Radio advertising: does it benefit entrepreneurs?

These days, many people think that advertising on the radio makes no sense. But this is a common misconception. Today, more than 60% of our country's residents turn on the radio at least once a day. More than 85% of citizens listen to some radio station every week. And this is a lot. Therefore, this method of advertising is worth considering. But how to make it the most effective?

Theoretical information

Seemingly harmless audio ads can actually have a significant impact on us and our subconscious. An experiment was conducted to confirm this. Participants were asked to iron laundry. At this time, the radio was on in the room. After that, each person was able to recall several sentences from the advertisement they heard. At the same time, the participants did not know that the subject of the experiment was radio advertising. They thought they were testing an iron.

But don't think that using this channel for advertising will double the profitability of your business. This kind of advertising has both disadvantages and advantages, and its own peculiarities.

Reach. Social media can be compared to radio advertising in this respect. But the radio option is a bit easier, as an entrepreneur just has to pay for the service. In the case of social media, you will need to make some efforts.

Target audience. When advertising on a radio station, it will be difficult to target a specific audience. After all, anyone can listen to this or that radio station. But there are also those that are aimed at a specific category of listeners.

Placement options. Today, various tricks are used to ensure that listeners are not distracted during advertising. This helps to make it more effective.

Cost. Surprisingly, radio is more expensive than other channels for advertising. It's easy to see this by comparing prices with other customer acquisition channels.

Types

There are several types of radio advertising, but the most common are only three.

• Direct

Such advertising conveys direct information to listeners. For example: "The stationery store has a new arrival of briefcases. During the week starting August 15, you can buy them at a discount of up to 40%. The store is located at..."

As a rule, this type of advertising is aired in blocks consisting of several commercials in a row. The disadvantage is that this block will contain not only yours, but also other ads. But it also has an advantage. Such ad units are aired regularly throughout the entire time at regular intervals.

Direct response advertising is often used before various in-store sales so that as many people as possible can be informed about the discounts. Another advantage is the unlimited number of repetitions. The more you pay for advertising, the more it will be aired. The most suitable time is in the morning (approximately 7:00-9:30) and evening (17:00-20:00).

The most expensive but most successful time for radio advertising is the so-called prime time. This is the time when the largest number of people listen to a given station. As a rule, this is the time when people are on the road.

• Sponsorship

For example: "The sponsor of the weather forecast on our radio station is a rubber boots store. Fashionable rubber boots will help you to be stylish in any weather. A large assortment is available at ...".

This kind of advertising differs from direct advertising only in the time it is released. The ad will be tied to a particular program sponsored by an entrepreneur. The advertisement will sound several times during the program. As a rule, in the first minutes and before the end. The advantage of sponsored advertising is that it will not get lost among the many videos that will run in the ad unit. This type of advertising is used most often in sections and programs that are most interesting and important to listeners. For example, news, weather forecasts, or traffic warnings.

The most successful time to place sponsored ads coincides with the best time for direct response advertising. In addition, it can be launched during lunch hours (12:00-14:00).

By sponsoring certain programs, you can more accurately select the right audience. For example, a grocery store would benefit from advertising on a radio program about cooking.

• Integration

Example of use: your company sells cars, and you need to embed information about a new model you are selling into the broadcast. Such advertising can be embedded in different ways. For example, a famous actor is a guest on a radio program. In the interview, he is asked a question about what kind of car he owns. After that, he names the brand and model to be mentioned, and as if by accident talks about it.

The advertised product may also be mentioned by the host or a representative of the company. The time of such advertising depends on the rating of the program.
A great way to unobtrusively advertise products is to draw them among listeners in any contest.

Types of radio advertising by type of delivery

• Image.

Here, the goal is to recognize the company. This type of advertising is suitable for those who want to advertise not a specific service or product, but the brand itself. Only large companies are recommended to use this type of advertising.

• Information

This is a traditional type of advertising. It is universal, and the vast majority of advertisers use it. The video contains information about special offers, discounts, prize draws, or new product arrivals.

• Creative

These are commercials that are in any unusual format. For example, in the form of a poem, monologue or dialog. This is where creativity and imagination come into play. This is an ideal advertising option for products that are common among consumers. An interesting form of text that contains intrigue or humor is better remembered and attracts attention. In addition, a humorous or beautiful form of text is more likely to attract consumers.

• Musichna

Here, advertising is a small song. You choose the words and motifs that will stick in a person's memory the most. Music helps to memorize website names and a number of numbers, for example, company phone numbers.

• Jingle

This is advertising that represents a company's slogan or catchphrase. Only very large companies that are already well known and whose products are well-known and popular are recommended to order such advertising. It's just a way to remind people about yourself once again. For lesser-known companies, it is better to choose a type of advertising that will give the consumer more information about the product, the location of the store or office, discounts, etc.

Conclusions

Don't give up on advertising channels just because someone thinks they are outdated. Experiment and track the results, draw conclusions on your own, and derive the formula for the perfect promotion for your business!