Digital streaming seems like a new hope for radio, but it’s not a sure thing for your money. Every radio broadcast company wants to create alternative and additional revenue channels. “Streaming” their signal on the Internet is one way they hope to capture more listeners and, by extension, more of your advertising dollars. They might promise huge increases of listeners on their streaming service. At best, digital streaming can be a great addition to your overall advertising package.
Radio = Best Bang for Your Buck
Even in the digital age, good ol’ fashioned radio advertising still gives you the best value. I’ve purchased radio advertising for clients for more than 45 years. During that time, I’ve done business with Clear Channel, Cumulus, Saga, Cox, CBS, Townsquare and many other radio broadcast companies. Despite what radio station reps might say, I haven’t seen any station that has successfully monetized their digital services such as websites, email, texts, or even streaming.
The champ of listener impressions is still radio. It’s the first media people are exposed to when they get into their cars. It’s also what they hear on the way to whatever they’re doing, and it’s what relates to them in terms of age, gender, and other demographics. When putting your buy together, focus on radio and consider things such as digital streaming as an extra.
Research tells us that the average consumer is exposed to more than 150 ad messages a day. They bombard people through TV, email, and social media. You can go to the heart of daily consumer activity with most of your ad spend upon radio spots.
Radio is Not a “Silver Bullet”
Radio advertising doesn’t work for every tanning salon in every market. If you have a single salon in Los Angeles, chances are you can’t afford to purchase traditional electronic media advertising in that high-end market. But in Toledo, Ohio, Mason City, Iowa, or the hundreds of other smaller markets, radio can be an amazing advertising medium. It’s an affordable way to capture the hearts, minds, and ears of many 18-44 year-olds.
One Last Thing…
Satellite broadcast is not a good way to reach tanning prospects. Chances are, you’ll end up trying to sell tans to 55 year-olds, because that’s who represents satellite radio’s average listeners. So, what’s the message here? By now, you already know – in this media-driven world, your message needs to hit as many of the ways consumers are exposed to marketing messages. When it comes to doing this, traditional radio is still the way to go!
