NBC Digital Goes Social With MyNBC
- by Gavin O'Malley @mp_gavin, May 15, 2007
The community initiative, dubbed MyNBC, is part of a larger effort by the ailing network to boost its digital offerings for consumers and advertisers. Nearly all of NBC's properties will get additional online attention, including "360 degree" experiences for "Heroes" and "The Office."
"We are allowing our users to interact with their favorite shows on a deeper level, and are providing full immersion in our content," explained Jeff Gaspin, president, NBC Universal Cable and Digital Content.
NBC is certainly not the first media company to follow the lead of MySpace and embrace social networking to grow audience participation.
USA Today, for one, recently succeeded in boosting traffic by an impressive 380% in just over a month by adding social networking features to its site. Through the use of video, blogs, dynamic content-sharing and recommendation tools, the Gannett-owned publisher also managed to boost unique visitor rates by 21% since February, according to Nielsen//NetRatings.
Beginning this fall, fans of "The Office" will be able to engross themselves within the show's world by creating their own company branches online and completing weekly "corporate tasks." The show's producers will also make original content available over multiple platforms.
Also this fall, NBC.com plans to host behind-the-scenes "virtual tours" of shows, their sets, and their production processes. In another gimmick, users can register online for an NBC "Talent Scout" game, in which they gain access to three top "casting agencies" to create their own dream team of NBC talent. When any of their stars perform a trademark phrase or action, the online "agent" earns commission in the form of points.
Along with additions to its existing Web-exclusive content, NBC.com will also debut a Web-exclusive soap opera named "Coastal Dreams."
Digital add-ons will support returning programs, including "30 Rock," "Deal or No Deal," Las Vegas," and "ER," among others.
