Better Radio Websites

Jim Sherwood

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TECHNOLOGY
UPDATED WEEKLY

Better Radio Websites Podcast

The podcast for radio professionals who want to see their website generate more traffic and revenue. Each week your host, Jim Sherwood, and his special guests give you time-tested tips and secret tricks to ensure your radio station dominates digital in your market.

5 DAYS AGO

Repurposing On-Air Content for Podcasts

You’re likely sitting on a goldmine of online content—everything that happens on-air. Whether it’s an engaging interview, a lively morning show, or a thought-provoking discussion or interview, the content your station produces daily has immense potential beyond its initial broadcast. For more in-depth show notes, visit https://www.skyrocketradio.com/podcast/repurposing-on-air-content-for-podcasts. By repurposing that on-air content into various online forms, such as podcasts, blog posts, or social media clips, you can extend the lifespan of your best material and reach new audiences who may have missed the live show. One of the simplest ways to begin repurposing is through podcasting. Taking your most compelling on-air segments and packaging them as podcasts allows your listeners to engage with your content on their terms, whether they're commuting, working out, or relaxing at home. This approach not only broadens your station's reach but also strengthens your online presence, which is increasingly important as more listeners turn to digital platforms. Another advantage of repurposing on-air content is that it requires minimal additional effort. You’ve already done the hard work of creating valuable, engaging content. Now, with a few edits, you can share that content across multiple channels to drive more traffic to your website and build deeper connections with your audience. Our guest this week is Breck Riley. Breck is the morning show guy and news director for Boswell Media in central Mississippi. You’ll hear Breck speak to all of the things they are doing to repurpose what they do on-air into engaging online content that lives far beyond the initial broadcast. You can reach out to Breck on all socials @breckriley or check out their content for yourself at https://www.breezynews.com and https://www.kicks96news.com. Repurposing your on-air content into digital formats like podcasts not only extends the reach of your radio station but also enhances your overall brand presence. With today’s tools, it's easier than ever to transform live segments into lasting, shareable content that can engage your audience across multiple platforms. Need help with your radio station website? We’re here to help at https://www.skyrocketradio.com.

28 min
16 SEPT

Importing Free State & National News with Jerry Lyles

Hopefully, you want to make money from your website; content is the key. Fresh content is one of the most crucial steps to a successful website. Get more in-depth show notes at https://www.skyrocketradio.com/podcast/importing-free-state-national-news-with-jerry-lyles. Content drives traffic to increase your SEO, which ensures more visitors see your content. More visitors equals more revenue once you sell website banner ads and sponsorships. Many people-strapped radio stations find it challenging to add fresh content, so they turn to RSS feeds. We will always discourage displaying RSS feeds, as they do nothing more than send visitors away from your website. When visitors leave quickly, your SEO scores drastically decrease. The alternative to displaying RSS feeds is importing them so the visitor stays on your website. You cannot just pick any RSS feed and import the content on your website. Doing that has several copyright issues, the most prevalent being image copyright. Jerry Lyles is Franklin News's VP of syndication and distribution. We're looking at “The Center Square, " news service. Several of our affiliates are already importing their news content. The Center Square can be a great news resource for your radio station. We do not recommend importing RSS news only - or filling your website with news from every state. Importing too much news that is not relevant to your audience can hurt your website’s SEO. For the best results, only import additional content to supplement the local news and other content you create. Check your Analytics to see if visitors are consuming that content. If most do not visit those news stories, stop importing them and put a more significant focus on what they are consuming. Need help with your website? Reach out to us at https://www.skyrocketradio.com.

24 min
10 SEPT

The Ultimate Radio Station Website Maintenance Checklist

There are several things you can do each month to ensure your website is fast and engaging. We've compiled a list of essential monthly maintenance tasks to keep your website running efficiently and provide the best possible user experience. Regardless of your content management system, every website requires daily, weekly, and monthly maintenance to remain fast and efficient. While this is a monthly checklist, some tasks (like security monitoring) benefit from being done more frequently. For more detailed show notes, visit https://www.skyrocketradio.com/podcast/the-ultimate-radio-station-website-maintenance-checklist. 1. Perform a Website Speed Audit 2. Monitor Website Security 3. Review Google Analytics 4. Clear Trash 5. Clean Up Your Media Library 6. Optimize Your Images 7. Review Navigation Menus and User Flow 8. Check for Broken Links and Redirects 9. Test Your Forms 10. Refresh the "Advertise with Us" Page 11. Manage Spam and Comments 12. Engage with User Comments 13. Update Passwords and Enable 2FA 14. Remove Inactive Users and Admins 15. Test Website on Multiple Devices 16. Regularly Update Plugins and CMS System Files 17. Check and Optimize Streaming Integration 18. Verify Podcast Feeds and Embeds 19. Conduct a Regular Content Audit 20. Audit Banner Ads and Display Advertising 21. Test and Optimize Social Media Integrations 22. Review SEO for Local Listings 23. Optimize for Voice Search 24. Test Geo-Targeted Content and Ads 25. Review Show Schedules and Hosts 26. Ensure Accessibility Standards (ADA Compliance) 27. Review Syndicated Content Feeds 28. Update Events Calendar 29. Website Backups 30. Analyze Listener Data from Streaming Analytics Conclusion: By consistently performing these maintenance tasks, you’ll ensure your radio station’s website stays fast, secure, and optimized for listeners and advertisers. Keeping your site running smoothly not only improves user experience but also maximizes engagement and revenue opportunities. A little time invested each month can prevent more significant problems down the road and keep your digital presence as strong as your on-air signal. Need help with your radio station website? Reach out to us at https://www.skyrocketradio.com.

32 min
3 SEPT

The Essential First Step to Offering Digital Services

As I look through the radio trades, I see more radio companies expanding their offerings into digital services—like website design, SEO, and more. Many of these stations are opting to expand these services with the help of third-party vendors – and there seems to be a growing number of them as well. Before diving headfirst into providing these services to your clients, there's a crucial step that I hope you won’t overlook - become your first customer. For more in-depth show notes, visit https://www.skyrocketradio.com/podcast/the-essential-first-step-to-offering-digital-services. Understanding Your Own Digital Presence: Is Your Website Ready? User Experience (UX) as a Priority Providing Value to Your Audience SEO-Friendly Content Traffic Generation: Bringing Visitors to Your Site Building a Strong Foundation Before Offering Digital Services Establishing a Reliable Content Creation Process Learning from Your Experience Becoming Your Own Best Case Study Before offering clients digital services, your radio station must become its best case study. Mastering your digital presence—through a well-optimized website, consistent content creation, and strategic experimentation—will give you the firsthand experience needed to deliver real value to your clients. Need help with your radio station website? Reach to us at https://www.skyrocketradio.com.

18 min
26 AUG

Embracing Minimalism and Local Content

Flipping through YouTube this past weekend, I stumbled over “The Minimalists” documentary from a few years ago. This documentary was about the movement of many people to give up the endless “pursuit of stuff” and enjoy their lives more with less. Watching this reminded me of how so many radio stations often fall into the trap of their websites trying to be everything to everyone – fitting as much content inside as possible. However, a "more is better" approach can harm your online presence and dilute your brand. Today, I want to explore why embracing website minimalism is crucial for radio station websites and how it can benefit your audience and bottom line. For more detailed show notes, visit https://www.skyrocketradio.com/podcast/embracing-minimalism-and-local-content. The Benefits of Minimalism and Local Content for Radio Stations Adopting a minimalist approach focused on local content can yield several benefits: 1. Improved user experience 2. Faster load times 3. Enhanced brand identity 4. Higher engagement 5. Better SEO performance 6. Strengthened community ties 7. Support for local businesses and events Best Practices for Implementing Website Minimalism and Local Focus 1. Focus on local content 2. Highlight your on-air talent 3. Showcase your programming 4. Streamline navigation 5. Invest in local reporting 6. Partner with news organizations for local and state news 7. Engage with the community 8. Promote your website often Adapting to Audience Needs by Monitoring Website Analytics To ensure your minimalist, locally focused approach is effective: 1. Identify popular content 2. Measure engagement 3. Gather feedback 4. Adapt content strategy 5. Stay agile Conclusion Your website doesn't need to be everything to everyone. Instead, it should be a digital extension of your on-air identity, providing value to your local listeners and reinforcing your role as a trusted community voice. By continually adapting based on analytics and feedback, you can ensure that your station remains an indispensable resource for your community. Need help with your radio station website? Visit https://www.skyrocketradio.com.

27 min
19 AUG

The Importance of a Successful Radio Website with Melissa Boswell Townsend

How important is your radio station website to what you do? For so many, it’s still not a major concern. Today, we’ll talk with Melissa Boswell Townsend, the owner and General Manager of Boswell Media in Kosciusko, MS. Born into radio, Melissa is a fourth-generation broadcaster, following her father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. A graduate of Mississippi State University, Melissa and her husband Drew have four children and a son-in-law. Melissa shares the importance of a radio station website to a station's daily operations and discusses how Boswell Media's websites, BreezyNews.com and Kicks96News.com, have become essential elements of their business. She dives into the journey of starting their digital presence back in 2000, the significance of local content for driving traffic, and the creative ways they monetize their websites. Additionally, Melissa provides actionable insights for radio professionals looking to successfully launch and maintain their station websites even with limited resources. The episode emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between radio content and a robust digital presence, affirming the necessity of adapting to digital trends for wider audience reach and increased revenue. 00:00 Introduction to the Importance of Radio Station Websites 00:08 Meet Melissa Boswell Townsend 03:48 Melissa's Background and Early Challenges 04:20 The Evolution of Boswell Media's Website 05:24 Content is King: Generating and Monetizing Website Traffic 07:06 Managing and Updating the Website 08:34 Building Trust and Gathering News 13:56 Advertising and Sponsorship Strategies 21:43 The Role of AI and Copyright Issues 22:51 The Critical Role of Websites in Modern Radio 24:14 Encouragement for Newcomers 30:24 Conclusion and Contact Information As Melissa says during the episode, the best way to start is to provide great content for your local audience. Once you build the audience, the revenue will follow. Need help getting off the ground with your radio station website? Reach out to us at https://www.skyrocketradio.com

33 min
5 AUG

Implementing AI in Content Creation with Pete Pachal

Pete Pachal is a seasoned journalist and media executive with over two decades of experience in technology and artificial intelligence. He has led AI initiatives at CoinDesk and held senior editorial roles at Red Ventures, Mashable, and NBCUniversal. Pete’s insights have been featured in Fast Company, Forbes, TIME, PC Magazine and many other outlets. I’ve been listening to “The Media Copilot” podcast for some time. We’re thrilled to have him share his expertise on AI and its impact on media, specifically radio stations. Pete's Tech Journey: - Pete talks about his history with technology, starting from his undergrad in engineering to his shift to journalism. - Pete shares his experience with AI and how he has followed its development over the years. - Mention of Google's early AI implementations and the rapid advancements since the introduction of ChatGPT. Preferred AI Tools: - Pete talks about his favorite AI tools, ChatGPT and Claude.- He explains the strengths of each tool, particularly for writing and convenience features. - Discussion on the growing expectation for AI tools to support multimodal functionalities, such as interpreting images and browsing the web. AI in Newsrooms - Pete and Jim discuss the skepticism towards AI among journalists and the potential reasons for this opposition. - Pete suggests that fear of job replacement, concern over content quality, and doomsday scenarios are common reasons for resistance. - Pete explains how newsrooms are transitioning from experimenting with AI to implementing it systematically. - Use cases include research assistance, content creation, and social media distribution. AI's Impact on Journalistic Productivity: - Discussion on how AI can enhance productivity and help journalists focus more on creating content rather than marketing it. - The quote, "AI won't replace people. People with AI will replace people without it." Disclosing AI Use: - Debate on whether AI usage should be disclosed in content creation. - Mention of studies on reader perception of AI-generated content. Future of AI in Newsrooms: - Predictions on the scaling of AI tools for research and content distribution. - Pete highlights the importance of human connection in audio content and the challenges AI faces in replicating that. Media Copilot and Services: - Pete introduces Media Copilot at https://mediacopilot.ai, a platform for educating and consulting on AI applications in media. - Overview of available classes and consulting services for journalists, PR professionals, and marketers. - Follow "The Media Copilot" podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-media-copilot/id1712909951. - Pete encourages listeners to reach out for AI-related consultations. Need help with your radio station website? We're here to help. Reach out to us at https://www.skyrocketradio.com.

32 min
22 JUL

You’re Still Sending Listeners to Social Media?

Last week, programming great Gary Berkowitz posted a great article in Radio Ink titled “Did Your Radio Station Pass Saturday’s Test?” https://radioink.com/2024/07/18/gary-berkowitz-did-your-radio-station-pass-saturdays-test/ The article focused on how many stations failed to mention the biggest news story of the previous Saturday when former President Trump was nearly assassinated. Regardless of your format, every station should be prepared to jump on the air to inform our listeners of such a big new event. For more in-depth show notes, visit https://www.skyrocketradio.com/podcast/youre-still-sending-listeners-to-social-media. In the article, Steve Granato at Renda Media shared a great list of things every station should do… 1. Establish a relationship with a local TV station. 2. The PD or Operations Manager should subscribe to all news sources with notification enabled. This includes the traditional networks (ABC, NBC, CBS), local TV, Cable news (CNN, Fox etc.) and your local newspaper. This way, when something happens, you will know quickly. 3. Download a recording program on your phone in case you are not at the station when this happens. Minutes matter here. 4. Have access to the station’s computers pre-set up and ready to go on your phone. A simple, quick message about what happened is all you need to be effective. The goal here is to inform your listenership, not get in-depth with the story. 5. Be prepared to direct listeners to social media for more updates. Then keep it updated with developments. Number 5 really stood out to me. Why send people listening to the radio station to your social media? Once they get there, it’s a simple thumb swipe for them to leave your circle and go somewhere else. It is essential to maintain a social media presence and be everywhere your listeners are, but social media should aim to attract followers to your station website. Increased visitors will help your SEO, making it more visible in search results. They will also build your numbers to show potential advertisers who want to advertise there. Updating your social media might be easy. However, managers should know that just because your station has 75,000 followers, it doesn’t mean all 75,000 will see everything you post. Only a very small fraction of those followers will see anything you post unless you pay for more exposure. Number 5 in this list should have been “Be prepared to direct listeners to your station website and social media with links to your station website. Then keep them both updated, always directing visitors to the website.” I would also add a Facebook live element since it alerts more of your followers immediately that you are live. Otherwise, Facebook’s algorithm will determine how many (if any) of your followers see that post you’re making. Is your station lacking a website that encourages visitors to stay engaged with you longer? We’d love to help you with that? Reach out to us at https://www.skyrocketradio.com.

11 min

The podcast for radio professionals who want to see their website generate more traffic and revenue. Each week your host, Jim Sherwood, and his special guests give you time-tested tips and secret tricks to ensure your radio station dominates digital in your market.

Creator

Jim Sherwood
Years Active

2021 - 2024
Episodes

151
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Jim Sherwood
Show Website

Better Radio Websites

Marketing

Every two months