In Futuri Mobile apps, users can submit short audio messages to the radio station using the Open Mic feature. Read on to learn how to use this popular feature to drive more audience engagement.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- How Users Can Submit Open Mic Audio
- Managing Open Mic Submissions in the Studio
- Customizing the Open Mic Page of Your App
- Getting Creative with Open Mic
Customizing Your Open Mic Page
In Control Room, you can customize the Open Mic experience to align with your station's overall brand.
To rename Open Mic, go to Customize Text > Open mic title and give it your own creative label.
Then, navigate to Open Mic Customization for additional options.
- Open Mic description: Here you can create a custom prompt to help your listeners understand how to engage with the station using Open Mic. There is no character limit for this field but a scroll bar will be added if there is ample text to display within the app.
- Open Mic Example mp3: Upload an audio file to showcase an example of what you want your listeners to say in their Open Mic submissions. Your example could sound something like this: "Hi, this is _______, and I want to hear..."
- Legal Text & URL: Optionally, you can choose to display a legal disclaimer or link explaining how their audio will be used.
- Notify email upon upload: If you would like to be notified each time an open mic is submitted, enter your email address(es) here.
The following Open Mic items can be configured by emailing Futuri VIP Support:
- The text of the confirmation message that displays after a listener submits an Open Mic.
- The maximum length of Open Mic submissions (default is 10 seconds)
Listener Submission
Listeners will follow your custom prompt to record and submit audio right within the app. When a listener submits an Open Mic, they can sign up to receive an email or text from the radio station when that Open Mic audio is about to air.
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Managing Open Mic Submissions in the Studio
Once an Open Mic has been submitted, it can be viewed in the Futuri Control Room under Open Mics > Manage Open Mics.
NOTE: If you need a login for your Futuri Control Room that has simple "jock-level" permissions (i.e. can access features like Open Mic but can't make advanced configuration changes to your app), please contact Futuri VIP Support for such credentials.
For each Open Mic, you will be able to preview the audio in the browser or download an m4a or mp3 version of the submission. We recommend using the download option before playing the audio back on the air to prevent potential problems caused by momentary internet connectivity.
You will also be able to add notes to each Open Mic so that teams can work together to mark submissions, specific requests, or other notes.
If a user has signed up to receive an alert when his/her Open Mic plays, the submission will be listed with the user's name, service (i.e., Email/SMS), and contact information.
To send an Open Mic alert, click Send Messages under Actions next to that Open Mic. You will be presented with a form to send the message.
Some service-specific notes about sending Open Mic Alerts:
- Email: You can set a "from" address. You may either use a plain email address or the format: Your Name.
- SMS: If your message is over 160 characters, it may be split into multiple messages with each part prefixed with a part marker, e.g. 1/2, 2/2. We recommend keeping your message brief.
Getting Creative with Open Mic
Most often, Open Mic is used as a way to request songs, and jocks play that audio as an introduction to that song the next time it plays. News/Talk stations (and morning shows of any format) typically use Open Mic to solicit feedback on topics that are being discussed on air.
This feature can be used for contesting as well, as you'll hear in the examples below.
WPYO-FM in Orlando used Open Mic to give away Justin Timberlake concert tickets during their morning show (audio below).
KKBQ-FM in Houston also used Open Mic for a karaoke contest, and gave their winners front-of-the-line passes to audition for The Voice!
GHQ, the student station at the University of Florida, used their Futuri Mobile app's Open Mic feature for a Valentine's promotion they called "GHQutie," where users sent each other Valentine's shout-outs with Open Mic, and GHQ played them back on the air. The station also heavily pushed the ability for users to be alerted when their GHQutie shout-out was about to play, driving tune-ins back to the radio station!
