. Now that we have Social TV to explore and play with, it’s important to know exactly what it does and how we can use it in order to obtain maximum benefits. Basics Social television is everything digital you can think of that supports TV viewers engagement outside their flat screens. It is, basically, everything we do that says, supports or shows something about what we are watching via Social Media channels. Wikipedia calls this the union of television with social media. Social media marketers and experts call it the future of television.
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The social TV niche covers a broad spectrum of technologies that back up communication and social interaction around TV, as well as companies that study television-related social behavior and measure social media activities tied to specific TV broadcasts. A considerable number of such social media campaigns have attracted significant investment from established media and technology companies. Another important feature of Social TV consists in linking broadcasters with social network giants such as Twitter and Facebook.
This makes for fast and easy data spread among circles and circles of friends, which means that a simple piece of info, such as “the latest episode of Family Guy was a smash hit”, can become a status that can virtually go around the world via social media channels. Social TV also englobes specific apps, also known as companion apps, which are linked to a particular TV show, movie or TV service.
These apps are designated to give additional or in-depth information to the user, such as schedules, news, special features such as sneak peeks or contests. Many popular televised events have turned towards companion apps for more visibility and better user engagement. One of the most talked about and used event app was the Oscar Awards app, via which users could make their winners’ predictions and keep in touch with the latest ceremony developments in real time.
What Makes Social TV Essential
First of all, it gets people engaged. While watching TV. This makes it a win-win situation for both network providers and online businesses, which can promote their products with ads. The principle of monetizing the user’s experience with the help of ads is going viral nowadays, and what better way to do it than via online videos and apps?
While a decade ago, television dictated in terms of what we choose to buy and consume, things have dramatically changed with the emergence of the Internet. However, audience segmentation lingers on and the only way to reach both millennials and older generations is to be able to, somehow shoot two rabbits with the same bullet. This is exactly what Social TV is aiming at: restoring “television faith” with the help of Social Media, engaging users in both first screen and second screen.
