Commercial radio licences were first issued in the UK in the early 1970’s. Independent Local Radio (ILR) as it was known, opened the door to hundreds of local stations broadcasting to their local area.
It wasn’t till the early 90’s that the first national commercial launched on Classic FM in 1992.
The local radio sector has evolved over the years. The advent of DAB digital radio has allowed broadcasters to reach a national audience, resulting in the rise of mega brands like Capital, Kiss, and Magic. Radio offers an agile activation medium, enabling tactical offers to be promoted, flexibly across the country. Radio also offers longer ads, sponsorship, branded content, and innovative digital solutions, providing advertisers with new and more creative ways to reach potential markets and customers.
However, It’s not all about radio. Digital developments have resulted in a rise in podcasts and audio streaming. With platforms like Spotify and digital audio exchanges allowing for super-specific audience targeting. At Lane Media we use industry planning tools to recommend the most cost-efficient mix of radio channels and podcasts to reach your target audience.
Many people listen to audio content while going about their everyday activities like driving, working, or exercising giving us the opportunity to target specific audiences who are likely to be listening to a particular radio channel or podcast.
Reach specific audiences based on factors such as location, demographics, and listening habits.
A cost-effective channel due to the lower production costs and airtime rates, combined with the opportunity for targeted messaging and a broad reach.
If you’re looking to reach a large audience, raise brand awareness or drive sales then audio advertising might be a good option. There are a vast variety of businesses using audio advertising in order to reach the messes. But alternatively, if your product or service is niche podcasts are a good option to reach those captive listeners who might have an interest in what you have to offer.
You want to grab the listeners attention in a short short time frame. Using a strong messaging, sound and music with your proactive question will engage listeners. Make sure the message is clear as people are often on the go when listening to the radio and you want to stick in people’s minds. Finally, your call-to-action is vital. This can be anything including a call to visit your website, come into your store or donate, for example.
The channel will depend on your business, the message you want to project and your target audience, as well as budget and overall objectives. For example, radio has a much higher reach than podcasts, but you can target more niche audiences with podcasts. In addition, the engagement of podcast listeners tends to be higher.
For more information or to find out more about how we can help you, fill out the form or contact us via the details below.