A recent study from iHeartMedia found that 90% of Gen Z radio listeners say hearing radio together sparks conversations.
iHeart concludes that radio can serve as a “cultural meeting place” that provides “community, conversation, and shared experiences.” The research is pointing to something important. But there's an important distinction buried in that conclusion.
Giving people something to connect over isn't the same as connecting them
One of iHeart's big takeaways from the research is: “Gen Z doesn't just want content. They want belonging.”
The study backs that up. According to iHeart, 92% of Gen Z says nothing can replace human connection. But where are the conversations sparked by radio actually happening?
Often, they're happening in a car with friends or family. In this example, iHeart provides the content. Ford or Toyota provides the space. Without that space, the connection doesn't happen.
But providing the content alone is like handing somebody a lemon and telling them they can make lemonade. You've provided one ingredient, but not everything they need.
Connection requires a space, and you can't create a space with content alone.
Not every space is designed for community
Of course, iHeart does provide physical spaces where its audience can gather. It produces concerts, festivals, and other live events. But simply putting a lot of people in the same place doesn't necessarily create community. Some events are designed to build audiences, not communities.
An easy way to tell is to look at which way the chairs are facing.
When the chairs are all pointed in one direction, like towards a stage or screen, your event is designed for an audience to consume content. When the chairs are pointed at each other, like around a coffee table or campfire, your event is designed to create connections.
Radio gives people something to connect over. That isn't the same as giving them the proper environment to connect.
Your content can give thousands of people something in common without giving any of them a way to find each other. They remain members of an audience.
Content can be the starting point for community
If you've built an audience around your content, you've already attracted people who have something in common. The next step is giving them somewhere to connect with each other.
Community starts when you create a space that provides opportunities for them to connect with each other. That space might be an in-person event, a virtual gathering, an online group, or another environment where people can interact and build relationships.
The relationship changes from Creator → Fan to Member ↔ Member.
Once people can connect with each other, they can develop meaningful relationships. They can answer questions, share experiences, make introductions, collaborate, or simply enjoy being together. You no longer have to provide everything that makes the community valuable.
What if you provided the space?
iHeart's research suggests that people are hungry for connection. What could happen if you gave your audience a space to connect?
The Community Roadmap Challenge, starting October 5th, will help you figure out what that space could look like.
Over the course of a week, we'll figure out:
- Whether your community space should be virtual, in-person, or a combination of the two
- Why people would come back to it time and again
- How you could generate revenue from your community
- Whether building a community makes sense for your organization
This is the last time I'll run the Community Roadmap Challenge this year, so if you've been wondering what community could look like for your organization, now is the time to find out.
Join the Community Roadmap Challenge
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