By Tammy Benda
Everyone knows what radio advertising is. It’s been around since before most, if not all of you reading this have been alive. You know what a TV ad is. You look forward to this year’s best in the big game every year!
I started in the advertising business in 2001 selling radio ads. One of my good customers was Chris Brooks, the owner and founder of Bottom Line Marketing. He had some great radio ads and really good customers. Before too long, I started working directly for Chris’ growing agency and became a media planner, buyer, along with graphic designer, writer, and all the many hats we wore as a small 4-person advertising agency.
We always hustled hard. But strategy, media planning and media buying was so much easier back then. Radio, TV, Billboards, Newspaper and Yellow Pages were your major options (yes, I have been around since Yellow Pages were important). With our start in Upper Michigan, we had a dominant television broadcast presence that could reach 90%+ of the adults in the market. For some that didn’t need to reach that many people, cable TV and a disruptive radio campaign with decent frequency could really grow a clients’ top-of-mind-awareness. Newspaper returned big time on an event or special offer. Oh, the good ole days.
Sure, those “old school” media are still strong. They can still work and be a very efficient means of reaching customers. Every media works if the budget allows for reach and frequency. But they don’t reach 90%+ anymore. Ask Gen Z or Millennials how often they watch the local news or read the newspaper. Ask how many people spend more time on Netflix and Hulu and cut the cable cord in recent years.
Enter Media 2021 and all the new options that are continuing to grow and change every single day. No two budgets are the same, no two markets are the same, and no two media strategies are the same. Here are some of the “new school” opportunities to reach customers and bring them to your site or in your door.
Not Your Grandmother’s TV
If you’re over 50, you probably remember the day when your parents adjusted the “rabbit ears” on the TV. They may or may not have had tinfoil to help the signal. We’ve come a long way in TV viewership from those old antenna (and fuzzy signal) days to enjoy crisp, clear television from a cable signal, satellite and more common today – an internet signal. More TV is being streamed via internet. Whether live news networks, sports, or your favorite dramas, you can watch TV through paid services and even unpaid apps via devices like Firesticks, Rokus or smart TVs. This is often referred to as CTV (Connected TV) or OTT (over-the-top). The wonderful ability these types of digital TV services offer is finding just the right customer for your business and no waste. You don’t have to buy an entire DMA if the footprint of your customers is only a certain geographical area or even a certain demo.
I tube, YouTube, we all tube!
Well, 74% of us that is. According to Statista https://www.statista.com/statistics/296227/us-youtube-reach-age-gender/
74% of all adults use YouTube, America’s most-used digital platform. This is even larger than Facebook and Instagram. Businesses that include video as part of their overall media strategy can capitalize on this large user-base with targeted ads, delivered to their ideal customer.
Your website is only great if someone can find it.
The overwhelming majority of retail consumers start their purchase journey by researching online. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is no longer an optional part of an advertising budget. It’s essential. If a customer is searching for your product or service and cannot find you in the first couple pages of search results, you won’t be an option when it’s time to make the online purchase. And there’s also a good chance you won’t be an option when they walk in a door to make a purchase either. SEO and SEM work hand-in-hand with local top-of-mind-awareness and excellent reviews.
Get social. Make your social media WORK for you!
While the ages and number of users shift a bit each year as new social media platforms are developed, Facebook and Instagram still have a stronghold on the percentage of adult users. Yes, as a business, it’s still a FREE source of media. And can have an impact with a big following and engaging content. However, because it’s a media, money talks! The more you spend, the more you reach. The Facebook and Instagram platforms have some of the best data available, allowing for granular targeting other platforms can’t offer.
Targeting and Retargeting
Ads can be served to people based on their behaviors, which include searches conducted, sites visited, purchases they’ve made, etc. Adding layers to a targeted ad campaign can really help to reach the ideal consumer and serve relevant ads, improving campaign effectiveness. Once they click to your website, then REtargeting comes into action. It would be ideal if a customer made the decision to purchase when they first visit your site, but that isn’t likely. It’s best to “follow them around” after they leave your site (and they will) with ads that remind them to come back to your site, or better yet, come into your doors!
Oh, there’s more….but we’ll save that for another blog. With the fast pace of changes in digital and social media marketing, chances are there’ll be even more new, exciting options next time I write on the subject.
