There were thousands upon thousands of conversations taking place around X Factor on Twitter tonight as the show was screened on ITV. Trending topics included the title of the show and the two finalists to face a knockout: Danyl and Miss Frank.
In addition there were 30 to 70 Twitter posts per minute during the show and immediately afterwards tagged #xfactor. These are conversations that are taking place outside the revenue generating phone-in and SMS polling mechanisms that are part of the current show format.
Mainstream media may be fragmenting but big media properties such as Britain’s Got Talent and X Factor can still pull in huge audiences (currently 13 million for X Factor) and generate thousands of conversations. ITV is missing an opportunity. It could be embracing these conversations within its programming.
Here’s are four ways that this could be done:
- IPTV or integrated itv.com applications: conversation platform such as Twitter could be incorporated in live programming as a feedback loop
- X Factor communities: fans of each singer or band could be organised by tribe on the ITV Factor site. These could be montised via ads or affiliate schemes
- Gaming: a tie-up with an organisation such as Paddy Power would enable Twitter users to put their money where their mouth is and place a bet on their favourite to win
- Downloads: the X Factor format is a career making opportunity for each of the finalists. Music downloads of their live performances would engage motivated buyers and provide and a revenue opportunity for both the finalists and ITV
My money? It’s on Stacey Soloman of course. She’s currently second favourite on Paddy Power after Joe McElderry.
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Simon Cowell missing out on even more revenue!!!! pass the hat…. whatever next? the great Big Mac denier eating a Big Mac?
A couple of thoughts. Firstly that twitter and revival of must see ITV that gets 13 milllion viewers to come together on a Saturday night are related. I beleive that there is a connection between social as in micro communities and social as in the national conversation that surrounded soaps and Saturday night TV. After all a big motivator for watching Corrie was being able to discuss it with quite a small group of people at work in the morning essentially twitter just allows you to do this real time. So my second point which is that there must be money in this real time experience for these kind of ‘super bowl’ appointments just not sure how so will mull on it.
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