Web Publicity Advice For VFR Programmers
My name is Bill Weye, a member of the Web committee, and the person that is trying to design/program the new VFR Web site. As you can see, the site is not yet finished, but I wanted to both give you a preview of site features and some advice to VFR programmers about how they can best publicize their programs and VFR on the Web.
First, let me tell you about some of plans and possibilities for the new VFR Web site. In addition to a better looking and more developed design, in the not too distant future each collective will have the opportunity to create a Web page of their own, on which the collective can describe their programming. Even more exciting, a representative from each collective will be identified as a “contributor” and have access to edit their collective page.
If you think that’s exciting, I’ve got more good news: these same representatives will be able to write blog posts (you can see them on the site main page as “Latest News”). These posts will appear on both the main page and your collective page. The intention is to give collectives the ability to communicate directly with their audience on the Web and develop new listeners too. As the system is further developed, we’ll keep you informed.
On to my ideas for publicizing your programs . . . Some programs have already taken advantage of the power of the Web by starting their own Web sites. Programs like “Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child,” “Swimming with Sharks,” and “You’re Here” have already set-up their own Web site, which is terrific. If we have missed your program site, let us know.
Starting your own program site is great, but you don’t have to go that far to publicize your program on the Web. There are other ways to communicate the passion you have for your program and VFR — even if you’re a Luddite! For example:
- have you ever thought of making your own business cards with program and VFR info? You can hand these cards out to potential listeners; it’s interesting the life just one business card can have.
- how about including program info in your email signature?
- if you don’t have the technical know-how to podcast, you could offer your listeners an archive of your shows on CD for cost.
- if you frequent Web communities that might be potential listeners, don’t forget to mention your program when appropriate and put a link to VFR in your signature.
- and you can create fliers (ol’ fashion paper!) and distribute them at events where your potential listeners might lurk.
Finally, just a couple of closing notes. We are not advocating that people spam, whether via the Web or posting 10 lbs. of fliers across the Valley. Also, the Web committee, like you, are volunteers; therefore, we can’t really do any of these projects for you, sorry.
The Web committee hopes you found these suggestions helpful; if you have any further suggestions that we might include in a future post, write an email to us. Thanks for spreading the word about VFR.
Tags: commercial-free-radio, Committees, Latest Station News, programmers, Publicity, Web
