Even TV shows need to get a lot of exposure, and what better way to get that exposure than online marketing. There are many ways on how marketing can help shows and according to one company “Search engine optimization is something that people usually think of as being for blogs and online stores, but it matters for almost anything with a web presence.”
So if you want to develop a great strategy that will bring more attention this is one way of doing it.
The Gemini Division is a series of short episodes. It’s something that can be enjoyed in little chunks – on public transit on the way to work, during your lunch break, or while you’re chilling out at home. It thrives on online buzz. The makers don’t have the kind of budget that other shows have. They rely on people who are ‘taste makers’ promoting it, and to get that initial buzz they needed to have a strong presence online.
Now, marketing alone wouldn’t help it to grow – because people won’t search for something if they don’t know that it’s out there. But, once you have that core social media presence and you have people posting about it on the most hardcore forums, social media can be a big help.
Electric Farm had an uphill battle getting Gemini Division to be recognized by the networks. Back then, shorts of this type weren’t all that fashionable. They did, however, have the support of some names that are interesting and appealing in the cult TV Show world, so this meant that they had the foundation to attract the more dedicated fans – and those fans were then well positioned to market the show to their friends and grow an audience – as tastemakers do.
They used online marketing to bring in people searching for stars, directors, writers, settings; not just the name of the show. They supported the show through some product placement and advertising, and SEO helped with this as well. Fans notice when someone is clearly talking about products and brands, and having the Cisco or Microsoft association helps for them.
SEO isn’t the only marketing tool, and to be fair for a show like Gemini Division it’s perhaps not even the most valuable tool – but it does contribute a lot regarding ongoing exposure. People like to know if and when episodes will be airing. They want to know about the characters, the writers, and the setting. SEO ensures that the show’s site attracts people, meaning that they have the chance to monetize those visitors instead of them going to a generic TV website.
Promoting a TV series is hard because watching a particular series is not need, and you’re not likely to optimize for “something to watch on TV tonight,” but you can optimize for genre keywords, and pull in people that might be looking for something a little different. The creators did a good job of this, and they themed the show in a clever way so that it was easy to generate buzz.
The world has changed a lot since water-cooler, and bus stop talk turned The X-Files into a mainstream but cult classic. Today, many shows are right memes. Everyone is aware of Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead, even if they aren’t usually interested in those genres. Competing for attention with some of those high production value shows, based on respected franchises of their right, is tough. Short series have a lot to work on with being punchy, concise, and keeping interest from week to week. But it can be done, and the writers of Gemini Division have shown that with the full marketing package is possible to win over demanding viewers.
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