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4 Ways Twitter is Socializing TV

Written by - 21 Comments
Categories: Social Media, twitter

Twitter is part of the changing landscape of communication and marketing that is transforming commerce, mobilizing political movements and spreading news in real time.

How Twitter is Socializing TV

It is global, it is public, it is private and it is also an enigma.

Apple has embedded Twitter in its latest mobile operating system iOS5 and the “Tweet” now appears in the menu along with email and texting in your new iPad, iPhone and iPod.

The way we view and use mass media such as television is evolving as iPads and mobiles are taking pride of place beside us on the sofa and on the the coffee table.

The Television and the  TV remote now has some electronic competition!

Research shows that 40 percent of iPad usage is done while sitting in front of the TV screen.

The TV experience is becoming more social as viewers tweet and respond to talk shows, news and reality TV.

TV is No Longer a One Way Passive Experience

It was only last night as I watched 60 minutes, that the Twitter mention and hashtag caught my attention. TV producers are starting to realize that people are now wanting to participate and interact with shows and engage in the conversation.

So how are we interacting?

1. TV stars Live Tweeting

This can give you a behind the scenes glimpse into what’s happening on your screen

A Tweet from the series “The Closer”

Tweet from Kyra Sedgwick from the series The Closer

2. #HashTags that Organise the Conversation

HashTags allow people to view in one place, conversations that are happening about a show as it is live.

Hashtags from Big Bang Theory

3. Twitter Lets You Become a Critic

Creators and producers search Twitter for feedback and have even been known to revise a storyline based on Twitter feedback.

4. Tweets as a Call to Action

Gabi from MTV used a Tweet to call for people to follow her. It can also be used as a call to action to vote.

Tweets used as a call to action

What Can We Learn from TV’s Use of  Twitter?

Steve Jobs before he died was apparently working on simplifying and integrating TV into the the whole media experience but for the moment the socializing of TV is not an Apple controlled ecosystem.

So what can TV teach us about how your business can use Twitter?

  • Companies and brands can use Twitter to provide valuable feedback from their customers and prospects
  • Twitter can be used to organise conversations at expos, conferences and presentations
  • It can assist in humanizing the brand that reveals the human side of the organisation
  • Twitter can include calls to action that ask people to buy, inquire or make booking

How do you use Twitter for your brand?

More Reading

Image by Susan E Adams


  • http://www.facebook.com/MarkHarari Mark Harari

    Great post. It still boggles my mind that Twitter can’t find a way to effectively monetize what they have. There’s your next post, “Will Twitter ever turn a profit?” LOL. 

  • Anonymous

    I couldn’t agree with you more! And its awesome…rather than tuning out and passively watching TV, people are interacting with each other and discussing shows/movies.

  • http://twitter.com/misatoast Misato Mizuguchi

    It is interesting to see how traditional media finds a new path through social media. Media which runs real time (such as radio or TV) has so many potential to link with real time tweeting. 

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  • Turiont

    I never added attention the the TV, its a waste of time. http://www.sbook.com

  • http://www.three-homes.com Three Property

    Twitter is the new age of communication as well as being a marketing tool for businesses.

  • http://www.searchandmore.co.uk Jason Walker

    The thing with Twitter that is attractive is instant comment – especially on telly programmers. Feedback for free!

  • http://www.searchandmore.co.uk Jason Walker

    The thing with Twitter that is attractive is instant comment – especially on telly programmers. Feedback for free!

  • Anonymous

    Great post Jeff., as you suggest – users are already developing Social TV, it seems to the producers/broadcasters who have yet to really get involved. 

    It’s not exactly difficult to run a streaming Twitter ticker, or use Twitter #hashtag voting – heck I’d even like to see sentiment brought on, especially for Sports. Check our an article I wrote awhile back about quick and cheap ways broadcasters could bring Twitter onto TV sets: http://blog.freestyleinteractive.co.uk/2011/10/3-ways-broadcasters-can-get-involved-with-social-tv-right-now/

  • Anonymous

    Great post Jeff., as you suggest – users are already developing Social TV, it seems to the producers/broadcasters who have yet to really get involved. 

    It’s not exactly difficult to run a streaming Twitter ticker, or use Twitter #hashtag voting – heck I’d even like to see sentiment brought on, especially for Sports. Check our an article I wrote awhile back about quick and cheap ways broadcasters could bring Twitter onto TV sets: http://blog.freestyleinteractive.co.uk/2011/10/3-ways-broadcasters-can-get-involved-with-social-tv-right-now/

  • http://hip-shots.com James

    Have a look at TVplus, it’s a second screen app that’s available in the app store. It makes great use of Twitter hash tags.

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  • http://www.highertrustmarketing.com/blog/ Jeff smith

    Jeff – the combination of social networking and TV is so powerful and that definitely is where things are headed.  Same thing goes for nearly any even – a seminar, book launch, trade show, webinar, etc…they should all be integrating social networking for real-time feedback, there are some many advatnages from extra buzz, traffic, attention through incredibly honest, first-hand input into your products and marketing.

    Jeff

  • http://www.l3ba.net Kazamiza22

    couldn’t agree with you more! And its awesome…rather than tuning out
    and passively watching TV, people are interacting  with each other and
    discussing shows/movies. 

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  • http://twitter.com/SebYoung_ Seb Young

    Indeed. Twitter is amazing. Anyone remember how it was during the Nascar race. LoL. that was cool!

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  • http://www.twitter.com/MrMattAnderson Mr Matt Anderson

    Have you seen Zeebox?

  • http://www.twitter.com/MrMattAnderson Mr Matt Anderson

    I love ranting at chat shows and BBCs Question time on Twitter. It gives the viewer a voice. Have you seen http://www.Zeebox.com by the way?

  • http://www.danielmelbye.com/ Daniel Melbye

    Dont forget using twitter as a measure of sentiment and using it as a poll

  • http://www.danielmelbye.com/ Daniel Melbye

    Well I think a big avgenue is for advertisers to use promoted tweets related to a show that has the demographics of their target audience in the same way that traditional TV advertisements work.