TV Station websites today are, in most cases, struggling to find unique content. It takes resources and we all know what has happened to most of those. Fisher Communications made a significant investment in DataSphere but just announced a tremendous loss in revenues in 4Q09.
Today’s question is, “Should TV stations continue to devote expensive resources to develop their website content (and possibly divert attention from their core product) or should they become hyper-local and depend primarily on UGC to form content and communities?”
I do believe all television websites need to have a news link…Most advertisers get the web as added value as agencies refuse to buy it..
The site needs to be local with weather, news and sports plus contests…simple and sweet!
Tim-
Thanks so much for your comments and I, too, like have local news on station wbsites. However, I do disagree that advertisers should receive this valuable asset for free. Agencies will accept value added and may ask for it but these “lean in eyeballs” are extremely valuable and allow advertisers to form a relationship with current and potential customers like never before. If you have an agency that doesn’t understand the value I suggest moving on to an agency or client that does.
Wow! What an awesome topic Margie!
I truly don’t think that I can get all my comments into this small box, but I’ll give it my best shot.
Before I came to work here, I “sold” online. It was not “added value”. But first I think you have to look at your product. Just because it’s a Website does not make it comparable to your competition.
So then you ask, “Who’s our competition?” Any company in our market that is charging for their website and also generating traffic/eyeballs for their clients.
I think you hit the bullseye when you compare UGC as opposed to Expensive Resources for a company that cuts into the bottomline. Big No-no!!
I can only share what I know from the market where I work…but I have to think this holds true Nationwide. When you allow your website to trend like society, i.e. Facebook & Twitter Addicts, then you can see that people still love to “interact”. That doesn’t take lots of expensive resources. Do you give your viewers a place for Local Input? Whether it be an “ataboy” page for Local Athletes, Local Academic Achievements, Young Professionals, then it mirrors a Blog-Atmosphere? What about local sign-ups for teams? i.e.Any Youth Leagues. Because when you allow your viewers to post “Local” information & Pictures/Videos and also have a person at the station to keep it current, then your traffic builds and then you turn your website into a viable product for your client because you have given them “Traffic/Eyeballs”.
I live an hour from the station in Madisonville KY and there is a Local website, isurfhopkinsco.com. Look at it. The banner ads are not free and as you look at the page, the ads are not static either. For someone in sales, I see $$$ everytime that ad changes. The local users can post info/stories for free though.
Which leads me into turning the corner back to the Powers that Be. Do you allow input at the stations when you look at Your Competition? Or do you allow Non-Sales Oriented Staff to Control the Site? I definitely want Quality-Control to our site, but it needs to be more Active to the Eye.
For anyone who would like to compare your site to your competition, go to http://www.quantcast.com. In comparing our site to the paper & other tv stations in this market, we are not in the ball park. But in comparing us to some of the powerhouse radio stations, we’re doing ok. But you know what, We are TV! So how do we keep climbing up that ladder to be as strong as our true competition?
I believe Promos on our station driving Viewers to it for Local Input, Active Blogs, & Contesting. Drive Traffic which in turn will drive Revenue without using Expensive Resources.
Again, Love this topic Margie!
Karen Hanvy
WEVV CBS 44
MY 44