Watching television has always been a social experience. Traditionally, family and friends would gather around the TV set to watch and discuss what they were viewing together. In today's digital world it's clear that TV continues to drive conversation, the difference being that there are now millions of viewers flocking to social media to share thoughts about the content they're consuming.
There is great potential for broadcasters and brands to tap into what their audiences are sharing and incorporate that content as part of their programming or advertising. It could be in the form of social commentary in a lower third, contextually-relevant Instagram photos, social video, or a live Twitter or Facebook poll where you can get real-time audience feedback and display the results live in your segment.
At never.no we are often asked Why?'. Why should networks invest in a solution to integrate user-generated-content into their workflow? There are many benefits from increased viewership and dwell time to commercialisation.
Here are just some of the ways broadcasters are benefitting from making their programming and advertising interactive.
TV Fosters Emotional Connections that Lead to Social Engagement A report by the Video Advertising Bureau (VAB) explores the close relationship between TV and social engagement. The report, appropriately named #TVisSocial, found that ad-supported TV programs make up 84% of the top trending Twitter topics during primetime.
Why is it that people are compelled to engage socially about the content they're watching? VAB puts it well:
Because TV consistently creates and captures moments that are exciting, entertaining, humorous, enlightening, uplifting, aspirational, inspirational and educational...moments that people almost immediately share and talk about online.
With the vast majority of TV viewing being watched live,' the scale and engagement of ad-supported TV creates and captures real-time' moments in a way that no other platform can. These moments are further amplified by passionate viewers through social media communities.
Regardless of whether a show is live or pre-recorded, there's a desire to watch as live'/non-time-shift. Particularly certain programs like sporting events, entertainment programs or popular reality shows that people wouldn't dare miss tuning in to for risk of encountering spoilers.
TV content fosters emotional connections that encourage audiences to engage. Online conversations are often driven by the shared experiences viewers have around relatable topics. By rewarding viewers and including some of that social feedback in programming, or having it influence the editorial, it can further boost the relationship and loyalty of the audience.
Drive Viewership Encouraging your audience to share content with you through Tweets, Instagram photos, live polls etc. is a great way to add interactivity to your programming. People appreciate having the opportunity to have their voices heard or have their few seconds of fame. We've also seen that it can drive viewership - for example, Irish broadcaster RTE asked the audience to help them decide on Ireland's Greatest Sporting Moment. The format was driven by votes and comments shared live across social platforms and resulted in the show trending on social media and an increase in viewing share.
Increase Dwell Time If viewers know they could see their message or photo on air they'll be more likely to stay tuned in. A project with USA Network involved fans submitting a photo via Instagram or Twitter for a chance to appear in show promos. The socially-enhanced promos attracted more viewers and extended dwell time by 4 minutes compared to traditional spots.
Grow Social Audiences A TV ad campaign for Oykos yoghurt is a great example of how capturing an audience with a call-to-action to participate can increase social audience and activity. Viewers were enthusiastic to share photos of themselves and a message about why they should feature in the campaign to Facebook for chance to be on TV. As a result, the brand saw thousands of entries, shares and likes. The interactive campaign also resulted in them growing their Facebook audience by 30%.
Bridge the Gap Between TV & Digital Audience interactivity bridges the gap between traditional TV and digital. Networks have the opportunity to leverage the power of both to reach audiences across platforms. For example, UKTV drove social audiences to the TV broadcast with Twitter Reminders. Using program handles or hashtags can create awareness and encourage social users to tune in to the TV broadcasters.
Social TV Activity Drives Ad Response Multitasking and social interactivity isn't a distraction to your audience. Giving viewers the chance to participate in discussions, influence the show's editorial or have their content showcased can be powerful for commercial partnerships.
Researchers from Indiana University and Emory University have addressed the question Does live Tweeting while watching TV distract from the ads?'. Their findings show that advertisers can see a boost in online shopping and ad responsiveness when TV audiences engage in social media activity while watching certain programs.
Benefits for Advertisers As well generating incremental revenue, there are exciting opportunities for sponsors to get on board with interactive campaigns.
Channel 4 and PlayStation ran a live social ad competition during Gogglebox. Viewers were shown game footage then asked to answer a question by Tweeting their response with the hashtag #PlayStationLive. There was a huge flurry of entries as people Tweeted their answers in the 5-minute window, making #PlayStationLive a trending hashtag across Europe that night.
Another example is how Lexus increased their brand favourability by 22% with socia
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/07/2026
Zixi, a leader in live video delivery and workflow orchestration, and Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) today announced a strategic new integration to deliver ...
16/07/2026
Blackmagic Design Cameras Capture Immersive Flight for New Cirrus App
Brie Clayton July 15, 2026
0 Comments
Leader in Personal Aviation taps URSA Cin...
16/07/2026
XenData Announces LTO Archive Appliances with both File and S3 Object Storage In...
15/07/2026
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is a big deal for DAZN, which has distribution rights in three markets: Italy, Spain, and Japan. Each requires a different editorial app...
15/07/2026
As sports-media organizations manage rapidly growing content libraries and incre...
15/07/2026
HBS director of digital Johannes Franken talks SVG Europe through the operation built to serve FIFA World Cup 2026 rights holders remotely from Stratford, east ...
15/07/2026
IBC has unveiled the conference program for IBC2026, with this year's event ...
15/07/2026
Software-defined wideband RF platform supports 96-kHz monitoring, streamlined fr...
15/07/2026
New AI-powered module enables broadcasters and content owners to extract dialogu...
15/07/2026
Weeklong gathering at EBU headquarters will test new IPMX capabilities and expand certified product ecosystem...
15/07/2026
Force Tech has announced the appointment of Bryan Adams, CTS, as Vice President of Integration. Adams will oversee AV and broadcast integration project delivery...
15/07/2026
USA Sports has announced an exclusive English-language agreement with the Bundes...
15/07/2026
ITV Sport's FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage has been produced from one of the m...
15/07/2026
Program will provide professional camera kits, training, and technical support to participating local newsrooms...
15/07/2026
San Francisco church becomes first U.S. deployment of the 2 M/E production switcher...
15/07/2026
Former ESPN and NFL Network executive to advise startup league on media, distribution, technology, and fan engagement...
15/07/2026
The Houston-based RSN is the live-game home of the Astros and Rockets...
15/07/2026
Launched alongside new FreqSoft installer
Designed to bridge the gap between hardware and software, Freqport's FreqInOut FO1 unit provides a simple way ...
15/07/2026
Save up to 55% on software until 23 July 2026
Expressive E have just launched their Summer Offer sale, with discounts of up to 55% now applied across their ...
15/07/2026
Real-time stem-separation tool updated
zplane have recently released a new and improved version of their real-time stem-separation plug-in which they say ma...
15/07/2026
A new benchmark in bass enhancement
Described as a new benchmark in bass enhancement , Baby Audio's latest release has been designed to augment the lo...
15/07/2026
DMC Production's AR 1 and AR 2 units reverse the conventional OB workflow, keeping all production-critical processing at the venue while operators work remo...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
GigaCloud, a leading Ukrainian cloud service provider, and Cubbit, the first geo-distributed cloud storage enabler, today announced a new Business Alliance Part...
15/07/2026
SMPTE, the global society for media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has announced the launch of the SMPTE 110th Anniversary Campaign, a fundraising...
15/07/2026
Studio Technologies, a leading manufacturer of high-quality audio, video, and fiber-optic solutions, unveils the new StudioComm Model 762 Stereo Level Control, ...
15/07/2026
COW Jobs: Producer, Virtual Events - Hybrid, Full Time, Salaried
Brie Clayton July 15, 2026
0 Comments
Producer, Virtual Events (Hybrid | Full-time | ...
15/07/2026
Brazilian media organization builds nationwide CDN with Broadpeak's high-performance software for low-latency streaming and new content distribution service...
15/07/2026
DHD announces a new utility designed to increase the efficiency of its audio mixing systems during initial installation and subsequent configuration.
Anyone w...
15/07/2026
BCNEXXT Brings Next-Generation Vipe to IBC2026, Breaking the 1:1 Channel-to-Server Ratio New innovations liberate broadcasters from legacy playout infrastructur...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/07/2026
General-purpose robots and autonomous machines are moving from research labs to ...
15/07/2026
Wednesday 15 July 2026
Screeners and press pack now available: Gomorrah: The Or...
15/07/2026
Trinity's Treasures features Ruth Negga, Eleanor McEvoy, and David Norris, a...
15/07/2026
Join geographer Dr Susan Hegarty, Engineer Tim Joyce and Architect Orla Murphy a...
15/07/2026
Home to leading manufacturers, robotics pioneers, infrastructure builders and iconic gaming companies, of course, Japan is one of the world's centers of AI ...
14/07/2026
South end zone videoboard, cloud-based control system will be ready for 2026 football season...
14/07/2026
Redesigned website, enhanced mobile app unify content, ticketing, and personalized fan engagement...
Watching television has always been a social experience. Traditionally, family and friends would gather around the TV set to watch and discuss what they were viewing together. In today's digital world it's clear that TV continues to drive conversation, the difference being that there are now millions of viewers flocking to social media to share thoughts about the content they're consuming.
