Why Advertisers are Turning to Audio

Written By

Liz Iversen

Published On

Wednesday, Apr 19
Woman in a blue shirt with headphones on a red background.

Audio marketing continues to attract advertisers for the medium’s unique strengths, including: low cost, efficacy, human connection, and ability to drive recall, Inside Radio reports. In this blog post, SMI’s Christina Baeten and Payne Ratner weigh in on the benefits of these strengths for advertisers.

The cost of producing a radio or podcast ad is far lower than the cost of producing a television ad, which is a major draw for advertisers. “With CPMs in the low single digits, and the ability to be agile with your investment, radio is very attractive to a lot of marketers,” said Christina Baeten, Director of Client Services at SMI. 

Additionally, marketers are drawn to audio for the ease of the medium and the ability to test multiple approaches. “The barrier to entry is low,” said Baeten. “Creative is inexpensive and you don’t have to plan months out. What does your business need this month or this quarter? You can shift strategy on radio easily to meet your short-term objectives while working towards your company goals.” 

By separating audio from the visuals, audio advertising has a unique power to emotionally affect the listener. According to SMI Copywriter Payne Ratner, “Emotional involvement, emotional reactions, emotional responses are what move people and draw them to your product. How are emotions stirred? You can spend valuable time using words, telling a story that can involve an audience, or you can go straight to the heart with music.” Audio ads can do both. 

Audio ads not only affect listeners emotionally, which can propel them toward a purchase, but they also root themselves in the listener’s mind, making listeners more likely to support a brand they’ve heard advertised on audio. How do audio ads drive recall? Audio’s unique ability to create a sonic memory helps listeners recall brands. “How many announcer reads do you remember?” said Ratner. “But if your product is wrapped in music, blended in a melody, it can become part of a tune people hum all day long. That’s advertising that delivers.”

Are you ready to hear your brand on a medium that delivers? Contact SMI today to learn more about advertising on broadcast radio, satellite radio, and podcasts.

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