Currently, audio is having its moment in the spotlight. 176 million US consumers listen to this content weekly, and this figure has increased by seven million compared to listenership in 2020. 

Additionally, of all daily time spent listening to audio content, 41% of it is spent listening to the radio.

If that hasn’t already convinced you to place your ads on this medium, then keep reading!

media update’s Taylor Goodman looks at three reasons why radio is the best place for advertisers to be. 

Let’s get into it!

1. Audio is growing in popularity 

As stated above, audio content is currently thriving. The medium’s growing popularity can be attributed, partially, to the pandemic. 

During lockdown, radio offered people a means of information surrounding the lockdown period, entertainment and connection to their peers. 

Because audio is such an emotive medium, radio presenters were able to connect with their audience, inspiring feelings of closeness and trust in listeners. This was something they craved during periods of isolation. Additionally, it provided free entertainment and factual, regular news updates. 

Although some may think that radio is a dying medium, the pervasive nature of smartphones in consumers’ everyday lives can be attributed to the surge in radio usage over the last year. 

This is because users can now access AM / FM frequencies from anywhere. It has expanded past its car-only domain (which is great because we don’t tend to sit in traffic anymore!).

2. You can’t skip ads on the radio 

Advertisers, have you considered that listeners can’t skip ads on the radio? You may be thinking ‘duh’, but this is the exact reason why this is the perfect medium for you to advertise on!  

Radio allows you to deliver simple but concise messaging to a large group of people all at once. And unlike social media advertising, there’s no way to skip the ad in order to ‘get on with the show’. 

With people going to great lengths to avoid ads (we’re talking to you, ad blockers), radio offers a window of opportunity that is almost too good to miss out on. You are unavoidable during that brief period, so make it count. 

You can maximise the effectiveness of your advert by:  
  • having a clear call to action. An example of this could be advertising a limited time offer or sale. 
  • including simple messaging that will grab the listener’s attention
  • clearly stating the next step that the listener would have to follow. This could be,  ‘visit our website for more info,’ for example.
  • including repetition of keywords and phrases relating to your business. This will help you to keep your brand top of mind. 

3. Radio advertising is cost-effective

When it comes to traditional forms of advertising, like print or television, radio is the most cost-effective option. Why? Well, a lot less goes into producing these ads than a television or print ad. 

Because you only have to worry about the advert’s dialogue and sound production, you are saving money on hiring a crew to assist with creating visual content. For this reason, it is cheaper and more straightforward to create a radio ad.

Due to their cost-effective nature, it would be a good way for you to diversify your marketing strategy.

This doesn't have to be your sole form of advertising, but if you’re thinking of taking an omnichannel approach, this can be a simple yet effective way to grow brand awareness. 

Do you enjoy listening to the radio? Why or why not? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below.

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Want to learn more about the benefits of radio? Then check out our article, Radio: A relationship medium
*Image courtesy of Vecteezy