Posts Tagged "Radio"

Today I received an email press release from a Finnish mobile tech firm that’s in part behind National Public Radio’s (NPR) new mobile strategy.  Coincidentally, I came across this article today about the same, but from NPR’s perspective.

Both pieces of information contain useful insights for marketers, even those outside the realm of broadcast communications.

Like many companies, NPR jumped on the mobile apps bandwagon by first building an iPhone application that has thus far experienced a lot of success (millions of downloads and 15 minute average use times).

Although the iPhone made sense initially, NPR found limitations which has led to a revamped mobile strategy that greatly increases the population of listeners who can access NPR content on the go.  What’s interesting about their new strategy is that it is as much about reaching more listeners across a variety of mobile devices as getting its member stations to benefit from mobile.  To achieve this, Google’s Android platform was the ideal choice:

“With the Android app, we can let the stations incorporate their own apps into ours.  Some stations are more advanced digitally than others.  We’re working with them about becoming more robust providers of local news, which will keep them relevant. And we can share our programming and theirs on one app. That expands the opportunities for all of us.”

A much more robust mobile web presence is also part of the equation, and is apparently based on technology from that Finnish firm I mentioned.  Yet it’s the greater flexibility offered by Google Android, relative to the iPhone, that appears central to NPR’s mobile strategy.

This is the first example I’ve seen where the discussion is not about the reach (or lack thereof) offered by the iPhone.  Instead, NPR chose Android because it fit their business model better by offering its member stations a more relevant marketing platform.  That is the kind of logic and thoughtful approach which should help make 2010 the year of mobile.

A while ago we blogged about how text messaging programs were helping broadcast communicators maintain and grow their audiences as a means of attracting advertising dollars.  Texting responses to “on the fly” surveys, topics for segments or song requests are all common ways radio stations engage their audiences, keeping them listening longer and more likely exposed to ad messages.

Continuing with this theme, radio stations are looking beyond text to other mobile marketing techniques to bring their content to “on the go” consumers.  Radio as an advertising platform no longer is limited to the airwaves, as more stations bring content online via real time streaming.  Even so, this recent post on MarketingForecast.com titled, “Brighter Outlook for Radio Advertising” suggests the opportunity relative to overall ad revenue may be small.

“Research concern SNL Kagan predicts that online radio revenues, which should reach $441.4 million or 2.7% of the industry total this year, should grow to $827 million by 2013.  At that point, online revenues would comprise close to 5% of the industry total.”

Yet, the post mentions as well that the future of radio is closely tied to a consumer behavior similar to what we are seeing in mobile applications.

“In 2009,  consumers said 19.4% of their media consumption related to radio, an increase of nearly 3% from 2008…U.S. consumers say they find TV to be the most credible information source.  However, radio ties with newspaper for second place with each media form claiming 6.3% of the total share.”

Obtaining news and information is probably among the most used mobile applications so it’s not surprising to see as well researchers suggesting mobile applications are on radio station radar screens as much as online investments:

“…they’ll be embracing online streaming and mobile apps to drive their local base to their multiple platforms.”

As radio marketers provide access to their content in convenient ways that map to the mobile customer (across online, text and mobile apps), they should continue to attract a strong audience ripe for ad messages, as pointed out in the post:

“Marketers who want to broaden the reach of their messages  may continue to find that radio represents a unique and effective way to deliver consumer attention.”

Current economic conditions combined with competition from other media have been hard on broadcast communications companies, so I have read, leading some to claim the days of radio as a viable marketing or advertising channel have long since passed.  Audiences are simply too distracted to be engaged.

Yet, when I see in practice what many radio stations do with mobile media to complement their marketing efforts, audience attention actually seems to be stronger than ever.  From real time polling and text messaging to short code promotions advertised via billboard, radio stations appear to be among the savvier users of mobile media.  With strong adoption and response rates for mobile media among key age groups, broadcast communicators seem to have found the perfect complement to ensure an ongoing and growing audience ripe for targeting.
 
Especially when you consider the data collected as part of mobile marketing projects, both proving audience reach and allowing finer segmentation and targeting of advertiser messages…