| It is important to actively promote your online | | | | free, to various portals on the Internet. |
| broadcast station so the listening / viewing | | | | Journalistic articles should contain three elements: |
| audience can be increased. Without any | | | | - The introduction |
| promotional effort, the audience potential will be | | | | - The body of the journalistic article |
| negligible. | | | | - The closing or summary |
| You must consider a variety of concepts to | | | | You should also answer the following questions |
| consider for promoting an online broadcast station. | | | | within the journalistic article : |
| These concepts include: | | | | - Who or what the article is about |
| - Planning the promotion | | | | - Where these events are taking place |
| - Website traffic | | | | - Why the article is being written |
| - Defining your station genre | | | | You can find additional information regarding the |
| - Online communities | | | | writing of journalistic articles here : |
| - Press releases and journalistic articles | | | | How to Write a News Story |
| - Online broadcast station directories | | | | It is important to write quality material for press |
| - Banner - link exchanges | | | | releases or journalistic articles so that these items |
| - Station promotional items | | | | are accepted for content submission. Correct |
| - Keeping your audience loyal | | | | spelling and grammar are extremely important. It |
| - Audience feedback | | | | is recommended that some one review the |
| Promotion Techniques | | | | material prior to submission. |
| There are two techniques to promoting a online | | | | Station Directories |
| broadcast station. The first one is to spend large | | | | There are specialized online directories for online |
| amounts of money on Internet advertising such | | | | broadcast stations that allow individual broadcast |
| as banner placement, or pay per click promotion. | | | | stations to submit their unique station information. |
| However, it is important to realize that spending | | | | These directories are the equivalent of search |
| large amounts of money does not guarantee an | | | | engines designed specifically for online broadcast |
| increase in your audience potential. | | | | stations. |
| The second technique is to utilize existing | | | | Most online station directories sort stations using |
| resources and your own time. A well thought out | | | | various criteria. |
| promotion plan, in conjunction with a nominal | | | | Examples of common search criteria include: |
| financial budget, can achieve far greater results. | | | | Format / Language / Genre / Location displays |
| Planning Your Promotion | | | | station logos and web address links for online |
| An outline of your promotional plan should be | | | | broadcast stations that use the NSV / Theora |
| drafted. This outline will allow you to compare all | | | | video format. |
| the individual elements. A final version should be | | | | Banner - Link Exchange |
| saved and printed to reflect the finished plan. All | | | | Numerous web sites allow people to swap |
| future revisions should be numbered or dated and | | | | website address links or graphic banners for free. |
| kept with the final copy. | | | | You should stay away from link and banner |
| The key to achieving results with promoting an | | | | exchange " farms ". These are websites that |
| online broadcast station is a commitment to | | | | contain no relevant information. Such websites |
| following the plan. Sustained results will not occur | | | | provide negligible promotional value. |
| overnight. It is important to keep a journal and | | | | If you do not have a graphic banner for the |
| track the results of implementing each element of | | | | broadcast station website, there are sites on the |
| the promotional plan. Changes to the plan can be | | | | Internet that will allow you to create one at no |
| made, based on the results. These adjustments | | | | cost. |
| will allow you to achieve the desired results. | | | | You can also ask associates, family and friends to |
| Track Your Website Traffic | | | | display your station banner or web link on their |
| Monitoring the broadcast station's website traffic | | | | websites. |
| is very important. This allows the observation of | | | | Station Promotional Items |
| visitor information. Some examples of data that | | | | Items can be sold to help promote the online |
| can be retrieved from these observations include: | | | | broadcast station. |
| origin of visitors, search engine referrals, links to | | | | Examples of such items include: |
| the website, etc. | | | | Hats / Cups / Shirts / Bumper Stickers |
| This information can provide data on the results | | | | There are several Internet businesses that can |
| of implementing different elements of your | | | | help you create and sell such promotional items. |
| promotional plan. If the web host does not | | | | Cafe Press is a well known example. This business |
| provide access to website statistics, you can find | | | | handles the entire process from ordering to |
| these services offered for free on the Internet. | | | | production and delivery of ordered items. Cafe |
| Define Your Station Genre | | | | Press offers a free basic sales package. |
| It is important to define the genre or type of | | | | Keeping Your Audience Loyal |
| programming that your online broadcast station | | | | As you promote your online broadcast station to |
| will use. This will allow you to focus the | | | | attract more audience members, you should also |
| promotional efforts. | | | | provide incentives for the existing audience |
| For example, your online broadcast station could | | | | members to remain loyal. |
| have the genre of Country and Western music. | | | | Community interaction is an excellent method of |
| This would allow you to focus on associating with | | | | retaining your current audience members. Some |
| that specific genre of music. | | | | examples of this include : |
| This genre can be further narrowed into sub | | | | - News letters |
| categories. A example of this would be the | | | | - Online Chat |
| primary genre of Country and Western music and | | | | - Picture galleries of audience members |
| the sub genre of Classical. The sub genre of | | | | - Participatory forums |
| Classical - Country and Western would encompass | | | | - Show off listeners locations from around the |
| older Country and Western artists such as Hank | | | | world |
| Williams. | | | | You can find free resources on the net for |
| These sub categories can allow the creation of | | | | hosting or providing services for many of these. |
| unique niche markets and increase audience | | | | Frapper is one of many free services that Google |
| potential | | | | offers. This service allows people to pinpoint their |
| Online Communities | | | | geographic location online. |
| You need to research online communities and find | | | | Free e-mail accounts can also be offered to |
| ones that match the genre or type of | | | | audience members. There are Internet business |
| programming that the station uses. | | | | that will allow websites to offer e-mail services to |
| Some examples of online communities include : | | | | large groups of people. These businesses are able |
| Forums / Bulletin Boards / IRC chat rooms / | | | | to offer this service for free by using banner |
| webrings. | | | | type advertising on the mail page. ( This is similar |
| Prior to posting comments to these online venues, | | | | to the advertising found on Hotmail or Yahoo |
| you should carefully review the Acceptable Use | | | | e-mail accounts. ) |
| Policy. It is important that you present yourself in | | | | Audience members can submit " Shout Outs " to |
| a positive and professional manner through your | | | | be included in your station's program rotation. |
| interaction with the community. | | | | These can be recorded audio or video clips. |
| Resourceful advertising techniques can be used | | | | Example: |
| while contributing to these online communities. | | | | "This is dangerous Dave from Durban - South |
| Station logos or web links to your broadcast | | | | Africa and you're listening to the best Trance on |
| station web sites can be included with your | | | | the net". |
| contributions to these online communities as long | | | | Providing quality web content that is kept current |
| as such activity is permitted. | | | | and up to date, is also very important. This is the |
| Another form of online communities are Internet | | | | best incentive to keep audience members coming |
| Web Rings. These are websites that link together | | | | back. |
| because of common interests or activities. You | | | | Feed Back |
| can join a existing one or start a new one | | | | Audience members and casual website visitors |
| yourself. | | | | can provide input that can help with adjusting your |
| Press Releases and Journalistic Articles | | | | promotional plan. You can get valuable suggestions |
| Press releases and journalistic articles can be | | | | and perspectives from outside sources. |
| written to help promote your Internet broadcast | | | | Conclusion |
| station. | | | | Follow through with each element of the |
| Press releases cover events and activities that | | | | promotional plan and track the overall progress. |
| are occurring at your online broadcast station. | | | | Remember to keep a record of how the |
| These press releases can be submitted for free, | | | | promotional plan is implemented as well as |
| to various portals on the Internet. | | | | tracking the results. |
| Press releases should contain three elements : | | | | A promotional plan should never be cast in stone. |
| - The introduction | | | | The plan needs to be flexible and have the ability |
| - The body of the press release | | | | to be changed based on audience participation, |
| - The closing | | | | feedback and traffic patterns. Having the ability to |
| You can find additional information regarding the | | | | quickly modify or update the promotional plan is |
| writing of press releases here: | | | | very important. |
| Elements of an Effective Press Release | | | | Listen to your audience members and visitors. |
| Journalistic articles can be written featuring topics | | | | Always be willing to consider their suggestion or |
| associated with your Internet broadcast station. | | | | comments. |
| These journalistic articles can be submitted for | | | | Good luck! |