Radio can drive online action

Mike Evans recently wrote on the future of the radio industry – that it is guaranteed thanks to the internet, rather than being replaced by online offerings.

MediaWeek are reporting a new study that confirms this, and in fact goes even further. It speaks to one of our other favourite topics: That offline advertising can drive online action, and vice versa.

The report in MediaWeek draws attention to the cost-effectiveness of radio: On average it takes about 10% of a marketing budget, but drives 34% of online actions. Whilst that is a sound return on investment, I would question the relevance of integrated campaigns. If a radio ad is supported by an integrated campaign that echoes its core messages, then radio is merely the trigger that causes the action.

That’s how to best employ radio ads, it would seem: The same study showed that a simple proposition, with a strong link to the overall campaign, and an intuitive web address were the best way to drive online action. This doesn’t come as a surprise to our team. Neil, Vivid’s Creative Director, has a history in radio broadcasting, and has always run campaigns in this way.

Radios are often on in workplaces; or at least heard by people who might be in front of their computers. They can immediately take action driven by what they hear, whilst the radio programme itself doesn’t interfere with their day to day activities, like a television might.

Radio can’t act alone in the marketing mix: Imagine if you can’t secure the best web address for your message. Unless it is perfectly congruent, the user is more likely to reach to the search part of their browser. Which is why your PPC campaign needs to be optimised to filter these ads to your site. Or why your PPC campaign needs to reflect the words that others might be using to find a competitor…

For help with synergising integrated on and offline campaigns for maximum return on investment, pop by for a chat at one of Vivid’s offices. We’ll use our experience in PPC and radio to give the optimal offering.

Has the internet killed the Radio Star?

Why the ‘old’ medium is making a media comeback with DAB and drive-time

Radio is dead. Long live radio…or so we thought. For many years radio broadcasting in the UK was considered to be something of fading relevance and popularity. With the technological onslaught of first the television and then the rising importance of computers and the internet, the humble radio seemed to have been surpassed in terms of entertainment potential. It appeared that radio was dying. But radio fought back.



With the advent of digital radio (DAB), the popularity of radio, both national and local, has grown on a steady upward curve. DAB provides crystal-clear audio quality and national coverage, and without trying to sound like an advert, really is much better than the traditional analogue signal. In the same way that television was revolutionised with a digital signal, DAB is successfully emulating this success with radio, by providing a much wider range of stations, as well as better quality.

DAB usage is becoming ever more prevalent within the UK. More people than ever are buying DAB radios, with an estimated 58% of the population either owning, using or having access to one. The internet has played a significant role in this resurgence in popularity as many stations choose to stream their signal over the web, making it even easier to access, particularly at work.



The rise of celebrity has also not gone unnoticed by the radio world. Stations, particularly those with larger budgets are ever more prevalently employing the services of various ‘celebrity‘ broadcasters, ranging from the recently ousted Jonathan Ross on BBC Radio 2, to former Spice Girl Emma Bunton, now a regular on Heart FM. This has in turn attracted many new listeners to radio, whilst simultaneously fueling ratings wars between stations. The element of competition implores many stations to seek out an ever larger ‘name‘ for their primetime shows at Breakfast and ‘Drive time’. This is particularly evident in larger cities and national shows.



So, has the internet actually bolstered the radio star? It has certainly helped – with the exposure of many DAB channels on the web, as well as increased accessibility. The social networking revolution has also aided radio: with so many people connected and able to share their thoughts and opinions on a show they help to promote it. So far from ‘killing the radio star’, the internet, along with the use of celebrity, and well respected broadcasters and new innovations such as DAB, streaming and podcasting, are actually strengthening it. The radio is alive and well. Long live radio.