Why Radio is Still the Best Place to Advertise

At Writelabel.com, we write all sorts of ads, but there is nothing more in demand than radio ads — by far. It’s not even close.

It seems like there are a million different ways to listen to music nowadays. Countless apps, downloadable songs to your phone, even asking a robot voice for recommendations.

But AM/FM radio is still the most cost-effective advertising medium today. There isn’t a better way to reach targeted, captive customers. It turns out that video did not, in fact, kill the radio star.

Nielsen Research claims that over 90% of Americans listen to the radio each week. Peak advertising times are during the morning and evening commute, and, depending on where you are located, the lamented rush hour can be a good thing for your business as more listeners tune in for longer periods. Unlike print advertising, your ad is at the forefront. In a newspaper or online, potential customers can easily overlook your ad.

That’s why studies show that for every dollar you spend on radio advertising, you’ll receive $12 in purchase activity. So, why is it so effective? It’s targeted, it’s creative, and, most importantly, it’s frequent.

HIT THE TARGET

There are hundreds of radio stations to choose from in any one city, and that means you have hundreds of different demographics from which to choose. From country to alternative rock, jazz to talk radio, you can already conjure up an image of who is listening to what.

If you know your current customer base, you can advertise on a station they listen to. Radio sales executives can help you pinpoint the perfect station and get your message in front of potential buyers.

GET CREATIVE

Since radio ads are entirely audio-based, they can be extremely effective for little cost. You never have to worry about expensive camera equipment or special effects. You can tap into the listeners’ imaginations with only a few sounds.

You can make your ads funny, touching, or so catchy people sing your phone number. You can also have your ads read by voice talent they already trust, providing social proof that your product is perfect for them.

FIND YOUR FREQUENCY

In his book “Successful Advertising,” Thomas Smith shares his thoughts about how frequently you need to advertise:

“The 1st time people look at an ad, they don’t see it.
The 2nd time, they don’t notice it.
The 3rd time, they are aware that it is there.
The 4th time, they have a fleeting sense that they’ve seen it before.
The 5th time, they actually read the ad.
The 6th time, they thumb their nose at it.
The 7th time, they get a little irritated with it.
The 8th time, they think, “Here’s that confounded ad again.”
The 9th time, they wonder if they’re missing out on something.
The 10th time, they ask their friends or neighbors if they’ve tried it.
The 11th time, they wonder how the company is paying for all these ads.
The 12th time, they start to think that it must be a good product.
The 13th time, they start to feel the product has value.
The 14th time, they start to feel like they’ve wanted a product like this for a long time.
The 15th time, they start to yearn for it because they can’t afford to buy it.
The 16th time, they accept the fact that they will buy it sometime in the future.
The 17th time, they make a commitment to buy the product.
The 18th time, they curse their poverty because they can’t buy this terrific product.
The 19th time, they count their money very carefully.
The 20th time prospects see the ad, they buy what it is offering.”

You could spend your entire advertising budget on one commercial that no one sees, or you can spread out your budget and have your radio ad played multiple times. With advertising, quality matters, but nothing is more important than quantity. Repetition enforces recognition.

No other medium can reach such a broad cross-section of potential customers as radio can. Radio isn’t the web. There are no skip buttons. Viewers online give you three seconds, but your radio ad has their full attention for 30.

Now that you know how effective radio is, trust the experts to write audio ads that work. Reach out to Writelabel.com. Our professional writers produce dozens of effective ads every day. Yours could be one of them.