What Is Social TV?

What happens in a world where people love watching their TV just as much as they enjoy socializing with others? A beautiful thing is born: Social TV. 

What is Social TV, you may ask, and what is its purpose? Officially, it is a new form of social media that allows viewers to socialize and communicate through their TVs or computers. Unofficially, it is an increasingly popular fad that is making it easier for people to talk about what they are watching in real time.

Social TV aids in “rebuilding audiences”- and you may be familiar with the whole process even though you may not have realized it! It is simply a layman’s term for watching TV and talking to your friends about it online while you’re watching a show. The purpose is to interlink two independent experiences of watching TV and using social media, and intertwining them to create meaningful conversation with others.

For example, when you’re participating in polls about something you’ve seen on TV. Social TV-ing!  Discussing a plot in a forum.  Social TV-ing! Even tweeting or updating your Facebook with an opinion on something you watched. Social TV-ing!  Anything that generates discussion and involves your interacting with others is not only helping to build a show’s audience, it’s using social media for what it is meant for: discussion.

Social TV has one huge advantage: it is a two-way street for added value. Content providers get critiques and praises for their shows; viewers get to talk to others who share the same interests. The best part of Social TV is that it directly benefits YOU, the viewer, so that you can talk about what you want, play games, enter into contests, and give your opinions.

With the content providers directly tuning in to see what you have to say, Social TV lets your voice be heard. As a viewer, that’s all I care about!

Where Should I Go To Participate in the Social TV Experience?

Here are a few of our absolute favorite Social TV websites. Some websites even give you rewards (like stickers!) when you use their site a certain number of times! Get ready to share, engage, and watch!

• GetGlue: http://getglue.com/
• Viggle: http://www.viggle.com/

My next post will go into more depth with Social TV's top sites, so you can get a better idea of how to make your experience the best it can be!