Although some marketing channels are more effective in general than others, the best way to get the most attention possible on what you have to offer is with a multi-channel marketing approach. By having several marketing channels working together on your campaign, you stand the best chance at reaching people of different backgrounds and interests to increase your brand awareness. One particularly effective combination of marketing channels is combining radio and digital ads.
Radio Reaches Broad Audiences
Radio advertising reaches the high volumes of listeners who tune in every day. Radio access is widely available, whether it's listened to at home, in the car, online, or even in waiting rooms or on public transportation. It helps you distribute information to a broad base of people, spreading awareness of your brand across the population. Meanwhile, the close connection listeners have with radio hosts ensures your message resonates.
Radio marketing can come in several forms, but standard radio commercials and radio influencer campaigns are among the most common. Traditional radio commercials give your brand a chance to explain who your brand is and what you have to offer, as well as any upcoming deals your brand may want to promote in a rich format.
Another form of radio advertising is partnering with a radio influencer who can promote your products or brand on-air or their own social media channels. If you are interested in this type of radio advertising, be sure to work with radio hosts with a sizable and engaged following, as your campaign may not get the same results if the host is less involved on social media.
Digital Marketing Is Highly Targeted
Digital marketing is an effective channel on its own, as you can target digital ads to those most likely to be interested in your products or services. Social media and other digital marketing channels collect vast amounts of data about their users, including their interests, income estimates, physical location, and more. Use the data the ad platform offers to only present your ads to possible customers instead of casting a wide net to a general group, where a high percentage currently have no need or desire for your products or services.
Digital marketing experts also provide feedback to marketers through comprehensive analytics data. Your data can tell you what is working or not working in the marketing campaign, so brands like yours can make minor tweaks to find and maintain the most effective ads possible.
The combination of radio and digital marketing heightens ad effectiveness because people are much more likely to click on digital ads if they've already heard of your brand, thanks to other marketing, like radio campaigns. The reverse is also true: if people are familiar with your brand due to digital marketing, they are more likely to listen to the radio ad actively.
Radio Drives Action. Digital Encourages Decisions
Radio marketing still has a broad reach and remains effective at inspiring audiences to take action, whether you want to encourage customers to visit your brand's website or attend an event that you’re having. Morning and afternoon commutes, provide an incredible opportunity for people to learn more about your brand through the radio. Local radio stations connect with the community when they are live and local. Hosts know the community they’re presenting to and interact with them personally. Crowds or passers-by hear your ads played on the radio in public also increases your brand awareness substantially, especially if they have a relationship with the host.
Digital marketing, on the other hand, tends to reach audiences when they are at essential junctions in their decision-making process. Targeted digital ads can guide customers to your website while they're still in the research phase or when they are actively looking to buy. These types of ads facilitate snap decisions and action, which can significantly raise your company's revenue in a short amount of time.
Refer Across Campaigns
Combining marketing campaigns in different formats gives you a greater chance of reaching a motivated audience. It's essential to keep your message consistent across these channels to increase your brand's recognizability. You can ensure seamless integration of both digital and radio ads by including a message about visiting your website or following your brand's social media channels in the radio ads.
On the flip side, your digital ads could feature a radio influencer that you have partnered with to increase brand recognition across channels and pay the radio host to post about your products on their social media feeds.
Work with a Media Partner for Even Better Results
Radio and digital ads are both fantastic marketing channels on their own, but they are even better when engineered to work together. If you're interested in implementing a combination of both strategies but you aren't sure where to start, consider working with a media partner. Qualified media partners have the expertise necessary to help you get the most out of your marketing dollars across all channels.
