The past 10 years technology has picked up its pace by leaps and bounds unveiling new products and technological advances at a faster pace than ever before. Watching television has become a far more interactive experience using smart phones, apps and tablets. As a blogger, it is crucial I network with other bloggers and social media users. I have mastered a technique to grow my audience of followers by appealing to the same likes of others users and use it to my advantage. In one month I gained over 2,000 followers on Twitter by simply live tweeting during popular shows using various hashtags, mentions and replying to user’s tweets. By utilizing my Smartphone and iPad to access both Twitter and apps made by the network shows, I engage other users who are watching the show by live tweeting my thoughts, monumental quotes, what’s happening, and other various commentary. The more genuine the tweet the more response and activity you will see impressions on. By using my humor and sarcasm to tweet, I notice users retweet and favorite more than if I keep it nice, friendly and clean. This proves that television shows and networks have a huge active following that want to participate in the show and its action.

Networks and television shows have also noticed this fan interaction and have created show apps. By downloading the app you can live tweet or Facebook post with the given hashtag and mention, to participate in conversations with directors, writers and even cast members from various shows. The show often pulls interactions and streams them during the show. For example, Bravo Network’s Watch What Happens Live host Andy Cohen will stream tweets during his live show and ask guests questions that twitter users have tweeted him during the show. This encourages fans and viewers to interact with the host and show via social media. Other networks have tapped into this same technology such as ABC Family; most of the talent shows have apps with the similar features and the capability to cast your votes for your favorite contestant. American Idol, The Voice and So You Think You Can Dance have all embraced this feature and had amazing success and feedback from users.

I live tweet while watching my favorite shows all the time. As a blogger and marketing guru it is a new way to find new followers, impressions and if done right, you can even cross promote at the same time. For instance bloggers often partner with companies or become affiliates with referral codes. While watching and live tweeting your favorite or popular shows that are trending on social media you can use the popularity of the hashtag to your advantage by composing a relevant post and add your affiliate link plus the hashtag. You have now tapped into a market that you may ave missed otherwise.

Upcoming technology that is slowly attracting television networks and users enables an app for users to “check in” the shows they are currently watching to earn points that can be redeemed for products, gift cards, vacations, merchandise and more depending on what is available. The app listens to your television and asks you to confirm the show it thinks you are watching. Users then begin earning points for each minute they are checked in to that show. Some shows are featured and users will earn more points for watching those shows. Users can watch commercials using the app to earn more points, set reminders for featured shows, also earning points. Shows that have partnered up with Viggle can choose to host an interactive quiz through the app that runs while watching the show. By participating in live trivia you earn more points by being checked in and correctly answering quiz questions right. Apps like Viggle create an even more engaged audience and rewards users for watching participating programming.

Live television shows have an advantage when it comes to new technology. Users love to watch shows that are live and raw, by integrating social media and apps to engage your users in live time you can create a community. Take for instance, Big Brother on CBS. They air three episodes a week only one of which is live. However, by creating an app, live online feeds and Big Brother After Dark live feeds that air every day for two hours every evening during the season they entice viewers to continue watching thus creating a super fan. If they can then convert thatsuper fan to a paid subscriber they then make even more money just for fans to gain access to even more raw, unseen footage. Big Brother’s official hashtag for the last season was #BB15 and consistently found themselves on Twitter’s trending list daily. Big Brother and CBS has developed a Big Brother app, voting for various game decisions such as what the “have nots” will eat for the week, Game punishments, Most Valuable Player, America’s Favorite and other various audience controlled votes. This feature gives users the ability to contribute to the game and potentially sway the game and their favorite house guests one way or another.

Having experience in social media, television and technology trends, it is crucial for television shows and networks to embrace social media and its users by creating a very engaging experience with the user. If users feel that they have input or a voice in their favorite program, they are far more likely to continue watching and recommend it to their friends on top of share across their various social media networks, only furthering a networks reach capability for more impressions and not pay for such expensive advertising.

Do you utilize live tweeting while watching television?