³ÉÈËÂÛ̳

Billions of people are using chat apps. Can brand owners and broadcasters make themselves part of these private conversations? And should they?

The ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ World Service, the Weather Company USA and youth-led creative network Livity have been exploring ways to engage with these hard-to-reach audiences.

This podcast explores how organisations are using short animated images such as gifs as well as chatbots - computer programmes which simulate conversations with humans - to become part of the conversation in private spaces.

Communications on these text, email or instant messaging apps is referred to as 'dark social' because, unlike a Facebook share or a retweet, it’s harder for brands and broadcasters to see what’s going on ‘in the dark’.

In this podcast you'll learn:

• how big-name brands are using ‘dark social’ to promote themselves
• what the Weather Channel learnt from audience interactions with its chatbot
• about the insight the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ World Service gained from its first attempt to deliver original journalism via a chat app

This podcast is presented by Charles Miller, editor of the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Academy blog. He's joined by ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ World Service assistant editor Vladimir Hernandez, series-producer of Young, Angry and Connected, a story of political activism in Africa and the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳'s first WhatsApp journalism project.

Also on the panel are Alan Bryant, a planner and strategist at Livity, which helps organisations reach young people, and Domenic Venuto, general manager of consumer products at the Weather Company in the US.

Find out more about ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Academy:
Website – www.bbc.co.uk/academy
Facebook – www.facebook.com/bbcacademy
Twitter – www.twitter.com/bbcacademy

Show less