This summer, Nielsen published a new Audio Today 2019 report about the listening habits of America. Not to sound like a broken record, but radio still reaches more Americans on a weekly basis than any other platform. We're talking 98% of adults 18+ every month. So what's the biggest radio advertising misconception? Its relevancy.
Radio advertising remains on top as far as reach, effectiveness, and cost yet we often hear people talk about how it's a dying medium. This is a huge misconception that leads to a lot of advertisers missing out on prime air play.
How do we know this is just a misconception?
That's easy: it's all in the numbers.
Let's start by comparing monthly reach. Nielsen's Total Audience insight series allows us to compare several platforms including radio and search sites. You'll find radio leading the pack with a massive monthly reach of 244.5 million adults. Search sites/apps is the next closest with about 55 million less people tuning in monthly.
Reaching a lot of people is priority number one, but reaching them at the right moment is just as important to us. Radio connects you with the right audience at the right time — when they're on-the-go and ready to shop! This out-and-about engagement allows advertisers to talk to their customers moments before the potential point of purchase.
As commutes grow, consumers are naturally spending more time in their vehicles. Radio is still the preferred choice for in-car listening and provides advertisers with the best chance to connect with their customers where they can't be reached by other mediums. We can't stress the importance of recency enough — reaching your consumers right before they shop is huge!
When advertisers avoid radio because of what they think radio can't do, it ends up costing them in the long run — in the form of missed opportunities for growth. If you want to learn more about radio advertising and getting the most out of your campaigns, read our Marketer's Guide to Programmatic Radio. Or, if you're new to radio advertising, check out the Radio Buying Quick Start Guide to get up to speed quickly.
