Billboard and Twitter Partner to Create 'Billboard Twitter Real-Time Charts'

 

http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6028768/billboard-twitter-to-create-billboard-twitter-real-time-charts

 

Billboard and social media platform Twitter today announced an exclusive, multi-year partnership to create Billboard Twitter Real-Time Charts. The charts, which will launch in the coming weeks, will track U.S. music conversations among the millions of Tweets sent each day. Combining the authority of the Billboard charts and Twitter’s public, real-time data, these powerful co-branded charts will reshape for consumers and the industry the way music success is measured.

As part of the initiative, Billboard and Twitter have signed a Twitter Amplify partnership, which will help distribute the chart beyond Billboard.com and include custom in-Tweet charts and in-Tweet video round ups of the week in music on Twitter

The charts will reflect the top tracks being discussed at the moment and over an extended period of time on Twitter, as well as surface the most talked about and shared songs by new and upcoming acts. The chart will live on Billboard.com and will also be shared through Billboard’s Twitter account, @billboard, multiple times a week. 

"Billboard has always been the standard by which music popularity is measured, and Twitter and its millions of users worldwide have added an entirely new dimension and pace to the way the marketplace interacts with, and evaluates, music and music-makers," said Janice Min, Co-President/Chief Creative Officer of the Entertainment Group of Guggenheim Media. "The Billboard Twitter Real-Time Charts, a natural extension for media brands so in sync in the music space, stands to once again dramatically shape the conversation around the content and the business."

"Twitter is where the music of the moment is discovered and discussed — every day, new songs and new artists are breaking on the platform,” said Bob Moczydlowsky, Twitter’s head of music. “We’re partnering with Billboard to create a ground-breaking chart to track the conversation around music as it happens. This means when artists share songs and engage with their audience on Twitter, the buzz they create will now be visible to fans, other musicians and industry decision makers in real-time."

The Billboard and Twitter partnership brings to fruition the first-ever real-time charts on the Billboard platforms and is a continuation of Billboard’s integration of new media music consumption in its chart rankings. From the unveiling of theSocial 50 artist chart in 2010, the expansion of song streaming data over the past few years, including Spotify and YouTube into the Hot 100, and the launch of streaming charts covering multiple genres, Billboard continues to be at the forefront in incorporating new technologies in its music rankings.

"Billboard is the number-one destination for vital industry news and analysis, and the place consumers around the world turn to for the best, and what's next, in music," says John Amato, Co-President of the Entertainment Group of Guggenheim Media. "This exciting Twitter partnership extends the Billboard value proposition that much further and deeper into the social media conversation that Twitter so effectively harnesses and drives. This will have tremendous impact on Billboard’s engagement with consumers and the marketplace."

"Billboard has extensive experience building charts that are trusted by both the music industry and consumers which made them the perfect partner for us," said Conway Chen, Director of Business Development at Twitter. "Twitter's data is unique in that it represents a comprehensive view of the world's conversation about anything and everything, including music. These charts will leverage our combined strengths to provide a reliable and unprecedented look into what music matters most to the public in any given moment."

The Billboard brand is built on over 200 exclusive charts - the measure of success in music - that are constantly updated to reflect the changing music landscape. Billboard’s charts, led by the world-recognized Hot 100 songs chart and Billboard 200 albums chart, as well as its content, are consumed and referenced by millions of people around the globe.

Twitter is a global platform for public self-expression and conversation in real time and is available in more than 35 languages and has more than 240 million monthly active users.

Did Google kill Social Media marketing?

Google is putting out its Wildfire. The seemingly harmonious relationship between the search engine giant and the social software platform is has come to an end after a partnership that lasted about 20 months. 
As a part of Google, Wildfire's aim was to help businesses improve their social media marketing efforts. Google's interest and investment in Wildfire legitimized social media marketing in the eyes of many observers. 

Well, as the NFL has taught us, something being dropped is just as newsworthy as it being picked up. So what does Google dumping Wildfire mean for social media marketing? Is it dead? Has it devolved into simply throwing money at social networks for ads? 

I don't think so. Google has its reasons for its loss of interest in Wildfire, but it should not signal marketers that content marketing campaigns are useless. In my opinion, ads are no good without a solid content basis behind them. That said, creative and integrated campaigns that drive consumers to social channels and encourage them to interact with brands are tough to pull off without some serious strategy behind them. 

There are a few concepts and platforms that can help build integrated campaigns, and here are five of them: 

1. Use apps.
There are lots of platforms out there besides Wildfire. They may not have Google's backing, but they work for designing, creating and managing social campaigns with specific goals. For example, you can use a hashtag to encourage user-generated content or run a Pinterest contest that drives traffic to your website. Apps help marketers set and reach goals, and many offer valuable data to evaluate and use as a basis for future campaigns. Offerpop is a great alternative, as its products run from the very specific (Hashtag Gallery) to the broad (referral campaign). Chose a platform that offers great customer service, aggregation tools, and data options. 

2. Connect campaigns to in-store promotions.
If you're a brick and mortar marketer, you have to start connecting social to what goes on inside your store. Use user-generated content as in-store ads to connect real people to your products. Promote hashtags in store, and encourage customers to Instagram photos with hashtags for chances to win a contest or be featured on a website. Get people involved in your brand's social happenings before they even become online fans. 

3. Tie a social campaign to TV advertising.
I bet a thousand bucks you saw the brilliant Esurance hashtag commercial that aired just after the Super Bowl. Almost everyone did, and they tweeted. Not all brands have TV ad budgets, but for those that do, tying advertising into social campaigns is the future of social marketing. Let those budgets work together and stretch the reach of campaigns beyond a Facebook page. People have two screens now, if not more. Make the transition between social media and TV seamless on behalf of your brand. 

4. Use data.
I cannot stress this point enough. Use data to power your ad purchases to make smarter decisions, even if you are an in-house social media coordinator at a small agency. Boosting a post for $20 isn't going to help if you don't know who to target that post to. Power campaign decisions based on the demographics, behaviors and habits of the people who interact with your brand online already. Start with Pinterest or Facebook's own analytics tools, because they are free and easy to digest. Then you can move on to other tools such as Simply Measured or Socialbakers. 

5. Use campaigns to drive website traffic.
It's important to build social campaigns that drive audiences back to your website to interact with your products or offerings. For instance, JustFab.com encouraged fans to browse its product line and tweet their wish list link with the hashtag #JustFabWish. For tweeting, fans got a chance to win their most-wanted style. I'm willing to bet a good portion of those who entered also browsed the site and made a purchase they couldn't wait to win. 

Do not fear the seeming decline of social media marketing. Brands still need to use social media in creative ways, and there are plenty of platforms, advice columns, and services out there to help marketers of all levels continue to do it. 

And of course, we all hope Wildfire keeps on burning, even without Google by its side. 

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5 Ways to Become a Better Manager

BY BRITT ANDREATTA | March 12, 2014|

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Image credit: FriendsofEurope via Flickr

Ineffective managers do a lot of damage in today's business world. Their actions and attitudes can lead to decreased engagement and productivity along with increased turnover and even lawsuits. The number-one reason people leave a company is a bad boss, and 20 percent of employees feel their bosses impact their careers negatively.

Research shows that a positive relationship with your manager directly influences your job satisfaction. The way you manage your projects and employees affects the productivity of your entire department and company -- so mastering management skills is crucial. Our expert teachers from online education company lynda.com recommend the following five things to focus on:

1. Pick the right management style. There is a range of management styles and all are a blend of three key behaviors: how much task direction you provide through instructions and training; how much autonomy you give employees in making decisions; and how much you invest in building relationships through open communication, coaching and engaging employees.

Related: If You Want to Lead, You Also Need to Manage

We all have a natural style of management, but it's only going to be effective part of the time. It will be the perfect fit for some of your employees, and they will thrive under you. But if you want your entire team to thrive, you must be willing to become versed in more than one style. More importantly, you need to know when and how to switch between them.  

2. Become more persuasive. Dr. John Ullmen, a professor of management and organizations at UCLA, notes that "our passion to persuade often exceeds our ability to convince," because we only use a narrow range of tactics, focusing on the ones that would convince us. To become more persuasive, expand your toolkit.

Ullmen believes there are 12 tactics you can use in varying combinations to create success. These range from the informational, such as rational analysis and citing credible sources; the strategic, aligning with high-level goals or with key values; to the interpersonal of leading by example. Become versed in all 12 tactics, and choose the combination that will best convince your intended audience.

3. Get clear about accountability. Part of your role is to hold people accountable for results. However, it's highly unlikely that your direct reports are actually working on the right priorities. Scott Blanchard, co-author of Leverage Your Best, Ditch the Rest, conducted a study asking managers to make a list of priorities for each employee. Then employees were asked to make their own list. The average agreement between them was only 21 percent.

Clearly communicate your expectations to your employees and check in periodically to ensure you're still on the same page. Only hold people accountable for the issues that really matter and be a role model for accountability yourself.

Related: Stopping Employees From Jumping Ship is Easier Than You Think (Infographic)

4. Engage your employees. Employee engagement is a key contributor to increased retention and productivity. According to MBA professor Todd Dewett, engaged employees feel emotionally attached to their work, and identify with the whole organization. Yet studies show that 70 percent of U.S. employees are disengaged.

Common mistakes that managers make are confusing engagement with motivation, assuming that their employees share their own level of engagement, and using the same tactics with every employee. Your efforts will be most effective when you tailor them to each employee individually.

5. Resolve cross-department conflict. Working across functions and teams is a normal practice in modern business. Eventually, every manager faces cross-department conflict. Simon T. Bailey, author of top business book Release Your Brilliance, believes that conflict occurs when there is a fight for resources, a weak relationship and a lack of communication between departments.

He recommends first, build rapport and connection with the other team. Learn more about their goals and their challenges. Next, be willing to give to get. Focus on how you can help them achieve a win. Then later, have the courage to ask for their help in return. Work together to focus on what is best for the company and put the integrity of the brand before individual or department goals.

By using these effective strategies, you'll be a better manager, enhancing the success of your company and accelerating your career.

Related: Is Codependency Hurting the Way You Lead Your Company?

Britt Andreatta

Dr. Britt Andreatta is the author of six titles on leadership and management at lynda.com, inc. With an MA in communication and a PhD in education, leadership and organizations, Britt is a popular keynote speaker and executive coach with over 25 years of professional experience. Learn more at www.BrittAndreatta.com.

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Confira os melhores insights no evento de Social Media do IAB

21 de março de 2014 · Atualizado às 11h06

O presidente do IAB Brasil, Rafael Davini, abriu o IAB Media Insights falando sobre a importância da ampliação do conhecimento para a qualificação do mercado de internet no Brasil, um dos principais objetivos da entidade. Com bons nomes, grandes empresas e debates pertinentes, o evento conseguiu ser suficientemente interessante e produtivo para gerar os “insights” posteriores. Assuntos atuais e relevantes como branding e storytelling em social media, gestão inteligente de fanpages, estratégias de alcance, métricas, social commerce e social games estiveram na pauta. Confira abaixo o que de melhor aconteceu no evento:   

Cases de branding em social media

Representando as agências de propaganda, Luis Constantino, diretor de criação da Havas, Fabiano Coura, VP executivo da R/GA e Rodrigo Nincao, gerente de estratégia digital da Loducca, trouxeram na bagagem alguns trabalhos que deram resultado para os anunciantes. Coura, da R/GA, destacou o quanto a relação e a aproximação do Youtube com a música tem gerado cada vez mais engajamento com o público e defendeu o conteúdo como algo mais importante que o formato. Rodrigo Nincao, da Loducca, abordou bastante a importância da linguagem em sintonia com o target da marca. O case utilizado foi o investimento da marca Toddy no dialogo com os jovens através da famosa vaca e gírias que vivem na boca da galera, entre elas a adaptação criativa “cowzar”. Por último, Luis Constantino, apresentou todo o trabalho de storytelling para introduzir a marca Danio no mercado. O start de toda a conversa com o público foi o filme que apresentou o personagem Jânio Semdanio.  (Clique aqui e confira a matéria completa sobre esse painel do IAB Social Media Insights)

Alcance pago ou orgânico? Ou os dois?

No painel mais aguardado do dia, Cadu Aun, diretor comercial do Twitter Brasil e Renato Domingues, gerente de negócios do Facebook, falaram sobre o tão discutido equilíbrio entre o alcance pago e orgânico nas redes sociais. Ambos mostraram cases de campanhas que utilizaram tanto a estratégia orgânica como paga para conseguir atingir os objetivos e mencionaram que a escolha depende muito não apenas da estratégia de marca, mas principalmente da finalidade da campanha para cada momento, lugar e plataforma. Questionado se o Facebook mudou as regras do jogo, já que muitas marcas passaram muito tempo construindo a sua base de fãs e agora estão “ameaçadas” a ter que pagar para conseguir um alcance relevante, Domingues argumentou. “O número de usuários cresceu, o número de postagens também, é evidente que o newsfeed fica mais concorrido, já o nosso algoritmo pré-seleciona apenas os 1500 posts que podem ser mais relevantes para o usuário”, defendeu. Já com relação ao Twitter, o principal questionamento focou a falta de métricas mais avançadas para medir o resultado de alcance das campanhas. “Já estamos trabalhando internamente algumas métricas de alcance orgânico e pago, mas ainda estamos em processo de melhoria da plataforma para atender a essa questão”, disse Cadu. (Clique aqui e confira a matéria completa sobre esse painel do IAB Social Media Insights)

Social Games – Novas estratégias para uma plataforma nova

Marcos Swarowsky, diretor geral Microsoft Advertising e Adriana Knackfuss, gerente sênior de marketing digital da Coca-Cola, mostraram aos palestrantes o imenso potencial de desenvolvimento do social game e as oportunidades para as marcas aproveitarem plataformas como o Xbox, que conecta mais de 48 milhões de pessoas em todo o mundo. Swarowsky ressaltou a importância do Brasil na estratégia global do Xbox, já que é o único País que fabrica o console, além da China. O executivo disse também que o usuário do Xbox permanece conectado 42 horas por mês, em média. Para ele, as possibilidades são infinitas e a grande briga do momento é para ver qual será o device e as marcas que dominarão a sala do consumidor, cada vez mais inteligente e multifacetada. “O Xbox saiu dos quartos dos heavy users de games e foi para as salas da casa do consumidor, disponibilizando entretenimento para toda a família”, comentou. Coube a Adriana Knackfuss, da Coca-Cola, mostrar cases de Fanta e Sprite no Xbox, com direito a produtos para o avatar na rede social, jogos exclusivos, entre outras várias ações.

Tamanho de fanpage não é documento

Silvia Quintanilha, VP de serviços aos clientes da Millward Brown, apresentou uma pesquisa desenvolvida por sua empresa com inúmeras fanpages do País, com o objetivo de mapear o engajamento com o publico. “Tamanho não é documento. É preciso ter engajamento e um target interessante, muito mais do que volume. Qual é o primeiro passo? Objetivos claros e planos consistentes. Pode parecer uma coisa boba e óbvia, mas a pesquisa detectou que muitas empresas ainda não fazem isso direito. A fanpage não pode ser um quadro de post-it. É preciso ter estratégia”, afirmou a executiva. Mas o que faz uma fanpage ter sucesso, além de boas ideias e criatividade? Silvia menciona itens como regularidades de post, notícias confiáveis sobre a marca, informações sobre produtos, facilidade de uso, ofertas, brindes e prêmios. Páginas de empresas como Outback,  Dermacyd e Helmann’s foram citadas como bons exemplos.

Natura como case de sucesso em social commerce

“A Natura é uma rede social de 45 anos. Sempre fomos um social commerce off-line”. Com essa frase que parece controversa, Marcio Orlandi, da Natura, abriu a sua palestra. Ele explicou a relação que a marca sempre construiu entre consumidor final e consultoras Natura, sobretudo para a sua própria operação de vendas. O desafio, entretanto, cresceu com o avanço da internet. Como trazer o modelo de negócio venda direta para o século 21? Esse é o caminho que a Natura tem buscado no aplicativo “Aqui tem Natura”, que é uma espécie de buscador de consultoras, além da plataforma "Rede Natura". Esse último é o social commerce da Natura, que traz o perfil e as atividades das consultoras da empresa e permite que os consumidores escolham a melhor opção para comprar de maneira prática, rápida e eficiente.

Linkedin e social media com foco no B2B

Embora tenha aplicado alguns cases internacionais em sua palestra, Tullio Nicastro, consultor em soluções de marketing do Linkedin, precisou gastar parte de sua apresentação para explicar ao público como as marcas podem atuar no Linkedin, onde as pessoas utilizam a plataforma apenas para mostrar, compartilhar e atualizar as suas habilidades, atividades e atributos profissionais, um ambiente diferente de redes sociais mais “descoladas” como Twitter e Facebook. Como um dos trunfos para o anunciante, Tullio destacou que o Linkedin tem, além do perfil sóciodemográfico de seus usuários, informações mais aprofundadas a respeito de experiência e trajetória profissional. Além disso, para ele, o fato de o comportamento dos usuários ser diferente das outras redes sociais não representa nenhum obstáculo preocupante.

Por Renato Rogenski

Here are the most popular words used in viral headlines

 

http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2014/03/20/popular-words-used-viral-headlines/#!AIHMh

By KEVAN LEE, 5 hours ago

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This post originally appeared on the Buffer blog and has been republished with permission.

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There is no one way to create viral content.

So many different variables go into a viral post—timing, emotion, engagement, and so many others that you cannot control. There is no viral blueprint. The greatest chance we have to understand viral content is to study the posts and places that do it best, figure out what worked for them, and try it for ourselves.

Thanks to some incredible work by the team at Ripenn, we have access to headline analysis from four of the top viral sites on the web—who happen to be really good at headline writing. Based on this information—plus a little extra from our own Buffer favorites—we can get a glimpse into the science of how to write a great headline and what words to choose.

The top words used in viral headlines

The headline data from Ripenn came from four of the most click-worthy sites on the web—BuzzFeed, ViralNova, UpWorthy and Wimp. Each of these sites receives more than 4,000,000 monthly unique visits, and headlines are a big reason why.

To give some variety to the list, I added the top headlines from 20 different tech, social media and productivity sites that we find ourselves reading and sharing often here at Buffer—sites like Seth Godin, 99u, Social Media Explorer and more (the full list is available in spreadsheet form)—for an additional 400 headlines to be analyzed.

In total, I examined 3,016 headlines from 24 top content sites. Here are the most popular words found in their headlines.

(The table at left shows common words—articles, prepositions, pronouns, etc.—and the table at right shows less common, more specific words—nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.)

Click here to see a more complete list of top words beyond the 50 mentioned above.

Let’s dig in, shall we?

Analyzing top headlines: Which words stand out?

There’s a lot to glean from here, and everyone has a unique way of implementing data like this on their site. Although you can interpret this data any number of different ways, here are my top observations.

You and Your

Content’s No. 1 goal is to help other people. This is evident in the viral headlines examined here. “You” was the No. 5 most popular word, and we find “your” in the Top 20 as well. Combined, these two pronouns appeared in 16 percent of all the headlines in this study.

What does this say about viral headlines? They seek to add value for you, the reader. Make content about the reader, not about the writer.

You and Your examples from the study include:

• What Would You Buy With an Extra $12,000?
• A Chart About Silence That Will Leave You Speechless
• 6 Things You Need to Know Today

Academic research supports this concept. A Norwegian business school experimented with different headline structures, including referential headlines, rhetorical headlines, and declarative headlines. They found that question headlines referencing the reader were the most effective.

This

The power of “this” is in its specificity. When you use “this” in a headline, the reader’s mind switches to a concrete view of whatever you’re talking about, as if the object in question were imminent and attainable. There is an immediacy to the word.

See these three examples of headlines from the study:

• This Guy Sticks Household Objects in His Beard and It’s Weirdly Mesmerizing
• This Woman’s Massive Instagram Following Helped Her Launch a Business
• Is This the Airport of the Future?

What, Which, and When

What do all these words have in common? (OK, I kind of gave away the answer.) They are all about questions.

Here are some examples of question headlines from the study:

• Which Countries Pay Its Teachers What They’re Worth?
• Which Old-School Pro Wrestling Legend Are You?
• What Happens When a Dump Truck Going 50mph Hits a Military-Grade Concrete Barrier?

Copyblogger’s Jerod Morris has preached the value of question headlines before, and his conclusions are definitely supported in this study. What are the advantages of headlines as questions?

It turns out that phrasing headlines in the form of a question … does indeed increase click-through rates. In fact it more than doubles them, on average.

Why

This one, too, could be about questions, but digging deeper into the individual instances of “why” in viral headlines revealed that there’s more here: “Why” promises an explanation. Here are some examples:

• Why Your Brand Shouldn’t Fear Assigning Authorship
• Why So Many Creatives Love Working on Trains
• Why the Best Social Media Education Might Be Right Under Your Nose

Finding out “why” is satisfying to us because of a phenomenon called the curiosity gap. Carnegie Melon University professor George Loewenstein coined this term to describe the gap between what we know and what we want to know. This gap creates something like an itch in your brain, and it can only be “scratched” by learning more (and thus, clicking on the post).

Upworthy cofounder Peter Koechley says the site uses the curiosity gap to create headlines that tells the reader enough to pique curiosity but not enough to give the whole story away.

And these headlines play a huge role in the virality of Upworthy content.

People

As the number one uncommon word in the headline study, “people” came up a lot and very often in a similar fashion:

• The most successful people
• The happiest people
• The most interesting people

The superlatives in these headlines make promises that the reader finds intriguing. We want to know what the most successful people are doing, how the happiest people live, and what makes the most interesting people interesting.

Similar to some of the single words listed above like “why” and “this,” readers enjoy discovering, learning, and challenging the details behind blanket assertions like this.

Video

You likely know the value of video in content marketing, but in headlines specifically? Turns out that being up front that your post contains video is a good tactic to use when writing your headline.

Many places find a way to stick the word “video” into the headline naturally, but when a natural fit can’t happen, there was no hesitation to place the word at the end surrounded by parentheses or brackets. Some examples:

• Why You Should Listen First, Market Later (Video)
• Superstars of Psychology: 10 Best Short Talks (Video)
• Everything You Need to Know About Facebook Buttons [Video]

The most common viral headline phrases

To take things one step further, I also looked at the top phrases that appeared in these popular headlines. The numbers were smaller here compared to instances of single words, but some patterns did develop. Let’s start with the two-word phrases.

Two-word phrases in viral headlines

The Most

Like the phrase “this is,” there is a certain level of authority when you say “the most.” It also taps into a reader’s argumentative side, giving them an opportunity to challenge you as to whether or not your superlative really rings true.

Previous headline studies—like this one at Startup Moon—show that other words that indicate a comprehensive or superlative resource can lead to success.

The most viral posts also tend to include the following in their titles: Smart, surprising, science, history, hacks (hacking, hackers, etc), huge/ big, critical.

How To

You’ve probably seen and used this one many times over, and for good reason: “How to” is popular because it’s effective. These how-to posts promise a certain level of education, and provided the subject matter has value to the reader, you can expect lots of clicks.

Startup Moon also noticed positive results for posts titled with “beginner’s guide,” “introductory,” and “in 5 minutes,” showing that the blog reading audience loves to learn how to as quickly as possible.

Three-word phrases in viral headlines

The notable ones for me from this list were “what happens when” and “this is what.” Both are explanatory and promise a certain level of discovery.

(And for an even deeper level of phrases, here is a chart of the top four-word phrases.)

Even more viral headline stats

I went ahead and pulled some additional numbers of elements that intrigued me. Ripenn was nice enough to open the data up to a creative commons license for anyone to use with attribution. Dig in. It’s neat to be able to see what kind of insights you can draw from such a deep well of viral data. For instance …

The average length of a viral headline is 62 characters.

To give you an idea of what that might look like, here’s a headline that is 60 characters: The Best Time to Write and Get Ideas, According to Science.

The percentage of headlines with a number was 19 percent.

This shows both the draw of the listicle and the ability of other headlines to still pull big numbers.

Takeaways

After looking at the initial data, Ripenn found seven key commonalities. I’ve reworded them here into some helpful headline tips:

1. Make the most of current events: Tie your headline to news and newsmakers
2. Break some “rules” of headline writing, like length
3. Seek to pique the reader’s curiosity
4. Never underestimate the emotional factor of a headline
5. Call the reader to action with direct action words
6. Make bold claims
7. Sound like a human, not a robot

Play around with some of the most popular headline words mentioned above to test some new, unique combinations in your own content.

What words stood out to you in this headline study? How do you plan to integrate this with your next headline? Shoot me some links of what you come up with. I’d love to see what you come up with!

RAB Sees Radio Digital Sales Hitting $520 Million

 

http://www.radioworld.com/printarticle.aspx?articleid=269030

02/26/2014

This story has been updated.

With a digital revenue increase of 15% in 2013, digital radio revenue is poised to grow 22% this year — surpassing the half-billion mark in digital advertising for the first time — according to a report from Borrell Associates on behalf of the Radio Advertising Bureau.

The average station made $166,490 in digital advertising, or about 3% of its total revenue, according to the findings in “Benchmarking: Local Radio Stations’ Online Revenues.” Some large-market stations are making millions and the average revenue for four-station clusters is approaching three-quarters of a million dollars, according to Borrell.

Overall, radio sellers closed $426.3 million in local online advertising last year according to Borrell Associates. They expect the number to hit $520 million this year as many radio groups expand into selling fast-growing digital services. Those services, popular among local marketers, include app development, search engine optimization and social media and email management. Based on the report, one-third of station groups have expanded into those offerings.

Gordon Borrell, CEO of Borrell Associates, sees positives. “We’re still seeing three-fourths of the managers say they believe digital sales hold a lot of growth potential, and now we’re seeing some clear suggestions on how to tap it. Training is an opportunity, as is the need to get more buy-in from upper management. Apparently, the rank-and-file are trying to get the word back to the general that there’s gold in them thar’ hills.”

Along with benchmarking, the report offers insights into what radio managers are thinking with regard to their digital ventures. The majority of managers (62%) believe their sales reps are talking to the wrong buyers when trying to sell digital and an overwhelming majority (92%) believes that more training would help boost digital sales at their stations.

“We’re experiencing year-over-year double digit growth in radio; and to truly maximize this revenue stream this survey continues to provide us with areas to improve upon and ultimately grow our overall revenue share,” says RAB President/CEO Erica Farber. “Most notably, sales managers are looking for continued training for their sales staffs and a better understanding of the digital buying community.”

The report is based on Borrell’s surveys of 7,400 local online operations in the U.S. and Canada, including 2,790 radio stations in 751 clusters. This report analyzes data from three principal sources: ad revenue as reported by the stations, local business ad spending and a radio manager survey asking questions about digital revenue resources, sales methods, expenses and other digital operations. This year’s manager survey is comprised of 294 respondents representing 2,010 stations.

The study is available to RAB members on RAB.com. A webinar featuring the study results, presented by the RAB and Gordon Borrell, is also available.

- See more at: http://www.radioworld.com/printarticle.aspx?articleid=269030#sthash.MmDUvKJK.dpuf

22 File-Sharing Tools for Easy Collaboration

 

·         1. Dropmark

Dropmark provides simple collaboration and file sharing in the cloud, with drag-and-drop facility from your desktop to browser, so your files are automatically uploaded to the cloud. You can invite colleagues to view and collaborate privately, and organize files into collections with sharable shortlinks.

You can view every collection as a fullscreen presentation, mixing images, websites and more. You can even drag in audio or video from YouTube, Vimeo, SoundCloud or your desktop to create custom playlists and podcasts. With the Dropmark for Mac app you can just drag and drop to your Mac menu bar and upload directly to your account.

Price: $5 per month - $40 per year

·         2. Dropbox

Arguably one of the most popular cloud storage and file-sharing services available, Dropbox provides effortless file synchronization, with support for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android and Blackberry. You can set up share files or folders to work in collaboration with others -- once you create a shared folder and add people to it, it will appear in their Dropbox, so any member of the folder can add, delete or edit files within it.

You can also share with non-Dropbox users by creating a link to a file or folder. Users can then use the link to preview the contents through their browsers. Once you install Dropbox on your desktop, simply add files to your Dropbox folder and it will automatically sync those files to your Dropbox account (meaning you have access to your work anywhere).

Price: Free - $15 per month (Business)

·         3. Hightail

Hightail provides online file sharing and storage, with the ability to send files up to 2GB, and share, edit and update project folders with clients and colleagues. With unlimited file storage you can use the provided mobile and desktop apps to access your files wherever you are. Security is paramount, with password protection, identity verification and file tracking, along with 128-bit SSL encryption in transit and 256-bit AES encryption at rest. Mobile file sharing gives you direct access to your projects, with any changes updated instantly, data encryption to and from your device, and the ability to digitally sign documents on your mobile or tablet.

Price: Free - approx. $24.99 per month (Teams)

·         4. SugarSync

SugarSync provides cloud storage and file sharing capabilities, allowing you to browse, access, back-up and sync online. Sharing large files and folders is incredibly easy; you can share public links to your files, collaborate on shared folders, sync folders of information across teams and apply folder permissions.

To share, just generate a public link for any file or folder and share it with your team. When the recipient clicks the link, he or she is able to download its contents with no registration required. With the folder permissions feature you can share a folder as "read-only" so recipients can view the files, but cannot make changes.

Price: $7.49 per month (Individual) - $55 per month (Business)

·         5. Dropcanvas

Dropcanvas provides a simple drag-and-drop interface to upload your file and generate a shortlink to share with collaborators. There's no registration required, but you can log in to save your storage links. There's no effort or thought needed to use the service -- just drag and drop a file onto the canvas, where you are then provided with a link to share your files. There's also a share button for easy access to Facebook, Twitter and Reddit.

Users get unlimited storage, with a limit of 5GB per canvas. Anonymous uploads last a minimum of 60 days, and you can delete your uploads by simply clicking the Edit icon in the toolbar.

·         6. Google Drive

With Google Drive you can create new documents, spreadsheets and presentations, and share files or folders with anyone, choosing who can view, edit or comment on your content. You can collaborate at the same time, on the same document, and see changes as they appear. You can open more than 30 file types in your browser, even if you don't have the program installed on your computer.

Google Drive tracks every change you make, and each save creates a new revision, so you can look back as far as 30 days automatically or choose a revision to save forever.

Price: Free - $799 per month (Providing 16GB Storage)

·         7. Minus

Minus offers easy drag-and-drop uploading without registration, with a file size limit of 2GB. Guest uploads expire after 30 days, and registering for an account offers personalized domains, up to 50GB of free storage space and your files remain indefinitely without expiring.

Uploading is insanely simple -- just drag your file to the canvas and it's immediately uploaded with a shortlink to share your file, and an option to add effects (using Aviary), a description, and share on social media or via email. The iOS and Android apps allow you to upload and manage your account while on the go.

Price: Free

·         8. WeTransfer

WeTransfer is a hassle-free file-transferring service that allows up to 2GB per transfer in a simple, secure environment. To send files, just click Add Files, type in the email address of the person you're sharing with (along with your own email address) and then hit the transfer button. You can also easily share via social media with the Share button.

Both you and your recipient will receive a confirmation email, where you can view and download your files. The Plus account allows transfers of up to 10GB, including entire HD videos and sets of photos and work files, you can also present your work in style with custom backgrounds and URLs.

Price: Free - $10 per month (Plus)

·         9. Box

Box offers simple, secure sharing from anywhere, helping you securely centralize all your content and keep it in sync with your teammates. With the Personal plan, you're allocated 10GB of personal storage, with a 250MB file upload limit. You can share photos, presentations or any type of link, and the recipient views the file from within his or her browser.

Real-time updates and email notifications let everyone know when a team member comments on an important document or uploads/downloads files. With the Box native apps you can view and share files from any devices.

Price: Free - $35 per month (Enterprise)

·         10. Dropsend

Dropsend is an application to share large files up to 4GB, ideal for sending JPGs, PDFs and MP3s in a fast, simple and secure way. There's no software to install, and you're able to back up all your files in the cloud and store important information so you can access it anywhere.

Just type in an email address, browse for a file and click Send, with the option to send more than one file at a time. The recipient simply clicks the link in the email (without the need to register for a Dropsend account), and when you send a file, it's recorded in your Sent Folder to keep track of what you've sent.

Price: Free - $99 per month (Business)

·         11. Sendspace

Sendspace allows you to send files as large as 300MB with even larger files spilt into parts. Drag files or click Browse to upload, and you can add a description, enter your recipient's name and your own email address and click Upload. A file can be downloaded an unlimited number of times by as many people as you want, for as long as you want, as long as the file stays active. A file becomes inactive if it hasn't been downloaded at least once during a set period.

While you can send files without registering, you're unable to see if it was downloaded by the recipient. As a Lite user, you can download up to 1GB a day, or 4GB with the Max account.

Price: Free - 15.99 per month (Pro Plus)

·         12. itrnsfr

itrnsfr makes sending large files easy, with a limit of 2GB per file and the ability to transfer an unlimited number of files at once. Just upload your file and add the recipient's email address. This will then be delivered to their inbox, where they can view and download the file. You can add multiple recipients emails and watch your files being uploaded, with the ability to cancel at anytime. Clicking the padlock button enables you to encrypt your files with a set password.

Price: Free

·         13. TransferBigFiles

TransferBigFiles does exactly what its name suggests -- it provides an easy way to send and receive files that are too big for email attachments, with the ability to add up to 20GB. To create a new transfer, add your files or folders, which instantly upload to the secure TransferBigFiles server, and a new transfer page will be created. You then add recipients, a custom message and choose to receive notifications if the file has been downloaded.

It features password protection and the option to allow recipients to share the files. If you're sending work to clients, you can customize the download page to match your branding.

Price: Free - $50 per month (Business)

·         14. SendThisFile

SendThisFile allows you to send large files protected with encryption, with history tracking and file sharing control. There is no restriction on the type of file you send, and once the upload is complete an email is automatically sent to your recipients. Every SendThisFile account comes with a FileBox account to receive your files, which can also be easily integrated into your website and customized to suit your branding.

You can audit activity logs, export your file transfer history and receive an email confirmation that your recipient has successfully downloaded your file.

Price: Free - $595 per month (Dedicated Server Plan)

·         15. Onehub

OneHub lets you securely store, organize and share files in the cloud. Just drag and drop files directly into your browser, share multiple files, or use the FTP gateway or Onehub sync for OS X. Using Workspaces makes it simple to stay organized and control exactly what your invited users can see, with comments, messages and dashboards.

Integration with Google Drive means you can create and edit your Google files from inside Onehub, and even simultaneously collaborate on the same document with teammates. You can upload your company logo and choose colors that match your brand.

Price: $9.95 per month (Dropbox) - $99.95 per month (Business)

·         16. Droplr

Droplr offers an easy way to send files, with no folders, syncing or waiting -- just simple, secure and fast file sharing. There's no learning curve; all you need to do is select a file that you need to send to someone, and Droplr gives you a short, secure link to that file. You can share files of up to 2GB, with unlimited storage, custom branding and domain URLS and the ability to embed images and files in your favorite forum, blog or website.

With the Team Management feature, you can enable and disable users with ease, to help manage your project and collaborators.

Price: $4.99 per month (Lite) - $9.99 per user per month (Team)

·         17. CloudApp

CloudApp is a Mac OS X app that provides a quick way to send screenshots, documents, code snippets, audio, videos, ZIP files, bookmarks and more. Free users can upload 10 files (of 25MB each) per day, while purchasing a Pro account removes the limits and allows for custom branding and files of up to 250MB.

Install the application from the Mac App Store and drag the files you want to share onto the Cloud icon in your menu bar, and you'll receive a unique URL to share, with the ability to keep track of the number of views and downloads a file receives.

Price: Free - $45 per year (Pro)

·         18. Egnyte

Egnyte provides enterprise file sharing and collaboration in the cloud, with seamless access to your files from any device. With private sharing you have access to content stored behind a firewall using any device, without the need for a VPN. The local file access and cross-office collaboration tools enable remote teams to collaborate without being in the same room.

Users have a single view of their files, with control of where they're stored based on data classification. There's several ways to upload files, including desktop sync, map drive, web browser and FTP transfer.

Price: $8 per employee (Office) - $15 per employee (Business)

·         19. Ge.tt

Ge.tt is an instant, real-time file-sharing service, which lets you share all types of documents, including documents, videos, photos and more. You can use the service without signing up for an account, but registering brings the benefit of reusing and tracking any content you previously shared. Your files are ready to share immediately, with no need to wait for files to upload, and you can easily track how many people have downloaded or viewed your files.

Ge.tt is browser-based, so there's no need to install any third-party software or plugins, with the added advantage of using the provided API to integrate Ge.tt into your own website or workflow.

Price: Free

·         20. 4shared

4shared is a service that allows you to upload, share, search and download your videos, music, pictures and documents, with 15GB of free storage as soon as you join. It supports all operating systems, with the ability to upload and download multiple files at the same time, with detailed file and account statistics. You can organize your documents, creating folder structures and access them anywhere.

As soon as you upload your file, you'll receive a download link that you can share with any verified 4shared user. You can even share entire folders by clicking Activate next to the folder you want to share.

Price: Free - $77.95 per year

·         21. MediaFire

MediaFire lets you store all of your media and makes it available to you anytime you want it, on both mobile and tablet devices. You can share your photos, videos, songs and documents, as well as collaborate on projects, shared folders, and files. You can also control who can edit and view them.

With up to 50GB of free space, you can back up important files and make sure they are stored securely and privately. MediaFire features unlimited downloads, download resuming and zero wait or queue times, using the web interface, desktop app or mobile applications.

Price: Free - $24.99 per month (Business)

·         22. OneDrive

Microsoft OneDrive lets you store, sync, share and easily collaborate on files, photos, videos and documents securely, with the ability to synchronize your files with your devices to access your content offline. With built-in integration with Microsoft Office, you can work on the same project files and documents in real time, seamlessly collaborating and sharing files.

You can share entire folders, such as photo albums, without attaching anything -- simply send an email with a link to only what you want to share and everything else in your OneDrive stays private.

Price: Free - $100 per year (200GB Storage)

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TOPICS: APPS AND SOFTWARE, COLLABORATION, CONTRIBUTOR, DEV & DESIGN, PRODUCTIVITY, TECH