How Entercom Is Using Data To Prove Radio Works

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(By Renee Cassis) Attributing the success of an ad campaign to radio can be challenging for sellers. We know we have influence with our listeners but proving it to advertisers in today’s data-driven marketplace is another matter. While there may be much to question about the real-world results of digital advertising, that medium has the data to back up their claims, and they know how to use it.

During the second day of Borrell’s Local Online Advertising Conference in New York City yesterday, in a presentation titled “Leveraging Radio to Develop a Digital Powerhouse (Or the Other Way Around?),” Tim Murphy, Senior Vice President of Business Development for Entercom Communications, showcased how his company is using digital distribution and data to authenticate radio advertising’s effectiveness to clients.

The first example utilized data from NextRadio’s DialReport to demonstrate that radio ads gave an auto brand dealer a 69.8% lift in in-store visits across 23 dealership locations. The ads ran on five music-formatted stations in one market for 13 weeks. The DialReport campaign performance and listener intelligence data showed that the ads reached almost one-tenth of the potential NextRadio audience of nearly 3 million people. The data also gave the advertiser a reached-listener profile that included gender, ethnicity, auto-buying behavior patterns, and more.

The second case study proved that radio drives search! Entercom implemented its proprietary Audience Analytics tool to track and quantify the incremental number of consumers who visit an advertiser’s website within eight minutes of the commercial airing on radio. The analytics included ranking of the creative and the dayparts. The data also pointed out the overall percentage of lift, total visits, and percent of new visitors attributed to the radio campaign for Spot Hero, an app that helps drivers find parking.

Campaign analytics can drive growth, as well. Following a 2017 campaign, the CEO of the San Francisco Zoo was able to show her Board of Directors the effectiveness of radio, leading to the addition of digital for another six figures and a commitment to a bigger chunk of the budget in 2018.

In-vehicle media measurement and monetization are becoming crucial as connected cars proliferate across America. While there is a plethora of car infotainment data, the trick is to get it. Working with Drive Time Metrics, Entercom was able to glean dashboard data that showed a client the number of ad plays, unique cars, and exposures by station.

Data — how to capture it and how to use it — is becoming a widespread topic across all media. While these examples may not be applicable in all markets or for all broadcasters, it’s clear that using digital to capture listener profiles and behavior patterns has the potential to generate revenue for radio’s core on-air business.

Renee Cassis is owner of RC Communications Marketing, a PR and marketing consultancy for broadcast and entertainment companies.

 

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