A Brief History of Radio
There is much to say about audio advertising. From the first radio broadcast in 1906 until now, we’ve seen both an evolution of mediums and evolutionary tactics that come and go.
When radio gained popularity, it was THE way to advertise efficiently and affordably to reach the masses. Television put up a good fight in 1927, and then came the portable Walkman, followed by the iPod.
But radio’s biggest match didn’t occur until mid-2010 when streaming services like Pandora, Spotify and Apple music entered the arena.
Thanks to a quick adoption, streaming services began pocketing ad dollars while creating a custom experience and relevant content for their listeners.
So, where does this leave you as a marketer or business owner searching for the right place to grab your consumer’s attention?
Let’s Begin with Podcasts – Yay or Nay?
There are a variety of opinions on podcasting and best practices. At Grapevine, we attribute a podcast’s success to three factors:
- Your audience
- Your product or service
- Your consistency and effort
Podcasts are like any other form of content. They require planning, attention to detail and time to ensure they are valuable.
For most of our clients, we recommend guest starring. It’s a great way to garner brand recognition without investing in the start-up. Here’s a perfect example where our CEO and Owner guest-starred on the Pam Sowder podcast.
The right guest opportunity garners the exposure you want without the pressure. Here are three simple steps you can take to get started:
- Audit your industry and look for pre-established podcasts with a captive and engaged audience.
- Reach out with your elevator pitch and provide a clear picture of what information you know is relevant to the listeners.
- Once you have an opportunity lined up, be sure to outline your talking points and add a strong call to action (CTA).
Next Up, Advertising on Streaming Platforms – Two Enthusiastic Thumbs Up!
When it comes to audio, the two huge streaming platforms that come to mind are Spotify and Pandora.
One of the greatest strengths of advertising on a streaming platform is the ability to target your audience and track your metrics. Check it out for yourself!
This method of advertising allows you to set up and maintain your audio ads as in a Google or Facebook campaign.
These avenues are phenomenal ways to advertise if you’re looking to target a specific audience. It’s worth mentioning, however, that we highly recommend traditional radio opportunities to our clients, too.
Have You Considered Using 3D Audio – We Think You Should!
Our team recently found an audio ad for chips that immediately caught our attention. Listen here with headphones on.
Imagine listening to your favorite music, and then that ad starts. Now, this certainly wouldn’t work for every industry, but the idea is to think more creatively about developing an immersive experience for your listeners.
What’s the Point?
That’s a great question. The bottom line is whether you choose to start a podcast, advertise on Spotify or create a 3D audio ad for your company, the possibilities with audio advertising are limitless.
At Grapevine, we want to help you reach your customers. You can check out how we’ve done this for other companies just like yours at https://grapeinc.com/contact-us/.
