AM/FM radio in the United States has nineteen times the audience share of streaming services like Spotify. If your business isn’t making its voice heard on the radio, you need to ask yourself why not!
Custom radio ads for your business can introduce you to a local customer base that you might not reach through other means. An effective radio ad can also drive brand awareness. We’ve all had a charming radio jingle stuck in our heads for weeks at a time – with the right radio ad, that jingle could belong to your business.
Keep reading, and we’ll teach you the basics of creating a custom radio ad. You’ll be all over the airwaves in no time!
Why Advertise on the Radio?
When you advertise on the radio, you can target your audience much more narrowly than you can with TV or digital ads. Radio stations are constantly assessing their listener bases, trying to see what specific demographics like best about their programming. They almost always know which age groups listen when or who tends to like which show.
That makes it easy for you to target the customers you want. When you advertise on the radio, half of your market research has already been done for you!
Radio is also much more affordable than television or digital advertising, even though they have roughly the same reach. Because radio advertising relies on repetition, you get more plays for your money on the radio than on TV. Overall, it’s a cost-effective way of getting your message out there.
And if you’re hoping to target local customers in particular, advertising on local radio stations is a great way to help them find your business.
When to Place Your Custom Radio Ad
You’ll need to do market research to figure out when to place your custom radio ad. If you know your ideal customer, you’ll be in a better position to reach them. Think about who they are, what they want, and what problems they have that your product or service can solve.
Once you have a profile of your ideal customer, you can investigate which radio stations they’re most likely to listen to. Look into the most common listening times for your target demographics, so you can plan exactly when and where to place your ad.
If you’re looking for the under-35s, try top 40 or alternative radio at peak times of the day. Over-55s are likelier to listen to classical or talk radio, usually at peak hours and sometimes in the evenings. Radio stations will have data on their listeners’ habits, so get in touch and use their expertise.
Figure out which radio stations fit your ideal customer’s persona, then start reaching out to discuss your advertising options. They’ll probably be happy to work with you!
The Cost of Radio Advertising
Radio advertising is more affordable than TV or digital advertising. However, you also need to factor in the cost of producing a radio ad.
Creating custom radio ads for your business can cost between $300 and $1000, depending on the service you use. While it’s possible to save money by creating your own radio ad, you may compromise on quality. Your ad might be less effective as a result.
Running a radio ad can cost anything from $200 to $8,000 weekly. Costs vary depending on when you’d like to advertise, the listening audience size, the demand for radio ad spots in your area, and more. A local radio station in a less populated state will have more affordable radio advertising spots than a radio station in busy, expensive New York City!
When making a radio advertising budget, you’ll need to account for your business’s location and priorities. Remember, the goal is to create an ad that ultimately pays for itself.
Tips for Effective Ads
Want to make your radio ad sing? When it’s time to start production, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Hook
Your ad needs to grab listeners’ attention from the very first seconds. That’s a hook – a striking, unusual attention-grabber, like a catchphrase or even a jingle.
Your hook should tell the listener something about what your business has to offer. But, more than that, it should speak to them in a way they’ll remember. Punchy copywriting, a catchy tune, and an energetic voiceover are all ways to help a hook land with your audience.
Without a hook, you risk listeners tuning out of your ad before you can get to the point. Open strong, and you won’t have to take that chance.
Value Propositions
Once you have your listeners on the hook, it’s time to reel them in. You can do this by talking about your business’s value propositions. Good value propositions explain why your product or service is the best available and why your listener needs it immediately.
Build on your hook, and tell your listeners exactly why they need to buy your product. Focus on what your business can do that other businesses simply can’t. Whether that’s local expertise, long experience, or state-of-the-art technology, make sure your ad lets them know!
Call-to-Action
The best radio ads end on a call-to-action or CTA. Don’t leave it to chance: tell your listeners exactly what you want them to do once they’ve finished listening to your ad.
Give them a phone number, a web address, or a store to visit in person. Encourage them to buy the product, sign up for the service, or call your business for further information.
If you don’t offer a clear call-to-action, your customers may not know how to access your business, and you may not get the best results from your ad. Be brief, clear, and specific, and your ad will do the rest!
Custom Radio Ads for Your Business
If you’re looking to produce custom radio ads for your business, Killerspots can help! We’re the industry leader in radio ad production, with decades of experience helping companies to speak to the world. No matter your budget, we’re ready to work with you.
Reach out to us for a quote today, and we’ll get your business the killer spot it deserves.
