Social TV and the ‘Second Screen’: What it Means for Advertisers
If you haven’t heard the term “social TV” yet, you soon will. As quickly as social media illuminated the worlds of marketing, digital advertising, and consumerism, social TV has come along to take these new-found means of group communication to a whole new level.
The term social TV is derived from revealing statistics that show most TV viewers now use their cell phones while “watching” televised content. In fact, a study released by The Pew Research Center found that 23% of people watching television text their friends watching the same program at a different location. To further cement the trend, the New York Post’s June 17th issue stated that “9 of 10 tablet and smart phone owners [are] using their gadgets to enhance their television-watching experience.”
For advertisers, this reveals a whole new arena of commercial possibility; for television networks, it’s a content conundrum. Coined the “second screen,” producers and advertising companies are still trying to tackle the best use of this new, quickly evolving outlet. Most companies are opting for a layered social TV marketing approach by using their professional social media platforms to interact with viewers and promote upcoming episodes or broadcasts while also using interactive feeds to interact with shows on-screen as the show is broadcast.
Networks and marketing companies are poised for next week’s London Olympic Games to see the next wave in social TV. This outlet is a prime opportunity for mass amounts of diverse viewers to use (or not use) the social TV elements the networks have in store. Stay tuned to the McCauley Marketing blog as we report back on this story. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ to join the ongoing conversation.