Why Radio?

Why Does Radio Work?

Radio’s success is rooted in the emotional connection between a radio station (and its personalities) and its listeners. Radio’s theater of the mind can take you on an emotional journey by playing a song you haven’t heard in a decade or by cutting into regular programming with breaking news.

The spoken word of radio isn’t constricted by the edges of a paper or by the corners of a screen. Radio is the constant companion you take with you wherever you go.

Audio is incredibly powerful, with auditory images lasting longer than visual ones. People prefer speaking in person or talking on the phone rather than reading an email or a letter. Think about learning the ABCs. If you’re like most Americans, you learned your ABCs through song. If you’re a parent, you’ll never forget the first word you heard your child speak. Words matter.

Beyond the power of audio, radio is incredibly effective at targeting particular groups of people. If your business wants to reach younger males, a rock station could make sense. If you want to capture a younger female audience, for example, you would want to advertise on a Top 40 station. Find out how to choose the right station for your business.

Finally radio, unlike TV, has low to no production costs. This means your money is actually being invested in targeting a particular audience and building frequency in their minds.

Check out more reasons why radio makes sense below.

download Zimmer marketing success stories

  • Radio reaches 93% of people (12+) each week (RADAR)
  • Radio advertising results in an average sales increase of $6 for every $1 spent (Nielsen)
  • Radio has the highest monthly reach with 259.7 million people (12+) beating TV with 253.3 million (Nielsen)
  • Radio remains the favorite source of in-car entertainment by 81% of drivers (IPSOS)
  • Radio listeners (75%) tune in because they know their favorite personalities are on the air (RAB)
  • Radio listeners (52%) stated their favorite on-air personalities influence their opinions (RAB)
  • Radio reaches 67 million millenials each week, up 9% from 2015 (RADAR)
  • Radio attracts new customers
  • Radio promotes repeat business
  • Radio drives in-store traffic
  • Radio drives online engagement
  • Radio connects with on-the-go consumers
  • Radio is intimate. Our business is based on our bond with our listeners
  • Radio boosts morale
  • Radio is targetable and cost-effective
  • Radio is intrusive and breaks through to busy listeners
  • Radio is the only medium that utilizes theater of the mind to paint a unique picture in the listener’s mind
"You can close your eyes, but you cannot close your ears."
"Stopping advertising to save money is like stopping your watch to save time."
- Henry Ford