Radio is a timeless medium used across the world, generations, and demographic lines. Regardless of gender, age, or education level people love radio–but this fact is often overlooked by marketers. The advantages of radio advertising are that they can achieve high penetration in key target groups and significantly increase brand awareness and trust.
Marketers are too heavily focused on online advertising. They think that is where they can achieve the most reach. However, most online users are less receptive to ads because they go online for other reasons: to search for information, browse social media or communicate with friends. Even when they are shopping, they don’t want to be disturbed by online ads.
But when a person listens to the radio, advertisements are part and parcel of the experience–they unconsciously perceive the advertising message and brand awareness is increased as a result.
Related: Podcasting: The Next Great Advertising Frontier
Consumer trust in radio
A study by Rheingold Institut and WDR Media Group found in their study on the significance of radio for Germans that radio conveys “the feeling of stability and continuity in everyday life.” Because the German population feels overwhelmed by a diverse media landscape, they need a “stable medium” that “allows them to concentrate on the essentials: the content.” In addition, according to the study, radio as a medium enables Germans to “orient themselves and lead themselves easily” and “establish an uncomplicated connection to the outside world.”
At first glance, this finding seems surprising. However, the fact is, if you only use online advertising you will only achieve moderate success. That’s why drtv.agency wants to stress the outsized impact offline marketing channels like radio can have on your brand.radio.
But before you start throwing money at it, consider a few things. A separate study by WDR Media Group stressed the importance of defining campaign goals to achieve success. Ask questions like: do I want to increase brand awareness? Do I want to increase sales? Then plan your content and campaign around those goals.
Monitoring campaign results
Once your campaign is up and running, it is important to continuously monitor results. It’s also helpful to conduct before-and-after surveys to assess your effectiveness with your target group. That way, you can ensure your campaign is making optimal impact and you’re pursuing the right strategy to achieve your goals.
Even when you follow all these steps, your campaign can sometimes fall short. If that happens, you can reflect on the KPIs you did achieve, and draw conclusions on where exactly things went wrong. Don’t be frustrated if it failed, after all, success is often built on drawing lessons from the past.
For more advice, or help with your next offline campaign, feel free to contact us for support. We would love to work with you to bring your campaigns to the next level!