(DIGITAL) Sell Innovative Digital Solutions

9-21-2015

A client has a beautiful new website, but it's not showing up prominently on a Google search. Give five basic reasons why this might be happening.

What are three strategies for modern-day SEO?

What is the quality score of a search ad, and why is it so important?

Briefly explain the terms conversion, optimization, CPL, and SERP.

Give a specific example of how a radio schedule can enhance a paid search campaign.

If radio is really selling digital solutions, then local managers and reps should be able to answer those questions without thinking twice. But the reality is, too many radio sellers and managers think they're selling digital when all they're really doing is pushing pre-rolls, banner ads, page sponsorships, and maybe some form of outdated SEO on their clients. Offering Facebook plugs and streaming sponsorships isn't a bad thing for exposure and branding, but these are not comprehensive digital solutions.

Put down your walls against "digital' and begin to understand how important it is to your clients.

When you hear a term you don't understand, Google it. You'll get definitions, articles, and opinions about different digital strategies and products. Just like a radio campaign, there are contrasting views and theories about how to incorporate digital and which tools to use.

Google your clients — their names and their industries. You'll quickly see how prominent they are. And you'll see other paid search ads, from their competitors. Not only does this provide a conversation starter with existing clients, you'll see other businesses that are looking for leads. Paid ads mean they're spending money, and these clients are great prospects for both traditional radio advertising and any digital products you're offering. Pay attention as you surf. You'll start to see re-targeting ads based on your search history and online behavior. Again, banner ads targeted to you are a sure sign that these clients are looking to spend money online.

Attend local seminars, lectures, and events about the digital industry. Even if you have to pay out of pocket, it's a strong way to differentiate yourself from other radio sellers in your market.

You can generate digital revenue independently of the condition of your own websites and social strategies. Of course, you shouldn't be embarrassed by your own digital footprint, but the good news is that your radio station is a selling organization. Your sales staff is charged with helping local businesses achieve their marketing goals. Digital solutions should be part of that strategy, so you can sell those solutions to your clients regardless of how many people visit your websites or Facebook pages. Package up your limited inventory (which you own, 100 percent) with network search or display ads or other products for larger and more successful sales.

Educate your clients. They are getting confused and overwhelmed with digital options. There are various opportunities with streaming audio and podcasts, e-commerce, online contesting and databasing, mobile/texting, display/re targeting, live chat, social/reputation management, SEO, search engine marketing, etc. These are all incredibly different. Learn how they all work, even the ones you don't currently sell. Maybe offer no-pressure seminars where you bring experts in to explain these things to your clients for free. Become a valuable resource.

The bottom line is that it's time to invest or partner up. Some broadcasters have decided to resell particular products from an outside digital vendor. Besides offering its own websites and mobile clubs to advertisers, Saga Communications has found success with targeted display advertising through an outside vendor.

Saga Interactive Operations Director Matt Nystrom says, "Saga started selling targeted display late last year. Because of that effort, we've seen double-digit growth in digital revenue across the company in 2015. Mobile has also been a major focus, as some of our station websites are seeing nearly 70 percent of their traffic go to mobile devices. This has forced us to fundamentally rethink how we deliver our content and how we integrate our clients therein."

Working with an outside vendor for the products and services you want to provide is a turnkey solution; you can jump in with little to no upfront cost, and benefit from the support of a partner who also wants to see you succeed. The margins may be smaller than selling from your limited basket of proprietary opportunities, but you won't have the headache of setting up a division, hiring people, and creating systems and reporting platforms.

On the other hand, some companies have invested in their own digital divisions; Entercom's SmartReach Digital and Townsquare Interactive come to mind, and Leighton Broadcasting, with radio stations in North Dakota and Minnesota, found its digital division becoming so successful that they split it off as a thriving standalone business. Travis McGinnis, one of the founding employees of Leighton Interactive, says, "We started Leighton Interactive because our local advertisers had digital needs they were not equipped to fill. From there, we evolved quickly to a full-service inbound marketing agency. Our current clients are mostly not radio advertisers. This has generated new revenue for our parent company, Leighton Enterprises."

McGinnis reports that about 75 percent of the revenue for the interactive division today is from non-broadcasting clients.

Clients are searching for and buying real digital solutions, and if it's not from you, it'll be from someone else. And at some point, perhaps it will be your competitor down the street. The money is going to be spent. It's time to accept that margins on digital are thinner, but digital is continuing to grow. It is not going away, and you need to start offering complete solutions, not just the ones you can squeeze onto your website, Facebook, Twitter, and other real estate with zero expense.

Jordan Guagliumi is digital marketing consultant for Reachlocal. Contact him at 603.860.2636 or jordan.guagliumi@reachlocal.com

(9/21/2015 10:50:55 AM)Great piece Jordan. There are more solutions available to legacy broadcasters than they realize. For those looking to "wade" into the pool...start with promotions. We are all doing them, integrate you digital lines right away and don't "value add" your digital. That is the best way to assure the "status quo" in your business model. - George Add a Comment | View All Comments

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