The days of simply watching television are long gone. Today’s TV viewers are going beyond their scheduled programming to get their fix of their favorite shows. In fact, according to a report by Twitter, 38% of people are streaming episodes online, 76% are searching for more information online, and many seek additional content by engaging online and on social media.
More conversation on social media indicates more engaged viewers, and reality TV is seeing the most engagement. Nielsen reports that 67% of TV tweets are about reality shows, compared to 58% for drama programs and 49% for comedy. Live TV sees twice as much conversation as pre-recorded broadcasts, with 72% people tweeting when the show is airing as it happens.
But viewers aren’t only engaged during a live broadcast. In fact, 60% of people tweet about a show even when they aren’t watching it.
With all of that engagement on social and online, reality TV shows have the opportunity to capitalize on this second-screen experience, both during the show and in between episodes—or even seasons. This made me want to take a look at three reality franchises that aren’t just managing a digital presence, but have unique and effective strategies to make it work.
“The Voice”
Recipient of a 2016 Shorty Award for “Integration with Live Television,” NBC’s “The Voice” stands out, particularly on social. (After all, it was the most tweeted about program in 2015, according to Nielsen.) The show uses Twitter and Vine to post GIFs of the contestants and celebrity judges in real time. This content is extremely shareable, and when people see it, they’ll want to tune in if they haven’t already.