Radio Advertising for Small Business
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Advertising on Radio
Dec 4, 2008
It’s all too easy to waste money on ineffective advertising. Choosing the most cost effective advertising medium - newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, the internet, etc - for the right job requires a clear understanding of:
- Your customers - who they are, where they are, what they want and their reading, listening and viewing habits. Don’t rely on guesswork. A simple DIY customer survey will give reliable answers.
- The different advertising media. When planning an advertising campaign It’s essential to compare all the advertising media, considering their strengths and limitations, to decide which will be the most cost effective for your business at any given time.
Radio advertising isn‘t appropriate in all situations, but it has some significant advantages and local radio stations in particular can be surprisingly inexpensive.
Advantages of Radio Advertising
Clearly Defined Broadcasting Area
Transmitter locations and broadcasting range allow you to focus your advertising nationally or locally to match your target catchment area.
If your custom is largely local, you can avoid wasting money in unproductive areas.
Efficient Audience Targetting
Many stations have a large audience, and local radio stations will often reach a significant majority of the local population.
Different radio stations tend to have their own loyal, often passionate, audience who often share common interests or characteristics.
This makes it possible to target a particular age, interest or socio-economic group.
Audience Sympathy
Listening to a favourite radio programme in the comfort and privacy of the home or car has an intimacy which can create a feeling of identification with the advertiser, and encourages trust. Build on this by emphasising your local credentials if possible.
Low Advertising Avoidance
Many people won’t bother to read a newspaper advertisement, or will actively switch off TV advertising. Studies show that listeners are far less likely to take avoiding action with radio advertising.
Quick Response
Radio ads can be relatively quickly produced and programmed, usually in a matter of days.
This allows you to take advantage of unexpected opportunities.
Timing and Flexibility
You can choose the day, and even the time of day, when the audience will receive your message.
You can also decide on a short term “blitz”, with frequent repetitions at short intervals, or less frequent advertisements spread over a longer period.
The former is ideal for whipping up interest in a special event, such as a sale.
Affordability
Radio advertising is undoubtedly more expensive than a newspaper classified ad, and repetition is vital, which also increases cost. Conversely, a series of short advertising spots may cost less than a single large and prominent newspaper spread, and is certainly far cheaper than TV.
Radio advertising rates vary according to audience numbers, the prestige of the station and the length, timing and prominence of the advert.
Disadvantages of Advertising on Radio
Lack of Visual Impact
If a visual image is important to whatever you are advertising, radio isn’t the right medium.
Use it instead for advertising things which can be readily appreciated without imagery, eg a restaurant or bar, a sale, or a major event like the opening of a new branch or service.
Forgettability
Because there is no visual image to reinforce the memory, radio adverts are often quickly forgotten.
You can compensate for this by frequent repetition, and by careful timing.
Difficulty of Evaluation
Because of the “forgettability” factor, people often don’t recall how or when they heard of a product or service. This makes it difficult to gauge the success of your advertising even with a customer survey.
Including in the advertisement a special offer tied to the name of the radio station can help to measure response levels.
Conclusion
Well targetted radio advertising will often find a receptive audience, but depends on repetition to achieve cost effective results.
