In today’s highly competitive telecommunications industry, it’s essential for telcos to establish strong brand recognition and recall. While digital marketing gets a lot of attention, the power of sound should not be underestimated. Apart from its proven effectiveness as a powerful advertising tool, radio also presents a remarkable opportunity to connect with existing clients to deliver important updates and essential information.
In this article, we’ll explore the untapped potential of radio advertising for telco brands to boost brand awareness. We’ll discuss why you should consider using radio ads as a telco brand and we’ll also share some tips and strategies for maximising their impact.
We’ll also dive into fascinating research by Colourtext on behalf of Radiocentre Ireland, which reveals a meaningful connection between radio advertising and website visits.
The benefits of radio advertising for telco brands
Radiocentre.org has identified the following four key benefits of radio advertising for telco brands, so let’s dive in and discover why radio continues to be the leading medium for this industry.
1. Radio reaches a large amount of people during their commute and while at work
By utilising radio, advertisers in the telco industry can effectively target people while they are on the move, such as during their daily commute or while they are at work.
Radio dominates 65% of media consumption during commuting, enabling advertisers to reach larger audiences during popular shows like breakfast and drive time.
2. Radio drives online engagement
Telco advertisers extensively employ radio advertising to provide additional details about short-term offers and encourage listeners to respond online.
Listeners exposed to radio campaigns are 53% more inclined to explore the advertised telecom brands.
3. Radio offers a favourable return on investment (ROI) for telco brands
Radio stands as the second most efficient medium, after TV, with advertisers receiving £7.70 for every pound spent.
Telco brands, specifically, achieve an average radio ROI of £2.30 for each £1 invested.
4. Radio generates a substantial uplift across all metrics for telco brands
In-depth research conducted by Radiogauge consistently demonstrates the significant positive impact of radio on awareness, brand relevance, and consideration for telco brands.
Tips and strategies for telcos to optimise their radio advertising efforts and maximise brand recognition
Here are three tips to optimise radio advertising and maximise brand recognition as a telco brand. You can also read our blog post on delivering complex community messages in three easy steps.
1. Target the right audience
Identify your ideal target audience and conduct market research to understand their demographics, interests and preferences. Use this information to create compelling radio ads that resonate and stand out to your audience.
2. Choose the right brand voice
In radio ads, how you sound matters. To maximise brand recognition, it’s important to choose a memorable brand voice that will stand out. It’s important to think about the tone, style and the personality you want to project through your radio ads. Consider using a local voice too. Read our study on how analysts found that geographically targeted copy with a local accent voiceover outperformed the national accent.
3. Leverage strategic time slots and frequency
Analyse your audiences’ listening habits and schedule your radio ads accordingly. By reaching your audience at the right moment, you can maximise the impact of your radio brand. The frequency matters too. Running your ads consistently will further help you improve your brand recognition and recall.
At IRS+, we can help you with your radio ad from start to finish. Learn more about our strategic partnership with FOE, an award-winning ideation, production and social content agency that specialises in knocking marketing and media activation briefs out of the park.
Reach out to us at hello@irsplus.ie.
Get inspired by Radiocentre’s Ireland recent study on the connection between radio ads and website visits
A recent study by Colourtext, conducted for Radiocentre Ireland, found a strong connection between radio ads and website visits. The study aimed to understand how radio ads influence people’s response, both immediately and over time.
When it comes to TV ads, website traffic usually peaks right after the ad is shown, usually within 50-60 seconds. This immediate response period is known as the short-term direct response window, which helps measure campaign performance.
The study hypothesised that radio ads, being more passive and secondary compared to other mediums, would generate responses over a longer period. People don’t usually stop what they’re doing to respond to a radio ad by going online. Instead, they respond at a more convenient time.
By analysing data from a Sky TV and Broadband campaign in Q1 2023, the researchers measured the connection between radio ads and website visits. The campaign featured offers like “Sky Sale – €38 a month” and encouraged users to search for it online.
The key findings are:
1. The study revealed that radio ads have a significant impact on online search behaviour.
There is a strong relationship between radio ads and online search activity, which is great news for advertisers. On average, 72% of daily website visits were predicted by the volume of daily radio ratings.
2. Short-term measurements didn’t fully capture the impact of radio ads.
The true effect became apparent when looking at a 24-hour or three-day average. Advertisers who focus only on short-term results may underestimate the effectiveness of their radio campaigns.
3. The study suggests that planning and optimising radio schedules should prioritise reaching a broad audience to maximise response rates.
It’s more important to consider the overall weight of the schedule than optimising individual ad spots, considering the delayed response nature of radio ads.
4. Radio ads are highly effective at increasing brand awareness and likability.
Sky’s strong brand presence had a positive impact on radio listeners, improving metrics like brand consideration and likability. This shows that radio ads are effective at increasing brand awareness and likability.
