10 ideas for a successful multimedia strategy

Here are my thoughts on how news-based radio stations can rise to the challenges of multimedia convergence without overstretching finite resources. The key is sustainability.

1) Play to your strengths
The starting-point is your core product: the audio that you already produce and broadcast on the radio.

Make it available in a digital format like MP3 for users to listen to or download from your station's website. Podcast highlights of popular programmes and longer (complete) versions of broadcast interviews.

2) Start a conversation with your audience
Your website is not just a place for programme schedules. The easiest and most effective way to create interactivity is by having a weblog.

For more idea about using a weblog, see this post by the Bivings Group.

3) Listen to your audience
Try to respond to comments and always answer direct questions - giving your audience a voice only makes sense if you are prepared to listen. Make your audience feel part of the editorial process by soliciting ideas for future broadcasts/blogposts.

4) Don't bite off more than you can chew
(Pseudo-) multi-platform authoring is a good way to achieve sustainability. For example, with a bit of tweaking, the (carefully written) scripts that accompany your radio programmes can become your online articles/blog posts.

5) Make your podcasts interactive
Use free software like Odeo, Evoca or Voicethread to allow your listeners to leave messages on your website. Edit the voice messages for use on-air and in podcasts.

6) Don't reinvent the wheel
Whenever possible, use existing applications/platforms to build and foster communities. Not only do they work, but the best social software is often free.

Upload your videos to YouTube and then embed them in your weblog. Hopefully, you will attract comments and reactions on both platforms.

Create user groups. Put some of your photos on photo-sharing sites like Flickr  and encourage your audiences to share their pictures.

7) Create a multimedia culture
Winning over your staff may be your biggest challenge, but most will come round when they start feeling that they are engaging in a genuine conversation with their audience.

Make short films of your presenters at work and of any studio guests. This will interest your audience and also boost morale in the newsroom because everybody likes seeing themselves on video.

Encourage your reporters to take pictures and shoot videos to enhance online storytelling. As Howard Owens suggests, this does not necessarily mean investing in expensive, state-of-the-art equipment.

8) Cross-promote
Regularly remind listeners about your web address and talk about your online content. Use your weblog to preview upcoming stories - begin a conversation about your reports before they are broadcast.

9) Link to your community
Provide editorial guidelines online and link to the blogs of members who agree to abide by the rules. They may even link back to your website.

10) RSS feeds
Make your blog posts available as RSS feeds. This will make it easier for your audience to keep up-to-date and aware of new content on your website.