Radio advertising is buying commercials to promote products or services. Advertisers pay commercial radio stations for airtime and, in exchange, the radio station broadcasts the advertiser’s commercial to its listening audience. As a business owner, how can you take advantage of radio advertising? How do you get your target audience to hear your radio ad message and follow a certain call to action?

In radio adverting there are numerous types of commercials that an advertiser can choose, similar to how brands might pursue different print advertising options (newspaper vs. magazine, for example) or online advertising options (email vs. social media).

Typically, radio stations offer 18 minutes of advertising time per hour, of which businesses can purchase ad air time for 15 seconds, 30 seconds or 60 seconds.

Once your ad has been created and edited to the appropriate length, it’s time to choose a station for your ad to play on, the time you plan to buy air time for, and how often you want your ad(s) to play.

Buying air time on a radio station is a fairly quick process.

First, research radio stations and their audiences to decipher which station(s) will offer your business the best results. Consider what current ads are played on the station and ask for a media kit from the station when available.

After choosing where your ad will air, determine what air time slots will benefit your brand most.

For starters, radio is the leading reach platform according to Nielson, drawing a higher weekly audience than television. A staggering 93% of adults listen to the radio weekly, made possible through not only traditional methods but also through Sirius XM and digital streaming platforms like Spotify, Pandora, and iHeartRadio.

Radio has carved its own niche offering unique forms of entertainment through both digital and traditional channels. To survive, radio, or audio content has expanded to offer exclusive shows, podcast series, news networks, and customized stations through digital streaming. This evolution has positioned radio to retain its popularity, offering entertainment that’s different from video content.

Depending on the type of radio ad you plan to run, the production approach will vary. For example, if you’re having the show host do a live read, all you’ll need to do is create engaging copy. If you’re planning to run a jingle, you’ll need to hire a professional musician or agency experienced with jingles to write, produce, and record the ad.

Hybrid Media is a full-service audio ad agency which means we can handle everything for your campaign, including targeting, production, media buying at the lowest possible prices, and everything in between.

The sooner you talk to us the sooner you can get your message out to potential customers!

Advertisers are keeping their money in radio ads. In fact, according to eMarketer, “Over-the-air radio and out-of-home (OOH) advertising will also see increases during the forecast. Hybrid Media works with all media, specializing in direct response and targeted buying practices. Whether you are an emerging brand or an established company, Hybrid Media can help you use radio to drive up sales. And if you have any questions on how we can help your business grow, on any audio platform, contact us today.