October 24, 2024 |

Anna Lawrence

Making Sense of Media – The Pros and Cons of Broadcast Radio

Broadcast radio stations have been around commercially since the early 1920s, and they continue to evolve as more marketing options come on the scene. Stations come in a number of different formats as defined by their programming, with options such as country, rock and contemporary hits, and these options can be narrowed even greater within those genres. Some stations air news and talk shows, both locally produced and syndicated from other markets.

So, is broadcast radio a good option for marketing your business? Let’s examine some of the pros and cons.

Pros of Radio Advertising

Radio commercials can harness the power of sound to paint a picture in the listener’s mind. Because there are no visuals, a good radio commercial allows the listener to see themselves in the scenario, making the message more relatable and often causing an emotional connection.

Radio commercials can be produced relatively quickly and inexpensively, allowing advertisers to produce different commercials for different formats and audiences.  

Radio is a frequency medium, due to its affordability and capacity to reach large geographic areas. This frequency helps advertisers create top-of-mind brand awareness quickly. Listeners who tune in during commutes to work and when running errands have the opportunity to hear messages multiple times in a short period, solidifying a position in the listeners memory.

And radio is everywhere – in the stores, at the doctor’s office, playing in restaurants – giving your audience more opportunity to hear your message.

Cons of Radio Advertising

When storytelling falls short, radio ads do not have visual images to fall back on, and may therefore miss connecting with audiences. Because many markets have multiple stations to offer, listening can be fragmented. This fragmentation is amplified by the introduction of non-traditional sources like subscription services and streaming.

Some listeners change stations when commercials come up, a practice made easier by today’s automobile manufacturers and the placement of radio dials on the steering wheel. And with more and more drivers distracted by their phones, less attention may be paid to radio in the car.

Targeting via radio is broad but limited, in that you can reach large audiences but can only target by demographics and geographics and omitting opportunities to target by interests & behaviors (although there are typically some overall audience similarities in listeners that can be tracked). Because radio has a broad reach, advertisers with specific geographies may experience some waste.

Like all traditional advertising, measurement can be challenging. In small markets, the stations may not be rated and therefore any audience measurement is highly speculative.

What Makes Radio a Good Fit

If you need to reach large, broad audiences, radio could be a good option. It is ideal for new businesses who need to build awareness quickly, and for businesses that target a large geography.

Radio is a great medium for advertising promotions, special deals and events due to its affordability which allows advertisers to serve an abundance of ads in a short period of time.

Because radio is such a powerful frequency medium, it pairs nicely with other mediums to enhance overall effectiveness.

Are you looking for a solid media strategy but aren’t sure where to start? We can help!