Video Killed the Radio Star but the Internet Saved Him

It’s hard to write about radio without feeling nostalgic: as if radio were a thing of the past that met its unfortunate doom, the ominous Internet.

Of course, this is ludicrous because radio is alive and thriving today more than ever.

And RumbleTalk was there to help.

Radio adapted to the Internet

In 1979 the Buggles were singing about the tragedy “Video killed the radio star” but more than three decades later we still listen to radio.

This premonition was as accurate as the “futuristic” glitter hair worn in their video. Thank goodness that didn’t become a thing.

Also, the irony can’t be missed that radio was probably a better marketer of their song than that video, even as humorous as it is to watch.

The song could be rewritten today to say “Internet helped the radio star”, “Internet saved the radio star”, or even “Internet advanced the radio star.”

Today, you don’t even need an AM/FM channel to host a radio show. With the right software, the Internet is a full-fledged broadcasting platform.

That’s where RumbleTalk comes in.

Internet radio shows are now using group chat to engage with listeners in ways not possible prior to the wide use of the Internet.

I remember the days of calling in to comment on the topic of the hour, hoping to be the 10th caller to win tickets to the next concert, or simply calling to request a song.

Now these interactions can all be done with RumbleTalk group chat, and further, radio listeners can chat among each other. The conversation is open and accessible, no longer delayed by the speed of the call screener.

Just look at RadioNOPE to see how group chat works for their online radio show

RadioNOPE is an Internet rock ‘n roll radio station that has been a long time RumbleTalk customer.

Their group chat is embedded throughout their website to engage listeners on their homepage or while they are visiting the page of a specific show. Listeners can talk about the songs playing or interact directly with show hosts such as with Live from the Barrage, a favorite talk show hailing from Queens.

radio group chat
But don’t take my word for it…

Here’s what Conan, founder and self described “benevolent dictator” of RadioNOPE, had to say about RumbleTalk’s influence on the Internet radio station.

RumbleTalk is an integral part of the RadioNOPE experience. As a 24/7/365 streaming radio station that is heavily curated, the dialogue between station and listener is vital. Whether it is as simple as a listener asking information about the song that is playing, or just the shared experience of listening to things together, the chat takes RadioNOPE a cut above algorithm driven experiences like Pandora and its ilk, and the interaction has an extra level of engagement and surprise behind throwing on a Spotify playlist or putting a library on “shuffle”. This is true of the music shows, as well as the talk shows on the station, none more so than with the station’s flagship show “Live from the Barrage”, where listeners react with the hosts, guests, and each other with a special lexicon of in-jokes and phrases derived from the show itself.
RumbleTalk is how we elevate a simple website into one of the most carefully curated and awesome listening experiences on the Internet.

RumbleTalk for radio

The advantages of using RumbleTalk for radio are many.

Group chat is a necessary tool for a radio show to optimize listener engagement. With RumbleTalk, radio stations have a flexible platform that is easy to use for both you and your listeners.

You can have separate group chats for each show or one seamless experience throughout, use group chat for instantaneous dialog between show hosts and listeners as well as listener-listener.

Using group chat also captures just how many active listeners the show is reaching as opposed to just passive listeners. These numbers have many useful applications and can be helpful for higher advertising revenue.

And there’s one more thing, RumbleTalk loves radio. This means that as we continue to develop our product we’ll have you in mind and create features tailored especially for radio. That’s a service that just can’t be beat.

Visit our homepage or contact support@rumbletalk.com for more information on how RumbleTalk can improve your listener engagement.

Posted on March 27, 2016October 2, 2016 by Editor

New Feature: More Troll Control

Trolls used to live exclusively under bridges in fairy tales but have since gone on to accomplish great things in the 21st century by establishing a noticeable presence on the world wide web.

Of course, these “great things” are only great in the eyes of a select few.

Trolls are not only a nuisance, but can be completely disruptive to otherwise worthwhile internet conversations. This is why RumbleTalk continues to work on features that help stop trolls from establishing a presence in your group chat.

Viewing a troll’s IP address

Our new feature allows RumbleTalk group chat administrators to view the IP addresses of any online participant.

An IP address is the numeric code that identifies a specific computer or set of computers.

When you are able to see the IP address of an unruly visitor of your group chat, you can then use that IP address to ban the user.

RumbleTalk group chat already has the ability to ban users by their IP address, but this feature is limited to function only when a user is currently logged in. The most adamant trolls can therefore log out to prevent being banned.

Our new feature has been developed as the next building block in the infrastructure to allow group chat administrators to ban trolls by IP addresses.

For now group chat administrators can view the IP address and in the near future administrators will be able to ban the user even if they are not logged in.

How to view an IP address in RumbleTalk group chat

To view the IP address of an unruly user, simply hover over the Ban by IP button in the user’s profile.

hover to see an IP.

Group chat owners and administrators can use the Ban by IP button to ban that user immediately.

While this feature is sure to stop a troll from logging in with that specific connection, it should be noted that the troll could use a different computer or mobile connection to log back in.

Like I said before, trolls have become very good at their new occupation and we’re continuing to work on more features to block them and enhance your RumbleTalk group chat experience.

Posted on March 23, 2016October 2, 2016 by Editor

Hey New Bloggers, Do You Engage Your Audience?

Starting a new blog is a bit like going through puberty. It’s awkward.

With few exceptions, starting a new blog is an awkward and arduous process.

After you’ve designed a great website, linked everything with social media, and written great content… well the result can be a little less than climactic.

The hard truth is that your “baby” blog will not wake up one day and suddenly be an “adult” blog. There are many stages in between.

The stage of increasing traffic and building a loyal audience is what I consider the “puberty” phase. You’re published and are definitely not in the concept stage anymore, but you’re still in the growing stage and not quite able to garner the results you’re aiming for. You’re producing great content, but your readers are slim…

It reminds me of the lyrics from that OneRepublic song that filled my 2013 summer:

Old, but I’m not that old.
Young, but I’m not that bold.

Like I said, it’s an awkward place to be.

Fortunately, there are many tools for both pubescent people and blogs. Thirteen year-olds need acne cream and new blogs need methods to engage an audience.

Understand there’s a difference between traffic and a loyal audience.

Active loyal readers are the bread and butter for long-term blog success.

Traffic is, of course, a huge part of the equation but your loyal readers will be the ones that root for you all the way to the finish line.

I’ve written extensively on research regarding online brand communities. For new bloggers it can be boiled down to this: engage your readers and your reader base will grow. Or don’t, and your readers will spend their time on your competitor’s site just a few clicks away.

There are lots of great resources out there devoted to helping you increase traffic to your site but once the traffic is coming in, what are you doing to keep them there?

And further, what are you going to do to keep them returning?

RumbleTalk is a great option for new bloggers

The simple answer is to engage your audience. But how?

Jon Morrow from the Boost Blog Traffic blog wrote on this topic saying “Email readers who comment on your blog and ask them what they would like to hear more about. Call them on the phone. Schedule a Q&A call, and stay on the line with them for an hour, answering questions.”

Are you thinking this is quite intense? Sure, you are likely to get detailed and helpful responses from the readers that you are able to engage in this manner, but I’m here to tell you there’s a different way.

RumbleTalk group chat allows you to engage your customers while they are on your site and interested in the topic. Not later in an email if you’re lucky enough to actually get their email address.

Seize this moment when both you and your reader are online to ask them if they have any questions, what they like about your content, or what kind of content they are looking for. Discuss the nuances of the subject matter and enjoy the community you are forming.

What research shows is that this kind of personal interaction with a brand causes the consumer to feel invested in the brand community. They become a supporter and promoter just based on the human connection they have with the brand.

This doesn’t mean you have to be online 24/7. There are ways to turn your group chat offline or you could even leave it open for your community to chat among each other.

There are many creative ways new bloggers can use RumbleTalk group chat to engage readers. I’ve wrote about three tactics here.

But, what does that look like?

What better way to show you than with pictures, right? Well actually you can also interact with these on our homepage and sometimes I’ll be there to personally chat too. Go try it!

RumbleTalk group chat can be embedded as a floating icon or directly in a page. What’s cool is that in either case, no matter how many instances you use the chat, the conversation stays the same.

In practice this means your readers can talk to you while browsing your content. You can recommend that they read this post or that, and they will remain engaged.

And don’t forget, engaged readers turn into the loyal following you’re after. Think of these readers as the good people who loved you through all the awkwardness of puberty and always knew you’d grow up to be a mature and dignified blog.

Posted on March 20, 2016October 13, 2021 by Editor