What is Radio Advertising and How Can it Help Your Business?

Advertising your business on the Radio may seem at first to be rather costly and confusing.  Therefore you might not consider going down this route of advertising on the air waves but as it turns out, it really is the most cost effective way to advertise and more and more people are listening to audio content in more places and more ways than ever before from traditional digital radio services, streaming platforms, music streaming apps like Spotify to podcasts.  So here is a brief overview of the benefits of radio advertising which is a powerful tool for increasing sales, growing your brand awareness and ultimately growing your business.

When you listen to the radio, you’re essentially hearing advertisements on a one-to-one basis, as if someone is speaking directly to you. Radio commercials can take various forms, including jingles, voiceovers, and sound effects.  Advertisers purchase airtime from commercial radio stations, which in turn broadcast the advertisers' commercials to their listeners.

Radio advertising is also one of the most affordable methods of reaching people and also one of the most effective.  Television provides a vision for the audience, while radio gives the listener the power to create their own vision. This is an opportunity to convey impactful messages at a time when your audience is most receptive.

According to CNS Media ( a marketing company) for every £1,000 spent on radio advertising, you are likely to achieve an increase in sales of £7,000 and a 65% increase in brand awareness.  Results from radio advertising are swift, with more than half of the responses occurring within 24 hours of the advertisement's broadcast. This leads to increased awareness of the advertised companies among listeners, who are then more inclined to consider these companies in their purchasing decisions.

To make a radio ad you would be wise to approach a marketing company that would have experience of making radio ads.  They would be able to give you an accurate quote and would be experienced in knowing what radio stations would be good to advertise on or whether to advertise on many different stations.  Different radio stations all have different coverage areas and the exact number of ads per week will vary depending on the station you’re buying into. More bandwidth stations offer more frequency based on your media buying strategy. 

According to the Rajar Q1 2024 audience survey analysis, commercial radio reached 39,670million listeners in a week and digital audio campaigns are able to be tracked allowing you accurate insight into the benefits of the ad.  The radio stations at the heart of the national commercial sector are Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakson and Amanda Holden whose audience reach for this is 4,166 million, it's competitor, Greatest Hits Radio reaches 2, 939 million listeners and in third place comes Capital Radio which reaches 2,547 million listeners.  Radio ads are sold by the cost per 1,000 listener impressions (CPM) or cost per point (CPP). The cost of individual 60-second radio ads averages at around £587.  It is between 30 to 60 seconds and you are usually charged each time the ad plays. The radio station usually decides which parts of the day and which programs your ad will be featured or you can opt to choose a day of the week the radio station airs your ads all day long which is a great option if you have a small advertising budget.

National Stations      Reach        National Network
Classic FM                4,440          Heart Network
talkSPORT                3,390          Greatest Hits Network
Magic                        3,069          Hits Radio Network
LBC                           2,547           Capital Network
Kiss                           2,295           Smooth Radio Network

The essentials for a radio advertisement vary with the ad's style, but generally include a voice-over artist, background music, a concise script, and recording equipment. The message should be clear and designed to engage the listener's auditory senses and imagination. It's important that the audience grasps the message effortlessly. Therefore, the script should be brief, captivating, and direct.  The advertisement must stand out, driven by a focused idea that evokes emotion.  Lastly the advertisement must have a call to action at the end.  What do you want the listener to do?  Find you on Facebook?  Visit your website?  You need to tell the listeners what you want them to do next, whether the action is a phone call, ordering online or visiting a store.  A good voice over artist can deliver your message effectively and therefore it is important that you choose one that matches your brands identity and fits the brief.  Advertising and marketing agencies work with their own roster of voice over artists and will generally offer a variety of voices for you to choose from and these artists will be trained to deliver your message in a compelling and effective way.  

Radio advertising offers numerous benefits, such as broad reach, targeted audience selection, affordability, and enhanced brand recognition. It serves as an efficient channel to engage with listeners and to deliver your message compellingly.  Whether through a memorable jingle or an impactful voiceover, radio advertising remains a potent tool for engaging potential customers. If you're contemplating advertising,  consider the influential impact of radio.