Currently airing its 13th season, American Idol has partnered with Google and Facebook to allow for easier voting and for viewers to see real-time voting progress based on East Coast time data.
According to The Next Web, in a TV industry first, American Idol has partnered with Google to allow viewers to vote for their favorite contestant through the search engine using their desktop, phone or computer. The hit singing competition has also teamed up with Facebook to promote real time progress updates in users’ newsfeeds based on real-time East Coast information.
To access the voting feature through Google, the at-home audience will simply visit google.com during the voting period, search any “Idol” related terms and select their favorite contestant or contestants. Voters will have multiple votes they can give to any contestant they wish and can also vote for more than one of the singers. They will then submit their votes and watch the live results show to see who will continue on in the competition. This feature will give viewers now five different ways to vote for their favorites singers: Google Search, text messaging, AmericanIdol.com, the show’s app and toll-free calling.
Another unprecedented partnership involves American Idol and Facebook teaming up to bring viewers live updates. Using East Coast based voting data, Facebook will promote images showing a variety of voting trends and data. At-home viewers will be given a look at information like demographic voting trends and relative contestant rankings as they happen in real-time.
With ratings slipping and American Idol’s longtime partnership with AT&T coming to an end after 12 seasons, audiences were beginning to wonder if the once unstoppable show was losing its magic. This new partnership gives watching American Idol a whole new dimension. While this type of partnership is unique for all parties involved, it most likely will not be the last.