Why you should advertise on the airwaves this festive season

The leaves are just turning brown and here we are talking about Christmas, however, it is peak time to book advertising for the Christmas season. If you want your advertising to be seen or heard, now is the crucial time for your campaign.

In this blog we explore why radio advertising is one of the most cost-effective methods to advertise and why it should be a key part of your marketing strategy this Christmas.

What are the benefits of Radio Advertising at Christmas?

Radio is targeted so can reach the right audience at the right time

Recent research conducted by Radiocentre around the targeting capabilities of different media placed radio at the top of the list as the most flexible medium due to its ability to target audiences in a whole host of ways. This includes:

• Demographically
• Geographically
• Time of day/week
• In a consumer context (School run, work etc.)

Radio advertising can reach a new audience

With commercial radio reaching 90% of the UK population and many listening to the radio whilst going about their daily activities, reach a new audience when they least expect it. What better time is there to remind consumers of the excitement of the festive season as they travel to their job, drop the kids off at school or browse the internet?

Radio ads are cost-effective with a quick turnaround

A whole wealth of industry research demonstrated the effectiveness of radio across a whole range of metrics when sat in a wider media campaign. These include:

• Return on investment – Radio produces £7.70 ROI for every £1 spent, this is second only to TV overall.
• Brand fame – Listeners are 48% more aware of companies that have been advertised on the radio and 12% more likely to consider them when making a choice.
• Building trust and relevance – Research has revealed that radio is two times more trustworthy than social media.
• Radio increases online response – A new study has highlighted how allocating just 10% of a media budget to radio boosts brand browsing by 52%.

Combining radio advertising with digital can boost your Christmas campaign

Radiocentre highlighted that allocating just 10% of a media budget to radio boosts online browsing by up to 52%.

Running a radio advertising campaign alongside the likes of targeted social ads or a PPC campaign can boost your brand awareness. In turn, this will help you build recognition amongst a whole new audience.

Consumers often interact with one business across multiple touch points before they make a decision. Your potential customer may see an ad on Facebook and then hear a correlating ad on XS Manchester that same day. By using multiple touch points customers instantly recognise and remember your brand name.

Your campaign with targeted ads work together to create an impression in the mind of the potential listener, so when they come round to making a decision, they go with the business they feel most familiar with. Not only will building brand awareness help boost brand recall but it can also encourage repeat visits to a website in the future.

If you want to find out more about a radio advertising campaign for the peak Christmas trading period, speak to one of the team here.