Evolving Network Radio
Why we’re bullish on network radio and doubling down on RADAR®.
Photo by Lukas Werner on Unsplash
To be known before you’re needed: the ultimate goal of advertising. But in a world focused on immediate return on ad spend, has investment in building brand awareness fallen by the wayside?
Ad-supported network radio is still drawing in listeners—and it’s still an essential channel for marketers to consistently stay in front of their customers. Using the power of network radio builds your brand so you're top of mind next time they are in the car and closest to the point of purchase.
Look at all the audio trends and tech that have come and gone - MiniDiscs, Napster, Clubhouse...radio has endured for over 100+ years, and it still captures a large swath of American listeners every week.
The state of network radio: thriving and trusted.
There’s no shortage of options when it comes to ad-supported audio, so advertisers often underestimate where radio fits in. The reality is that radio’s share of ad-supported audio time spent among persons 18+ is 76%—3x greater than what advertisers perceive (Edison Research, "Share of Ear,” Q1-Q4 2021. Persons 18+). Of course, we can’t talk about radio’s prevalence without mentioning the car.
The reality of radio listening.
Edison's Tom Webster said it best during his presentation of the 2022 Infinite Dial findings last month:
“I know it's very tempting for people, especially those who see themselves on the forward edge of audio, to think that's just because it's default, but many millions of Americans choose it.”
Radio leads in in-car audio entertainment by a landslide. The latest Infinite Dial reports that three in four (73%) of 18+ Americans who were in a car within the last month say they tuned into broadcast radio.
Radio eclipses all other in-car entertainment.
Americans are choosing radio also because they trust it, a timely benefit as brand suitability concerns become more pressing. 64% of American adults say radio is either “very trustworthy” or “trustworthy” according to an MRI-Simmons survey. Even heavy consumers of social media and TV know they can count on the radio for reliable information—a halo effect that radio advertisers can tap into.
Evolution of our AdLarge network radio offerings: what it means for buyers.
With a majority of American consumers interacting with radio every week, there’s no better time than now to develop a strategy that will engage them effectively and efficiently. That’s why we're building up our network radio offerings to better meet the needs of today's advertisers—whether they are completely new to network radio or reevaluating the medium.
Earlier this year we announced our partnership with G Networks to bring more network radio opportunities to the marketplace. That includes another top-ranking RADAR® network, Summit.
You can learn more about our collaboration with G Networks here.
Digging into the latest Nationwide data, we found some compelling stats speaking to the benefits of combining both of our RADAR® ranked networks. Working together, ROI and Summit networks maximize critical reach and frequency all while keeping accountability and accurate measurement in mind.
Delivering critical mass.
Get more stations and more presence in 197 unique markets across 2233 unique stations, covering 100% of the US.
Low duplication for greater reach.
Out of nearly 2,400 combined stations, there’s less than 10% duplication, delivering your message to even more unique listeners.
More top-ranked stations.
1 in 5 (20%) of our affiliated stations rank in the Top 5 in their market.
As champions of audio advertising, investing in accountability and transparency for our advertising partners remains a top priority. The added layer of accountability allows RADAR® to provide accurate and reliable estimates of a network’s potential audience delivery. That’s good news for advertisers and marketers as they make purchasing decisions to maximize ROI.
Read more about network radio measurement here.
For a long-term, brand-building strategy, don’t miss out on network radio’s powerful reach. And don’t miss out on the quality of ROI and Summit—both top-ranking RADAR® networks featuring top-ranked properties and non-controversial environments. Stay tuned for more updates for 2023, but in the meantime get in touch to learn more.
Sources: Edison Research, "Share of Ear,” Q1-Q4 2021, Persons 18+; Edison Research Infinite Dial 2022; MRI-Simmons 2021 December Covid-19 Study (Summer 2021); Fall 2021 Nielsen Nationwide 18+