Radio advertising is one of the most effective means of reaching your target audience with your brand messaging. For instance, a radio show can typically reach a much larger audience than a print ad in a local or regional newspaper.
In addition, radio listeners are often more attentive to published ads compared to television viewers — especially if they’re tuning in to hear a favorite program or radio personality.
However, there are several choices that you have to make before running any radio ad — some of which are not mutually exclusive and have a middle ground that you can explore.
1. Lead Generation vs. Brand Awareness
It’s essential to determine the main objective of your radio ad. For example: is it to generate more leads for your sales pipeline? Or is it to expose more listeners to your brand?
There are pros and cons for each option. Ads focused on lead generation are often easier to measure in terms of ROI (after all, you just need to count the number of new leads coming in vs. your original baseline).
On the other hand, if your business is not yet well-known among your target audience, it may be best to focus on brand awareness ads that will familiarize consumers with your company.
2. High Frequency vs. Low Frequency Ads
Another strategic choice you’ll need to make is how often to run your radio ads. The more frequently an ad runs, the more likely it will make an impression on your listeners. One suggestion is to broadcast an advertisement at least three times per day, each day of the week (which equates to your ad being heard by the average listener roughly three times per week).
However, you don’t want your ad to “overstay its welcome” with your listeners. Too much exposure to an ad could cause listeners to become annoyed — which is not the kind of feeling you want them to associate with your brand! Plus, the more frequently an ad runs, the more expensive it will be.
3. Single Channel vs. Multi-Channel Campaigns
In a multi-channel marketing campaign, radio is only one of several channels which are used to achieve a unified goal (e.g., to drive more organic traffic to your website).
As an example of a multi-channel campaign, think of car insurance spots that encourage listeners to call a toll-free number or visit a website for a quote. Online display ads and print ads can feature the same message.
Whether you combine radio with TV commercials, social media posts, or search engine marketing, you can generally expect better results from a multi-channel campaign vs. a single-channel one. Multi-channel campaigns allow you to reach the largest and broadest possible audience with the same call to action across all media.
4. Sponsorship vs. Live Read vs. Advertising Spot
You’ll have to make this fundamental choice in the radio industry. Let’s break down what each term means and the benefits you can get from it:
- Sponsorships. These typically refer to prerecorded messages that go on air during — and are associated with — a particular program. Sponsored ads are advantageous because they help identify your brand with that radio show or host, resulting in a more favorable impression among your target listeners.
- Live reads. As the name implies, these are live ads that radio hosts read on air to their audience. While a bit more “intrusive” than sponsorships, these ads often pack more punch since they are delivered live.
- Advertising spots. Advertisers buy these time slots without necessarily associating themselves with a specific radio show. A significant benefit of ad spots is the freedom to choose precisely when you want your ad to be heard (e.g., the top, middle, or bottom of the hour).
5. High-Traffic vs. Low-Traffic Timing
Finally, you’ll also need to consider the timing of your radio ads. Specific hours are almost guaranteed to have a higher percentage of listeners (for instance, 5-7 pm on weekdays). Of course, you’ll also have to pay a higher price to land a high-traffic slot. Low-traffic slots have less reach but are more affordable.
It also depends heavily on your target audience. Your ads have to play while they are listening.
Should Your Radio Strategy Take the Middle Road?
The good thing about some of these choices is that they’re not mutually exclusive.
For instance, you may be able to deliver a live-read ad and buy an advertising spot during the same program’s runtime.
Of course, navigating these strategic choices can be difficult if you don’t specialize in radio advertising strategy. However, help is near at hand. Learn more about the intersection of radio ads and digital marketing by contacting our experts at Mid-West Family Springfield today.
