Audio consumption keeps growing, and a very cool technology is going to provide yet another avenue for increased terrestrial radio listenership. NextRadio, an app that enables over-the-air listening to local FM radio on smartphones, is getting very positive reactions from test-users.
To gain insights on the potential of this app, the National Association of Broadcasters funded a survey, conducted by Coleman Insights in collaboration with NextRadio developer Emmis. Eight hundred and one smartphone owners aged 18-49 were shown the NextRadio app, and nearly half said they “definitely would” use it if it was installed on their smartphones. More than a third said they would download it if their smartphone didn’t come pre-loaded with it.
Included in the findings is evidence that NextRadio could increase FM radio usage. Thirty six percent of smartphone users said they would use it every day and another 47% anticipated using it a few times a week. According to Inside Radio’s breakdown of the survey, “A majority said that if they had the app, they would listen more to local FM radio: 35% a lot more and 28% a little more.” Now, Emmis is busy formulating a marketing and positioning plan for the rollout.
What does all this mean for you, the advertiser? Well, part of the excitement surrounding any new technology is that there are always high stakes involved, and outcomes are not always predictable. But what we’ve already seen is incremental growth in the effectiveness of terrestrial radio advertising, and however the NextRadio story unfolds, it is sure to strengthen those results even further.
The bottom line is that the NextRadio app has broad consumer appeal to all generations, including those hard-to-reach millennials. The possibilities that this brings to direct response and brand response radio advertisers is enormous. The NextRadio app is already being beta-tested in multiple markets, and within months Smartphone users with the app pre-loaded (or downloaded) will be able to engage on a whole new level with your products and services.