Remember those days when sharing your love for a TV show was relegated to creeping on internet forums or gushing about the last night’s episode by the water cooler with your coworkers? When your favorite TV show was cancelled, it was cancelled. And no amount of internet forum griping was going to save it.
Enter Twitter
In its early stages, Twitter was already making a huge impression with its hashtag feature and raw feed of information. But it was the live-tweeting – oh, the live-tweeting – that not only caught the attention of avid TV fans, but of the even more powerful broadcasting networks. In the age of, “I’ll DVR this later,” you, quite literally, couldn’t buy this kind of exposure. Suddenly, TV shows were popping up with their very own verified Twitter accounts.
#ScandalThursday
By far, the biggest success story of this new social media model for TV shows is Scandal.
Believe it or not, the Shondaland machine wasn’t always running so seamlessly. Scandal got off to a shaky start in the ratings, but with the help of a solid social media strategy, Twitter helped save the show.
Megan Schuman of Business2Community.com writes, “Even if you don’t watch Scandal, there’s a lot to learn from its social media strategy, which generates roughly 350,000 tweets per episode. Where the content does fall short, Scandal successfully leverages Twitter to satisfy its community of ‘Gladiators’ and keep them coming back for more.”
Twitter is ultimately about making a connection. Before Scandal broke ground on social media, TV networks were struggling to tap into a world that, heretofore, had mostly been used to gripe about shows. But creator Shonda Rhimes & co. understood Twitter enough to realize that all fans really wanted was to connect with their show and be recognized for it.
Live-Tweeting
Say what you will about the show quality-wise, but there is no doubt that Scandal’s loyal fanbase and killer ratings are due to its fantastic social strategy. Whether it’s the cast live-tweeting the episode or giving up some particularly delicious behind-the-scenes info, fans are eating it up – more importantly, they’re tweeting it up. And that’s nothing but good news for ratings.
According to a study conducted by Nielsen and SocialGuide:
“…increases in Twitter volume correlate to increases in TV ratings for varying age groups, revealing a stronger correlation for younger audiences. Specifically, the study found that for 18-34 year olds, an 8.5% increase in Twitter volume corresponds to a 1% increase in TV ratings for premiere episodes, and a 4.2% increase in Twitter volume corresponds with a 1% increase in ratings for midseason episodes.
Additionally, a 14.0% increase in Twitter volume is associated with a 1% increase in TV program ratings for 35-49 year olds, reflecting a stronger relationship between Twitter and TV for younger audiences.”
One percent may not seem like a lot, but try telling that to advertisers who have been paying for ad space that no one ever sees due to DVR and livestreaming. This is the dawn of a new TV age and we’re all standin’ in the sun – you see what I did there, Gladiators?
#sixseasonsandamovie
The biggest miracle of social media is the resurrection of Community. A beloved cult hit with insanely low ratings, Community had been on the chopping block since season one.
You could argue that fans gathering outside 30 Rock to sing “O, Christmas Troy” after NBC nearly cancelled the show in 2011 was the real game-changer. But it was the social media uprising that made it so tricky to cancel.
Fans rallied online using the hashtag #sixseasonsandamovie (a reference to the show) to let NBC know Community had a rabid, if not forgetful when it came to watching live, fanbase.
The show was renewed for two more seasons before being cancelled by NBC, which may have had less to do with ratings and more to do with the clash between the network and showrunner, Dan Harmon.
Netflix was widely applauded for picking up another cult classic Arrested Development and reviving the show for a fourth season in 2013, so immediately after Community‘s cancellation, #NetflixSaveCommunity swept over Twitter, but it was Yahoo who eventually saved the day by renewing it for its coveted sixth season.
Whether it be to denounce a show or praise a show, Twitter has repeatedly shown itself to be an important element for network execs and fans alike. Social media, it works!
Metter Media LLC is a Boston-based social media management company that implements community-based, localized social engagement strategies for small businesses and corporations alike. Need help with your social media? Email Lauren today.
