Constructive feedback can help overcome the “overconfidence bias” that you’re doing just fine, if not phenomenal, and that everyone loves what you do.
You may quickly discover that there are many aspects of the show you may be overlooking. Correcting them can get you more listeners and dynamically improve your content.
On the other hand…
…good reviews, shares, likes, and five-star ratings can positively portray your content to potential listeners. Everyone fears missing out on the hit podcast, TV, or radio show that everyone is saying good things about!
Getting feedback is easier said than done. But don’t worry; we’re here to show you the steps you can follow to get feedback for your internet radio show on directories, social media, and even fan mail. The same advice is applicable to podcasts. So, hop on the bandwagon, and let’s go:
Quick Reasons Why Feedback Is Important
● Know what listeners like, what aspects of the show they resonate with, favorite topics, or best host qualities
● Get a feel of their dislikes, major contentions, or least favorite topics
● Become familiar with who listens to your station. Their backgrounds, demographics, locations, or experience
● Respond, engage, and connect with fans who care about you
● Improve, and learn from constructive feedback to become better at your content.
● Catch mistakes before they blow out such as poor song rotation, not enough hits, or a stale playlist
● Smash the ego trap that stops you from seeing the mistakes you’re making.
Moving on, let’s see the techniques and tips you can implement to gain feedback.
5 Tips to Earn You More Honest Feedback
Before looking at the tips that you can use to collect more feedback for your internet radio or podcast, let’s ask the why question:
“Why do happy listeners detest leaving feedback?”
Well, it’s not mandatory.
They may be shy, not wanting to express their mind.
Too polite! Too polite to offer constructive criticism.
Actually, people who have had bad experiences are twice and even thrice more likely to leave angry reviews than their counterparts.
Your goal is to encourage more listeners out of their shells. And overpower the inertia they experience every time they see the feedback or comments section.
Okay then, let’s go:
1) Be specific with your request
The child asks for a loaf of bread, not sustenance.
If you have an internet radio station, in particular, you can get feedback on various program items. But most stations will just say: “If you have a comment, feedback, or complaint, call xxx-xxx-xxx.”
The point is: Make your request for feedback more specific.
For instance, this is a more precise request. “Hope you had a lovely morning with us. Before you go, help us improve. We would like feedback on our Morning Show.
2) Tell them how to leave feedback
Before telling them how to leave feedback, you require mechanisms to capture it. Here are some options to consider:
● Phone number: This can be a direct line to the programming team.
● Email: Ask listeners to email your customer. support email.
● Third-party review sites: These days, you can find radio reviews on independent review sites such as TrustPilot. If a thread has cropped up around your radio, you can claim it and control the conversation.
● Online feedback page: Create a dedicated feedback page on your website, and ask web visitors to leave their feedback there.
● Feedback platforms: You can use a dedicated platform for collecting feedback in one central place and running surveys.
● Social media comments: Put yourself out there and ask for feedback right from your social media pages.
3) Encourage, encourage, encourage
Once you know the type of feedback you want and how to collect it, the next process is quite easy. Just repeat your request as many times as you can.
Make it easy by creating a spoken announcement, sweeper, that you play regularly even between songs or breaks that informs listeners how to share their feedback.
Get the hosts involved too. It may be more meaningful if listeners get the request from their favorite personalities. As always, the messaging must be consistent, even across channels.
4) Use incentives
Incentives are extrinsic motivators that promote a certain behavior or action. Your goal is to get people to share honest and helpful feedback that you can use to improve your podcast or station. Give listeners giveaways, free contest entries, follow-backs, merch, jackpots, etc.
5) Make them feel valued, say how feedback helped you improve
Imagine this, people give their hearts out responding to your call for feedback. But in response, you don’t really heed their advice. Instead, you continue operating like everything is fine. The best you can do instead is to recognize the feedback that you’ve received. Have a session talking about areas of improvement, and say how you’re improving.
Ways to use your feedback - Just the Obvious Really
Wondering how to use your feedback? Basically, there are two ways:
1) The first way is to improve on your weak areas
For instance, here are some grueling reviews leveled against a radio station, How would you respond if you were at the helm of things:
“This radio station is so bad they repeat the same songs every day.”
“ Capital is one of the worst radio stations I have ever listened to. It’s like they’re being held at gunpoint and being forced to play the same 4-5 songs all day, every day.”
“I used to listen to this radio a lot and enjoyed it, but now it's just non-stop repeats that make me go crazy.”
2) The second way is to use positive feedback as a force of good. That means showing it off
If you have a website, you can source and highlight the positive things people have said about your station. Use a widget to embed the positive ratings on your homepage. Get fans to give shoutouts to your podcast or radio station, and include them as part of your exciting show intros, or intertwine them with the rest of the show promos.
All things said
So, all things said, feedback shows you things you have overlooked and how you can perform better. You get criticism, allowing you to make important decisions that take you to the top.