Radio always feels extra important during times of crisis because it's such a trusted and stable medium and Nielsen's recent study proves that. They conducted an online survey (March 20th - 22nd) that shows the impact of radio during the COVID-19 pandemic and sheds light on how listeners are using radio to seek comfort and feel more connected to their communities. With less commutes and time spent on-the-go it's reassuring to see that 83% of adults in the US report spending the same or more time with radio as a result of the outbreak.
Radio Provides Listeners With News and Comfort
Much of the study focused on American attitudes about the crisis and radio listening and the results reinforce the importance of the radio industry's efforts to keep listeners informed. They found that 92% of American adults are concerned about the pandemic and more than half consider radio to be a good source of information. Nearly half of respondents all say that listening to the radio makes them feel more connected to their communities and feel less alone too.
Situations like this amplify the significance of radio and provide advertisers with a very captive audience. As to be expected, some of the big national brands have reduced their radio presence while people are working from home or sheltering in place. But many advertisers are still very invested in being on-air and connecting with their customers despite the pandemic. For example, quick service restaurants are still holding steady, large home improvement retailers remain on-air, and the insurance companies haven't even flinched (i.e. Progressive and GEICO remain in the top 5 radio advertisers).
Whether your brand wants to get a quick message out to let customers know that you're still open for business or you want to provide a special offer to help them out in their time of need, radio is a quick and reliable way to reach them.
How can I get on air fast?
If you're a small business, you should take a look at iHeart AdBuilder. AdBuilder is a self-serve platform for creating and running radio ads. Plus, for a limited time you can get a free custom radio ad.
If you're an agency or a large brand, you should try SpotPlan. SpotPlan provides agencies with an automated way to efficiently plan and buy audio advertising. Our team is available to provide a demo, just send us a quick note.
If you want to learn more about radio advertising while you're working from home, download our Radio Buying Quick Start Guide.
