Why Should Advertisers Choose Radio?

Radio Broadcasting

Why Should Advertisers Choose Radio?

1. Radio effectively targets audiences

Radio stations and their content are as diversified as the people who listen to them. This gives advertisers the possibility to reach specific audiences at specific times. Since a vast amount of radio stations are local, the radio also allows advertisers to choose where they'd like to advertise as well.

2. Radio is the medium of choice at key times and places throughout the day

Whether you're on your way to work, surfing the net, shopping at the mall or on your way to meet friends, you're probably listening to the radio. Most listeners are usually doing something else while listening to the radio.  It's the only medium that allows you to get your news, music and entertainment while doing something else. This means that people are prone to listen to the radio for more time during the day and more often.

3. Radio has less ad-avoidance than most other mediums

Research indicates that, along with being at the cinema, people are less inclined to avoid watching ads – listeners seldom change stations, and are open to listening to any message that is relevant, creative, entertaining, etc. This is an excellent way to let advertisers reach new customers, or to tell existing customers something they didn’t know.

4. Radio compels listeners to respond, especially online

Radio has always been a powerful ‘call-to-action’ medium, and this attribute has increased exponentially since the internet and the social media revolution have changed the way people communicate. Radio listeners are just a couple of clicks away from being able to interact with their favorite stations and are able to comment on what they're listening to and easily participate in discussions through the station's social media. Furthermore, research indicates that at any given time of the day 20% of people surfing the internet are listening to the radio and are one click away from interacting with a brand.

5. Radio is your 'friend'

People often listen to the radio for emotional reasons – to make them feel happy and energized throughout the day, prevent boredom while stuck in traffic, or lonely while doing their daily chores. The radio is able to keep you company and change your mood, which leads people to perceive the radio as being a sort of 'friend'. This can prove to be quite an effective tool for radio stations and advertisers alike. When a radio broadcaster talks about ‘our friends at Company X’, the listener is hearing a friend talk about a friend – this brings listeners closer to the brand and makes their relationship feel more personal.