Radio advertising has long been a consistent form of advertising, broadcasting media, news, and marketing material to listeners across thousands of stations around the world. Despite the rise of digital strategies, radio still maintains its foothold in the industry, with 93 percent of Americans aged 12 and older tuning in at least once a week. Aside from our own stations’ web streams, there’s the growth of radio smartphone apps, like Pandora, and Spotify.
And streaming radio is on the rise as well; over 54 percent of Americans stream online radio at least once a month, and on-demand audio streams have reached more than 268 billion so far in 2017 ... a 45 percent increase over 2017.
With such a broad user base in markets from coast to coast, radio advertising and branding can be an excellent way to boost ad campaigns and enhance your branding strategies. Your brand can be amplified through your marketing approach, you can watch your sales grow, your brand message spread, and your existing customers come back for more, all without breaking your budget.
Every radio market in the U.S. has dozens of FM and AM channels, ranging from Top 40 to Classic Rock, classical pieces to 24-hour news. Which channels you choose can be an excellent way to target your key audience as well as helping you build a brand identity based on what music or programming you choose to associate with.
While traditional newspaper ad spots, social media marketing, and digital content marketing can be very effective, they cease to give readers an interactive experience that truly defines who you are and what you have to offer.
A radio spot is different.
Radio is about pairing a brand with a voice in a way that allows you to speak openly to your listeners. Rather than seeing your name and associating it with a cleverly worded article, those who’ve heard your radio ad a time or two will build a mental image of your brand based on your voice, attitude, and message.
Many other forms of marketing involve an active audience, like Facebook or Twitter promotions. With a radio ad, all it takes is a push of a button to get your message to listeners' ears. As soon as a station plays your ad, everyone listening passively from employees tuning in at their desks to commuters heading to work will immediately hear what you have to say. There's no need to attempt to grow traffic organically or urge others to share your social media posts; the radio stations you selected will immediately begin distribution without any additional effort on your part.
Most people on the road who aren't going to work or school are running errands, heading to the grocery store or the department store to gather living essentials. When your listeners are already in the purchasing mindset, a message regarding sales or new products is far more likely to make an impact. By aiming your ads at your key audience through station placement and time slots targeted at active shoppers, you have the power to promote your business to those ready to spend.
Making the most of radio advertisement, despite the inherent benefits, depends largely on the ad you create and what it says about your brand identity. In order to help clients make the best possible impact in the radio market, Leighton Broadcasting uses the innovative BrandsFormation system developed by author, speaker, and consultant Chuck Mefford. By incorporating your story into a marketing strategy that encapsulates everything that makes you unique, BrandsFormation aims to transform your business into a household name.
No two channels are exactly alike, but with a great radio ad, strategic placement, and knowledge of how to market your brand identity, you're set up for success in the radio realm.