Combining radio with digital is proving to be a sure-fire way to increase ROI. We live in a fast-paced world, focused on recovering from a devastating pandemic. Brands have to fight for our attention and reaching a specific target audience is becoming a greater challenge. In this environment, radio and digital is proving to be a two-punch strategy that can save the day, and advertisers who combine these two channels are seeing incredible results.
Disruption
The very disruption in the radio industry that led many to declare the imminent demise of the medium, has actually strengthened it and led to an astonishing resurgence. Today, radio is driving the development of multiple new opportunities such as streaming, online radio, podcasting and new audio content sharing platforms that are fast changing the advertising landscape. All the while, traditional radio is alive and well, and still a super effective way to reach a target audience.
Digital advertising has proven itself to be relevant and ubiquitous, allowing for genuine B2C and B2B connections. Using social media to get found and to become liked is incredibly valuable and just like radio, without a digital strategy, brands will struggle to succeed.
Combining two powerful channels
When you decide to combine radio with digital, you get the power of radio’s ability to engage and drive search, along with the powerful increase in presence provided by your digital strategy. The result is a much improved two-way communication with your target market, to drive a much higher ROI. Combining radio and digital allows for your message to be reinforced across multiple platforms, strengthening both the message and creating a more cohesive strategy. When a potential client knows your name, can sing your jingle and sees you near the top of the search results, that is extremely powerful.
Most stations already have a highly developed digital ecosystem and will develop a supporting digital strategy around most traditional radio campaigns. This will include carefully placing visual ads in places where the advertisers’ target audience will visit. Thanks to the nature of radio, radio station websites and social media enjoy high traffic. This is the way listeners enter contests and engage with the radio station and their favourite personalities, so it is the ideal place to execute digital strategy and improve the target market’s connection with a brand.
Beyond the enormous reach of station websites, radio stations are also equipped to place all forms of relevant digital advertising, outside of their owned properties. These digital elements should mirror on-air radio advertising to create consistency and maximize potential ROI.
With the many challenges of getting the economy and business back on a growth path, it only makes sense that we take advantage of every avenue that we have. Getting discovered can be tough, and standing out and being remembered can be even harder. Radio and digital are the vibrant double act that takes care of those universal marketing pains.
Written by Rivak Bunce, Managing Director of United Stations.
2021 was the biggest year ever for podcasts, with the number of distinct podcast users aged 15-44 on Spotify growing by +34% YoY.
2022 is set to hit even higher levels of penetration and success, as the industry gets bigger and bolder. We look at nine emerging trends for the industry this year and what this means for advertisers and brand partnerships.
1. 360 and immersive soundscape in podcast ads
As audio technology gets more sophisticated, more options to develop stand-out audio experiences emerge. Immersive audio experiences can be found in the cinema, computer games, Interactive VR and 360° video, and even amusement park rides. Now it has been adopted with YouTube and Facebook 360 video and for podcasts.
As podcasts are an audio-only, screenless experience, the impact of immersive soundscapes is more powerful.
One example is Tourism New Zealand’s 360 audio ad. The aim was to take audiences simply imagining their dream trip to New Zealand, and move them into planning, booking, and making it a reality. This one in particular was produced by Creative Fix, you can listen to it here (stick your headphones in for full effect!)
We predict that more and more brands will embrace this technology to stand out from the pack, and for heightened brand recall.
2. Live audio on social platforms
Clubhouse launched last year, forging the way for other live audio apps to develop and blossom and putting a spotlight on the social/interactive potential of audio.
As social platforms such as Instagram and Twitter innovate to stay relevant and useful to their users, they are turning to audio to diversify their offerings. Although Facebook discontinued Facebook Soundbites (as of June 3, 2022), the introduction of Twitter Spaces last year (the ability to have live audio conversations), continues to lead the audio charge.
This style of audio format indicates a wider podcast industry trend – shorter form audio content. Whilst a long-form immersive experience is one of the drawcards of podcasts, short form audio will allow us to squeeze in even more listening time into our busy lives and has appeal for those with a shorter attention span. It will be exciting to see how the social giants compete to lead the movement.
3. Podcast hosts as influencers/marketing tool
The host of a podcast is often its main major selling point. Some are hosted by established celebrities (like Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes’ Smartless) and some turn the relatively unknown hosts into celebrities/influencers, as the podcast becomes popular. The intimate relationship that forms between listener and host means that hosts are in a unique position to provide trusted product/service recommendations. Host-read podcast ads achieve 72% brand recall, compared with 62% for non-host-read ads. Additionally, host-read ads on podcasts produce an average of 50% increase in purchase and recommendation intent among listeners when compared against non-host-read ads.(Neilson)
Furthermore, social media influencers are beginning to capitalise on the extra engagement that podcasts offer and are extending their offering to the audio world by launching podcasts. Examples of this locally include The One Eyed Man hosted by Mike Stopforth
4. TV streaming turns to audio?
With the content crunch, Netflix, Stan and other media streaming services will face over the coming years, they will need new ideas that have a proven concept to broaden their engaged audience and offer an edge over competitors.
Imagine watching an episode of Succession in the evening, then seamlessly being prompted to listen to the podcast that discusses the episode on your way to work the next day. Audiences love to go deeper on their favorite shows and podcasts offer a unique and immersive way to do this.
5. More branded content
Although many brands have had great success with podcast advertising, the medium is still relatively under-utilised, compared to the ad spend given to social media, radio and outdoor media. As podcast listenership grows, more brands will dip their toe into the industry, especially for branded content on podcasts.
With more financial support, podcast quality can grow and experiment, resulting in even more brands wanting in on the action.
78% of podcast listeners have said that they don’t mind hearing ads on their stream, providing a warm and receptive audience and a less jarring ad experience than a banner ad.
6. More SA-made content
The South Africa podcast scene is going from strength to strength, with local talent such as MacG’s Podcast and Chill constantly drawing impressive listening/viewing figures and conversation online.
But it’s not all about entertainment, the MoneywebNow podcast hosted by Simon Brown has also shown impressive listening figures since launching in the middle of the pandemic
7. Quality continues to be a driver for growth
Within the ever-expanding content economy, podcasts have a reputation for producing high quality content that can teach you something new, expand your horizons, inspire and entertain. Whilst there are over 25 million YouTube channels and over 500 million blogs in existence, podcasting is still a relatively young medium with a smaller pool of choice and high standards. Why does this scale matter? Because podcasts have not yet become flooded with mass content creators who produce low quality media.
Furthermore, consumers are starting to acknowledge the adverse effects of social media on mental health. A 2020 study suggested that people who use social media for more than 3 hours daily are more likely to experience mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, aggression, and antisocial behavior. (Medical News Today.) However, one of the key reasons why podcast listeners (59% of those surveyed) listen to podcasts is that “they make you feel smarter” (Infinite Dial 19).
As podcast quality continues to grow by utilising data and feedback, the growth of the medium’s popularity amongst educated, affluent audiences is likely. This is good for podcasters, listeners and advertisers alike.
8. More measurable results means more data-driven decisions can be made
It has been a common struggle for media buyers to identify which tools, platforms and metrics are the most relevant to making informed, data-driven decisions when it comes to podcasts ad campaigns. However, the podcast industry has adapted to provide detailed and insightful data to take podcast advertising from guesswork to science.
The IAB (South Africa) has made the issue of impressions vs downloads and how they are counted a lot easier to quantify, and with the upcoming launch of their Digital Audio Marketers Toolkit – SA marketers are able to take advantage of the latest metrics and tools.
Additionally, with the ability to buy dynamically inserted ads in contextually relevant shows on a CPM basis, wastage can be reduced.. This is due to the audience being able to be geographically targeted and in turn means maximum exposure for your campaign.
Now that podcast ad measurement is robust, more advertisers are taking advantage of this highly immersive platform, with impressive results. A recent study found that 65% of podcast listeners paid attention to adverts – more than adverts on TV at 39% and adverts on the radio at 38%. (The Guardian).
9. Increased competition between podcast apps
Apple Podcasts were the market leader, with over 28 million monthly users reported (Statista). However, sources suggest that with Spotify and YouTube leading the chasing pack, the race for share of ear is on.
With the average podcast listener in the U.S. using close to three different platforms (Westwood One), content options and quality are important to attract and retain users.
As the podcast platforms grapple for dominance, they are innovating with diverse content, high profile podcast creators/celebrities and through acquiring podcast publishing companies.
This continued experimentation in content, talent, and user experience means more choice and high quality content for the listener, plus more options for the advertiser to choose the right show and audience.
From tools, to UX, to new platforms, the podcasting space is ever-changing. The industry is getting stronger and more diverse, with exciting options for advertisers. It’s easier than ever to harness the power of this highly effective medium.
Radio advertising revenue has made an astonishing recovery from the blow it took during the first year of the pandemic. Since the incremental reopening of business activity began, advertiser investment has grown swiftly . Why is radio doing so well?
The booming fortunes of radio suggest that there are multiple factors conspiring in its favour. One of these is that radio has been bolstered rather than challenged by new technology. Technology has enabled radio to become a multi-platform medium, accessed through analogue and digital broadcast receivers and increasingly streamed to mobiles, smart speakers, PCs, and tablets (according to The Infinite Dial report 2022, 64% of South Africans listen to radio on a mobile, TV or computer). All of this technology has contributed to raising the profile of audio entertainment, especially radio.
The rise in listening to radio and other audio content via connected devices, is also creating new commercial opportunities in the form of digital audio advertising placed into streamed or downloaded audio content including radio, on-demand music services, and podcasts (already 48% of South Africans are familiar with podcasting – The Infinite Dial report 2022). United Stations has placed itself at the forefront of this opportunity, by providing advertisers with targeted audio ads in prestigious environments. This has been accelerated by its partnerships with Wondery (the world’s largest independent podcast network), close collaboration with its portfolio of radio stations, class leading business content created by Moneyweb and exclusive representation of podcasters and audio publishers such as South Africa’s most successful podcaster, MacG.
This enormous ecosystem of curated content, started life as predominantly live, presenter-led music and speech based audio entertainment, that is now part of a much wider opportunity for advertisers.
It’s more and more obvious that the way in which media content is consumed has changed significantly. With the rise of new audio formats such as podcasts and targeted streaming radio options, coupled with their convergence with video and the internet, listeners and advertisers have more options than ever before. The ubiquity of smart phones (according to The Infinite Dial report 2022, 90% of South Africans over 15 years of age own a cell phone) and the fact that audio content is “device neutral”, means that people can listen to almost anything, anywhere, and at any time.
Unsurprisingly, more services and greater availability is leading to an increase in overall audio listening and research confirms that around 96% of adults spend around 18% of all their media time, listening to some form of audio entertainment. This opens a world of possibilities for advertisers as according to The Radiocentre’s Hear and Now study, listeners choose audio to satisfy six very specific needs:
- “Help me escape”
- “Lift my mood”
- “Amplify a moment”
- “Provide social currency”
- “Broaden my horizons”
- “Keep me in the loop”.
The different features of broadcast radio and on-demand audio mean that they are suited to different need-states and play complementary roles in the listener’s life. Live radio offers human voice and human choice and retains the ability to surprise, while keeping us connected to the outside world. What makes on-demand audio services different, is the potential to listen to anything of specific interest. On-demand offers control and instant gratification and the ability for a more immersive experience. While radio helps people feel connected to the wider world, on-demand helps to connect them to their world.
We now know that millions of listeners have formed new habits for accessing their favourite stations and this will have a lasting effect, resulting in radio remaining a vibrant and exciting sector with many interesting new developments in the pipeline. Among these exciting advances are voice control moving into other locations (in-car and wearables); the rise of dynamic creative within digital audio ads to stream the most pertinent version of an ad to each individual listener and increasing use of 3D sound to deliver a more immersive audio advertising experience.
For a long time, United Stations has viewed radio as a platform…over-the-air, streaming, podcasting, live events, digital, etc. We package these multiple opportunities together so that advertisers can reach our listeners no matter which element of our platform they are using.
Right now we feel that we are only at the beginning of what is possible.
Written by Rivak Bunce, Managing Director of United Stations.
Mac G, who recently bagged Podcaster of the Year at the VN Global Media and Entertainment Awards, is the voice behind Podcast and Chill with Mac G. He has over the course of more than 200 podcasts, interviewed some of the most influential guests in SA and his star power is attracting more than one million downloads to his individual podcasts.
With over 300,000 subscribers, Mac G is firmly established as SA’s No 1 podcaster and the partnership with United Stations is designed to accelerate his expansion and leverage the power of his growing audience base.
Mac G said: “We are thrilled to partner with United Stations, their team brings tremendous knowledge of the marketplace and they have a stellar track record in delivering creative solutions for marketers and brands to connect with audiences”.
Head of Digital for United Stations, Chris Borain said: “We are equally delighted, honoured and inspired by the opportunity to represent such an iconic creative powerhouse as Mac G. His ability to captivate audiences, tap into current events and entertainment news and bring the journeys of Blue Chip Brands and Business Personalities to life, is gold for advertisers. South Africans have an insatiable appetite for great storytelling and are becoming more and more obsessed with podcasts. The opportunity to work with Mac G in creating powerful value for brands across the country is a dream come true.”
For further information or to advertise, contact Chris Borain on 078 165 5855 or chris@unitedstations.co.za.
in_Podcast is an online conference offering an inside view into podcasting trends and production, the rise of branded digital radio and how to use both to unlock new audiences in South Africa and Africa.
The 2-hour Livestream will include talks from industry experts as well as deep dives real-world campaigns that offer insight into the medium, production challenges, lessons in building communities and how to tune in to what the audience really cares about.
If you work in marketing, run a brand, want to find more meaningful and affordable ways to connect with audiences, or want to get the jump on the next trend in media and production, this conference is going to offer you a lot of value.
The in_Podcast conference will take place online on the 25th of November at 2pm.
Get Tickets here.
Featured Speakers
· Simmi Areff from Lesser Known Somebodies
· Gareth Cliff from Cliff Central
· MacG from Podcast and Chill with MacG
· Chris Borain from United Stations
· Jon Savage from in_Broadcasting
The In_Podcast Conference is held In partnership with Biz-Community
The audio media ecosystem continues to evolve at a faster pace than anticipated. The shift from consuming audio on traditional platforms to streaming platforms seem to be the driving force in accelerating the evolution of the audio landscape.
Some of the findings by The Infinite Dial report measuring online digital audio listening revealed that 44% of South Africansstreamed their favourite radio station. The latest share-of-ear report from Edison Research in the US, revealed a time spent listening on a mobile device of 30% for those aged 13 years and older.
AMASA Joburg has put together a seasoned panel of experts in the field of audio media to unpack the latest trends in this industry.
THOUGHT IGNITERS (PANNEL MEMBERS):
- CHRIS BORIAN (Head of Digital & GM – United Stations)
- MUHAMMAD CAJEE (Chief Digital Officer- Primedia Broadcast)
- JON SAVAGE (CEO – Inbroadcast)
- MACG – SA’s Podcaster (Podcast and Chill)
REGISTER HERE: https://forms.gle/VZBRAM9PfpaDm2eZ7
Written by Chris Borain ( Head of Digital: United Stations)
AUDIO STREAM – the live stream of radio station programming via the station’s website, iono.fm or other streaming platforms
In 2019, The Infinite Dial report measured online digital audio listening and found that 44% of South Africans listened to radio on a non-radio device*.
In other words, 44% of South Africans streamed their favourite radio station at home as opposed to listening on a traditional terrestrial radio. With the high (88%) smart phone penetration in South Africa, it’s no wonder the mobile phone is the device of choice when it comes to audio streaming. The digital audio audience is also diverse, with a 50/50 gender split and 71% under the age of 54.
Significant is that this research was done before the world turned upside down with the Covid19 pandemic.
2020 proved to be a watershed year for audio streaming in South Africa, with no signs that the trend is slowing down in 2021. United Stations saw its available streaming audience grow by 100% to 1million streams per month across its network of radio stations and websites since the start of the pandemic.
In line with the growth seen in local digital audio, United Stations bolstered its offering by concluding an agreement to be the exclusive local commercial partner for Wondery – the world’s largest independent podcast producer. Wondery’s expertise in maximizing ROI and innovation in digital audio along with the breadth of their South African audience, added another dimension to the US network.
In traditional radio, marketers can only roll out blanket campaigns – with limited ability to target specific demographics. With online streaming however, marketers can now measure and target ads in the audio domain. Combined with a DMP (Data Management Platform), proprietary first party data is used to build a targeted digital audio campaign. To be blunt, for the first time a traditional 30 second radio spot can now be used to target the right audience, at the right time, in the right place.
The obvious benefits advertisers get with the inclusion of digital audio ads in their strategies are stunning engagement and listen-through rates.
Because linear digital audio ads are not easily skippable – digital audio is not subject to the “five second skip” phase of digital video ads – the brand enjoys the full attention of the audience. Nielsen Media Lab claims audio ads have a 24% higher recall rate than traditional display ads.
In spite of the pandemic, digital advertising grew by 18% in 2020, as opposed to a 27% reduction in the total advertising market. (IAB-SA Internet Advertising Report 2020)
Now is the ideal time to use your brands digital budget to bolster the performance of your traditional radio campaign with a targeted digital campaign.
The best opportunities in targeted digital audio.
United Stations mix of local podcasts, live audio streams and our catch-up radio offering, are now boosted with podcasts from Wondery, the world’s largest independent podcast producer
Our comprehensive network delivers cost-effective, targeted solutions to increase the ROI of any radio advertising campaign.
Podcasting is the perfect opportunity to share your brand’s story with the world! Watch our Podcasting Masterclass, hosted by the well-known Simon Brown, Managing Director of JustOneLap and Host on the MoneywebNow podcast as well as Chris Borain, Head of Digital at United Stations.
Simon and Chris provided insight on the world of Podcasting and shared key points, including:
- Trends driving the South African podcast market.
- What makes a great branded podcast?
- What makes a great podcast ad?
- Boosting your media strategy with podcasting.
- Measuring podcasting ROI.
- The future of pod (ad) tech.
For more information on podcasting and advertising opportunities, contact your United Stations Account Executive or Chris Borain (Head of Digital) at chris@unitedstations.co.za.
By Dave Tiltmann
Just like radio, podcasting is an intimate medium that has the power to create connection and change lives. Although it has been almost two decades since the first podcast hit the airwaves, podcasting has only really begun to hit its stride in recent years.
Thanks to the power of technology and the rapid spread of internet access around the world, thought leaders are now using podcasts to reach audiences in the millions. Brands are also finding innovative ways to tell unique stories to very specific markets.
Developing nations like South Africa are starting to see the potential of the medium in the long term, not only as a form of entertainment and education, but also in its ability to give a voice to communities that might have been underrepresented before. This shows the true wonder of podcasting, which has the potential to flourish on the African continent in the coming decades.
The upsurge in podcasting worldwide
As the internet has become more accessible around the world, this has created an opportunity for people to engage with podcasts on a more frequent basis in their daily lives. Although data costs are still quite high in Africa, the rise of free wi-fi and introduction of high-speed fibre has meant that more people than ever are now able to download content without having to foot a massive bill. Events like Africa PodFest in Kenya, or PodFest Cairo in Egypt, show that while it may be slow and steady, there is a definite shift in the way podcasting is starting to be viewed as an opportunity on the African continent.
In developed economies across Europe, in the US, and even Australia, podcasting is already hitting its stride. These places already have good internet infrastructure in place, and the pandemic actually spurred on record podcast listenership numbers in 2020. The 2021 edition of theInfinite Dial study suggests that podcasting really found its voice during lockdown amidst people feeling more isolated, with the U.S seeing around 13 million new people becoming habitual podcast listeners during this time.
Taking storytelling to new heights
Numbers aside, one of the biggest drawcards of podcasting is its timelessness, and its ability to create communities through the art of storytelling. Powerful movements like #MeToo and Black Lives Matter have shown that there has never been a better time to have open and honest conversations about tough issues in a way that honours the vulnerability it takes to do so.
There has never been a better time for multicultural African stories to be told too. Podcasting gives us as Africans the power to have a say in how we are represented to the wider world, rather than continuing to have the story told by an outside narrative, which is often riddled with outdated stereotypes.
Any given podcast episode is an individual asset that has the ability to turn into a regional asset, which can encourage a greater sense of trust and belonging in the community it services. This asset can even lead to the rise of regional champions (or voices) in the area, in particular those who have a real sense of what’s happening on the ground.
When these communities grow stronger in numbers, commercial opportunities will start to present themselves. This has the potential to empower not only the podcast creator, but the community as a whole. Considering there are thousands of different cultures and languages on the African continent, the opportunities for innovation and empowerment are truly endless.
The relationship between radio and podcasting
We can’t talk about podcasting as a force in the broadcasting field without mentioning its older and more established sibling, radio. There is a strong link between the two. Both typically build audiences through a mix of education, information and entertainment. Radio and podcasting are both intimate mediums, where a show host is literally welcomed into the homes and lives of people. Both also have commercial opportunities that mirror each other, which is great news for the broadcasting industry as a whole.
Just like with real life siblings, there may be genetic similarities, but you’re dealing with two different entities. Radio is a more linear medium, whereas podcasting is always on demand. This means that radio is consumed “live” as it happens if the person is tuned into the station, but with podcasting the listener gets to listen to shows whenever it is convenient for them.
Podcasts episodes are also easy to share across social media with loved ones, whereas radio has more of a dependence on physical word of mouth (and a natural sense of FOMO). Regardless of the how being different, both still offer something desperately needed in a post-coronavirus world: human connection.
Pioneering podcasting in South Africa
In a bid to nurture this idea of human connection, I’m proud to mention that the African Media Entertainment (AME) team recently signed a groundbreaking partnership with Wondery, the biggest independent podcast producer in the world. In a nutshell, AME now has the rights to promote Wondery podcasts through its subsidiaries, in a bid to help get to help reach a projected number of nearly 20 million podcast listeners in South Africa by 2024.
Because African Media Entertainment has a rich history in audio creation, and has spent years perfecting the art of serving audiences on a reachable, tangible level, we’ve happy to set the bar high when it comes to this. AME owns some of the biggest radio stations in the country, as well as high achieving digital, publishing and marketing services, including MediaHeads 360, Moneyweb and more. By promoting Wondery’s content through these channels, podcasting is exposed to new audiences, and the channels themselves also gain access to some of the best content that the world has to offer.
Leveraging new opportunities in the podcasting arena
By exposing audiences to amazing content through a formal relationship with Wondery, we’re also setting a precedent for AME’s individual platforms to branch out, creating and growing their own podcasting channels within this exciting new digital broadcasting environment. Better yet, the content will be locally nuanced, telling the African stories that may have gone untold otherwise.
The audience is the major winner here, for gaining access to high quality content through traditional channels they know and love, while simultaneously being exposed to high quality local content that helps them feel more represented in the world as well.
This creates a great opportunity for advertisers to get involved, be it through strategic adverts in podcasts episodes, show sponsorships, cross-platform campaigns, or something else. Brands will be able to promote themselves in an entirely new arena, to audiences that they might not have been able to reach before. It also gives radio stations an opportunity to integrate a podcasting strategy into their marketing and sales departments, which may even lead to unexplored avenues for additional revenue in the long run.
If the wonder of podcasting has you as excited as I am, welcome to the club. From podcasts still in their infancy, all the way through to powerhouse shows like Business Wars, there is plenty of opportunity for content creators, storytellers, listeners and advertisers to connect in mutually beneficial ways.
For sales queries contact: Chris Borain
chris@unitedstations.co.za