If you’ve never peeked into Disney’s world of twittering, be sure to do so. It’ll give you some idea on how social TV and second screen applications can shape programs for children.

Most people would probably find it hard to believe that social TV can have a positive impact on children’s development and education. Mostly because the general understanding is that television is bad for kids. And, as with all other types of excesses, television nimiety is indeed something to look out for, especially in our children. But otherwise, watched moderately and in conjunction with second screen applications, television can be helpful. To make things further more serious, let’s talk more about how networks and content distributors specialized on social television for children can use second screen technology to improve children’s viewing experiences and even educate them. 

Photo source: A Kids App

Children do what they see others do

Children learn by imitation, and psychologists, educators and parents alike are most of the times worried about children watching TV out of fear that they may come to imitate the violence they see. But what if instead of promoting cartoons that depict fighting and violence, there were television programs that nurtured handling emotions the good way and television programs that helped children solve problems and think for themselves? What if these programs offered online platforms that complimented a television experience by transforming it into something more educational?

In 2013, 19% of elementary school students and 42% of middle school students were already using smartphones. It’s thus becoming more important than ever that content for children make a positive impact on their development. And positive impact is brought about by positive content. If children saw TV programs that depict getting along with others, sharing with friends and people, they’re likely to learn from that.

Content creators and networks can use second screen apps to introduce online learning games and interactive engagement that associates with content on television. Based on children’s unique profile, various second screen content can be created to assist children with short attention span or children with various difficulties. More video content can be included within second screen apps to entertain and educate kids on cooperation, emotion regulation, empathy etc. A lot of information that is children-friendly can be sorted out and enclosed in second screen.

Real-time second screen applications could teach and explain to children about positive behavior in characters while they watch the program. They can thus act as social-emotional-skills regulatory tool and could even “provoke” the child to imitate similar positive behavior in every-day life.

It’s funny (or not) but brands today have to be more than just brands, more than just inanimate names that represent and offer products or services to people. In fact, brands today must become social to the core if they want to have a long lasting relationship with customers. Because most customers today are social. They’re present on social media platforms and no longer passive during television viewing. Even when people are alone in their living room watching TV, they’re not actually alone. They’re either tweeting away or engaging in some form of social media conversation. And when it comes to brands and social TV, viewers have a say in this.

Photo source: Huffington Post

How viewers tell you what’s working and what’s not and what you can do with that

By looking into what stirs conversations on social media related to programs airing on TV you can start to know more about what’s trending and what’s not. How is the audience responding to the release of that new TV series? What are their thoughts on this year’s X award show or competition? Who’s their favorite “masterchef”? Which TV show is more popular, when do people watch more television etc.? Brands and advertisers can use information like this to measure the impact of television engagement and affinities. Demographics are in this case relevant, when you want to know which TV public (what age group, gender group etc.) has a greater impact on extending the reach of television programs.

Networks can leverage statistics and connect specific TV audiences with specific brands. For example, a viewer might be interested in buying a certain item after they’ve heard about it from a competitor in a cooking show; other viewers might want to purchase items related to a TV series. Through social TV, advertisers can gather information that allows them to place commercials for customers who are actually interested in them, maximizing earned media around television.

Social TV can tell you about the TV audiences that are more likely to want to know and share brand messages. This is also valid for sponsorships or integration of brands within TV content. For example, when a certain brand associates itself with a program on TV, this can generate new brand-related audience interest. Advertisers and brands can measure and then act based on these brand-related social media conversations to convert.

To answer our question, is there a happily ever after story between brands and social TV: yes and no. These stories can only be as happy as the viewers are because viewers are those who write them.

White-labeled social TV platforms encourage user interaction. They invite viewers to participate actively in the viewing experience, by exchanging thoughts and feelings, advancing questions and suggestions about the show itself or a particular event, actor, statement etc. within the show. This is available for both programmed and live content.

White-labeled social TV platforms can incorporate digital incentives. To make applications even more fun and interactive for users, platforms can include virtual rewards such as coins that users can eventually use to make real purchases in online shops. It is a good strategy to keep people motivated and keep them coming back.

White-labeled social TV platforms and check-in services. Check-ins’ are services that allow viewers to “check-in” to watching TV content, allowing them to share the information with others and to see who else has checked into the content. Using check-in services with social TV platforms will enable viewers to discover trending content, connecting people around it.

Those working to develop white-labeled social TV platforms are both the platform developers and the Social TV clients. You could not have it any other way because both parts bring something integral to the table; both are equally important to develop a successful tool. And for Watchwith, 2014 was definitely a successful year, having been acknowledged as the best white-label social TV application in 2014.

“Watchwith”, as its developers say, “delivers in-program experiences at perfectly timed moments during a television program on connected TV’s or set-top-boxes,” which “engage audiences and offers programmers new monetization opportunities for advertising, sponsorship and commerce on the first screen.”

Photo source: Watchwith

Source: IAB

Device Ownership and Usage

Today’s consumers own a variety of screens from which to watch video.

• Over one in three US adults owns a connected TV.

About three in ten US adults have recently purchased a tablet, smartphone or connected TV/device.

• Newness has likely contributed to increased connected TV streaming since 2014.

On average, US adults report spending nearly 5 hours using a computer each day, slightly more than they spend watching TV.

• US adults spend 4.8 hours using a computer, 4.4 hours using television, 3.6 hours using a smartphone and 1.9 hours using a tablet.

Smartphone, tablet and connected TV/device usage has increased considerably over the past year.

• 42% US adults are using a smartphone more than last year, 35% are using a tablet more than last year, 27% are using a computer more than last year and 11% are watching more TV than last year, while 19% are watching less TV than last year.

Source: IAB

Multitasking Behaviors: How does owning multiple screens affect TV viewing?

For the majority of the TV viewing audience, watching TV is no longer a standalone experience.

• 78% of US adults who watch TV use another device while watching TV (smartphone, computer, or tablet).

The smartphone is the dominant ‘second screen.’

• 69% of US adults use their smartphones while watching TV, 54% use computers, 53% use tablets.

Multiscreening is a daily habit.

• 84% of US adults use a smartphone daily while watching TV, 79% use a computer and 65% a tablet.

Multiscreening is on the rise, especially among those with a smartphone or tablet.

• 40% of US adults are using a smartphone more than last year while watching TV, 39% are using a tablet more and 28% are using a computer more.

Smartphone and tablet multiscreeners are more likely to pay attention to the TV; computer multiscreeners’ focus is half-and-half.

While watching TV, multiscreeners are more likely to extend their TV viewing to their smartphones; less so on other devices.

• Top multiscreening activities are mostly unrelated: browsing, social networking, email, gaming and shopping.

While top multiscreening activities of smartphone users are unrelated leisure, a sizable portion is related to what they’re watching on TV.

• Top smartphone activities include: surfing the internet, social networking, gaming, email.
• TV show related: Roughly half socialize or search related to the TV show; one-third watch or share video: about one-quarter tweet/vote.
• TV commercial related: Roughly one third socialize or search related to TV commercials.

Full report available at http://www.iab.net/changingtv.

Measuring the efficiency of social TV activities

The metrics that advertisers and marketers need are nowadays driven by customers. When customers tweet, post and generally voice opinions on social media, they unknowingly set new barometers that let advertisers and brands know about the success of their campaigns and products. And Twitter is by far the main action-driven platform.

Twitter has long incorporated social TV analytics within its platform to measure the impact of television content on social media. In 2013, Twitter took a step further, and acquired Trendrr, a company in New York [that] specialized in collecting and measuring social conversations related to specific television content. It had also previously bought BlueFin Labs for similar purposes. A more recent initiative is the partnership between Twitter and Nielsen, Nielsen Twitter TV Ratings.

The framework for Nielsen Twitter TV Ratings is set, according to Nielsen, “to investigate how networks, agencies and advertisers could leverage information to anticipate how social a program will be, as well as identify whether a given program is under- or over-performing on Twitter.” Using variables and investigating how certain TV shows perform on social media Nielsen is able to draw models and estimate tweeting related to program episodes. Its analytics start from analyzing characteristics such as viewers’ age, type of network, language of program, type of program and duration of program.

How does measuring of social TV activities benefit broadcasters?

Social media is powerful media. Positive tweeting can encourage people to act in favor of a broadcaster: people can choose to turn on the TV or change a channel. Negative tweeting on the other hand can have negative repercussions for the brand. Social TV analytics help broadcasters deliver the right content at the right time to the right people.

Measuring of social TV activities delivers accurate and more powerful insight to broadcasters. Broadcasters can have a better understanding of the audience and of the ways in which an audience interacts with TV content. Moreover, it analyzes the relationship between the social buzz and audience tune-in. Social TV measurement also delivers real-time understanding of impact of television content. Whereas it would take longer to analyze, for example, audience tune-in by standalone TV metrics, time is significantly reduced with social TV analytics.

How does measuring of social TV activities benefit advertisers?

Nielsen stated that, “advertisers and agencies can anticipate [through Nielsen Twitter TV Ratings] how social a new program will be before it premieres.” This becomes important for agencies and advertisers because, as social TV analytics define which programs are more social than others are, advertisers can send brand messages to the right audience. Measuring of social TV activities also lets advertisers know about the audiences that are more likely to share branded messages. These benefits can shape ad sales strategies and support sponsorship and integrations.

Photo source: Microsoft

Paul Jordan is an expert and media commentator on Eurovision, although those who listen to BBC might recognize him by his other name, Dr. Eurovision. According to Jordan, social media has been very important for Eurovision since it’s the main channel where people can voice their opinions and it’s also the place where everyone talks about something. Graham Soult, who used to manage one of the Eurovision fan web pages in Britain, also says that, “what has really helped Eurovision is social media.”

Beyond the average users and viewers that live tweet during the broadcast, there is also engagement from various important and relevant names. Catherine Baker, a lecturer at the University of Hull, has had a very prominent Twitter live presence during this year’s broadcast. Storify collected the tweets and posted them in an article here. Also, during the broadcast, Petrit Selimi, who is Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in Kosovo, tweeted to confirm his country’s participation in upcoming Eurovision contests.

It’s obvious that major events, even non-sporting events, also happen on second screen parallel with content on television. During these events, broadcasters and brands go online to connect with viewers on second screen. They post teasers, they get the cast involved on social media, and they reward users with extra content and generally try to deliver hands-on experiences to people.

Integrating content

This year’s event, contestants tweeted, Eurovision tweeted and the whole world tweeted along with them. But Eurovision also took to second screen starting this year; the contest now has its own app that allows viewers to submit voting, includes information on the contestants and even has an online store. What’s more, it integrated interactive content to encourage users to download the app and interact during the show. “Matchmaker” feature, using a short quiz, let users know which Eurovision decade fitted them while “Selfie Layers” encouraged users to take a photo, customize it with Eurovision branding or a country’s flag and share it to the world.

Game mechanics are becoming more and more popular with second screen apps and for a very good reason. People like to do fun things, and they are usually willing to spare a few moments interacting with second screen content when the latter is valuable.

Photo source: Mailman Group

Second screen strategies are one of the most interactive engagement techniques that serve companies today. They are also a competitive differentiator that sets one company apart from another. Second screen strategies can build brand identity and stir users’ interest. But again, can they drive sales?

There are several stages before a user can generate revenue for a company. The user first becomes familiar with the brand. Maybe through a friend’s recommendation, personal inquiry, an ad he sees or some social media talk, he is introduced to the brand. The user is now interested and willing to interact with the brand. [We are talking about customers all over the world who may or may not have direct access to a company’s services.] The level of interaction a user has with the brand depends on the brand’s efforts and strategies to facilitate this interaction. If the user is satisfied with the brand, he may decide to purchase the products or services the brand has to offer. Ultimately, he may even decide to recommend these to other people and a virtuous circle is created.

When companies fail to implement precise second screen strategies around big events or in general, they may be missing out.

During this year’s Super Bowl, wywy found, TV inspired viewers searching for the advertised product or visiting the website in 1 out of 2 cases didn’t find what they were looking for. Analyzing 56 television commercials that aired during 2015 Super Bowl, the company concluded that the same brands that spend a lot of money on TV ads “don’t show the promoted products on their online and mobile presence at the same time, missing to drive many TV-ad-inspired Second Screeners to their websites.” In doing so, these brands discourage users from possibly making an actual purchase.

It’s thus important that companies ensure they have a consistent presence across multiple screens and on different channels. A TV ad today might not prompt viewers to make an instant purchase but they can surely capture the audience’s interest and send people to second screen where they can look for more.

So yes, second screen strategies can indeed drive sales. But the only way they are going to increase a company’s revenue is if that company is at the right place in the right time. Incorporating social features into second screen apps and maintaining a social presence is important. Social sharing is among one of the top user activities that increase TV ad reach and from thereon we’re back to the virtuous circle again.

Syncing TV ads with gamified content on second screen

The idea that second screen would distract viewers from watching television, especially during commercial breaks, has determined advertisers to try and find creative ways to reconnect television ad content with viewers. Gamified second screen technology is proving that it is possible to increase awareness of TV ads when synchronizing them with linked content. The technology enables the detection of a TV commercial the moment it runs and it usually uses listening technology to identify content. It then activates interactive messages and gamified features that run on digital devices.

The fact that television viewership is changing it’s not something that broadcasters, brands or advertisers should worry about. TV is evolving and it needs to catch up with new technologies. This is in fact a chance for businesses to tap into these new opportunities that second screen introduces. Gamified second-screen synching can improve awareness of a television commercial, at the same time engaging the audience and allowing users to have some fun. This info graphic by Mobile Marketing shows that gaming ads have a higher ad engagement rate than non-gaming ads.  Gamification is thus proving to be an efficient way to encourage users to engage with brands. 

Most popular synched gamified content with TV ads

Users are already spending a lot of time with gaming apps. It shows there is potential here for brands to make the most of this trend. Some of the most popular gamified content is represented by rewards, small games, solving riddles and answering questions, the last two usually involving some type of a rewards system.  Coca Cola Chok gave virtual bottle caps that enabled users to receive various prizes. The instant a Coca Cola ad ran on TV, the app prompted users to shake their device and it then measured the motion to grant the virtual bottle caps. The Honda Jazz app included game mechanics that allowed users, by swiping their devices at the ad, to “catch” characters on the TV screen.

The more creative game mechanics and design techniques are, the likely it is for a user to enjoy the experience. Content matters most even when it comes to gamification. Chances of having users engage with this content increase when the content is authentic. 

Photo source: Panorama Audiovisual

On transmedia

Transmedia or transmedia storytelling/narrative is a term that actually goes way back and it refers to the method of telling a story across multiple media platforms. It’s definitely not restricted to cinema movies and is available for content such as comics, video games, books, events and really most types of content. Scandinavian ancestors used this form of narration when they were memorizing and orally passing on sagas. This is just a mere example. Nowadays, things are a lot more digital. 

On APP

The transmedia experience usually assumes participation from the audience and it usually engages its audience on various levels. APP took viewers, parallel with watching the movie on the big screen, to second screen and back by enabling access to a narrative-synchronized second screen application. The application acted as a parallel narration to the movie, generating additional content and extending on certain key scenes in the movie. The viewers could download the app free prior to the start of the movie and prior to entering the cinema room. During the movie, content such as different camera angles and text messages from the characters could be accessed. 

On how second screen can improve and transform a big screen experience

Any mobile app that would accompany a cinema movie is recommended to be developed parallel with the movie itself. This ensures that second screen content is synchronized appropriately with movie content. It also means that viewers will be enjoying content that is relevant to specific scenes in the film at the most appropriate times. Sometimes, if there is a really emotional scene in the movie and you have notifications popping up on viewers’ devices, this could disrupt the audience and overall disengage the audience. According to the director of APP, various scenes were deliberately prolonged in the movie, so that viewers could adjust to the content and not miss out on any of the action.

Second Screen and Big Screen could be sharing a long-term relationship if viewers embrace this new model of watching a movie at the cinema. For that to happen we need to see more initiatives similar to APP and we must, of course, understand how users experience transmedia with big screen. 

A lot of the online activity regarding television series happens within second screen applications. Second screen apps are common for most TV series today. Some of the longest-running TV series have upgraded to second screen, while for the rest, the more recent television shows, second screen apps are a given. These applications specifically designed to cater to TV shows are either multi-purpose or companion apps.

Multi-purpose second screen applications

Photo source: Mashable

These apps are exactly what the name suggests: applications that serve more than one purpose. More specifically these are apps that include information and content for more than one show. There are however more cons than pros when going with multi-purpose apps for TV series. The main advantage is that broadcaster branding and identity is much stronger. However, multi-purpose apps make it more difficult for users to browse and interact with content. And this is because users have to dig up content through a set of features and menus that are typical of multi-purpose second screen apps. Thus, user retention can be very disappointing. These are also much more high-maintenance apps and more costly too. In addition, targeting users for advertising, especially for banner ads, is a much more complex process. 

Companion apps

Photo source: Mashable

A companion app serves one single television show and all content and information within this app has to do with that show. Companion apps are much more accessible and easier to use. Because of that, users are more likely to want to download, use and keep companion apps. Thus, customer acquisition and retention is more likely and is higher than with multi-purpose apps.

Companion apps are more likely to perform better because they only have to focus on single-show features. Also, it’s much easier to tackle on user interaction with companion apps, thus being more valuable for analytics. Moreover, ad banner targeting is facilitated: you have a well-defined audience to which you can deliver specific ads. The disadvantage is lower brand identity since the app is related and named after the TV show and not the broadcaster. The other downside to companion apps is that users acquisition cost is higher. 

Tips and tricks for a TV series app to rock the boat the right way

You’ve heard it mentioned at the top of the article: viewers post on social media about what they watch on television. So all second screen apps related to TV shows, whether multi-purpose or companion apps, need to come with a right amount of social features.

Creating TV-series second screen apps to resemble the look and feel of the show is important. These apps create another layer of reality for the show, and it’s thus important that users don’t feel disconnected when using the app. This is relevant for aesthetics as well as for content and information within the application.

Consider live synchronizing the apps so that when a user starts watching a show the app instantly pops up relevant content. Interactive features, such as inviting viewers to participate in polls or share thoughts about the episode they’re watching, make TV-series apps worth their while.