ukdigitalradio: For Business

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For Advertisers

With digital radio stations offering more choice of listening, the potential for businesses to advertise products to a more targeted audience is enormous.

Radio is rivalling TV as the UK's biggest entertainment and information medium. Of the total UK population, 89% of adults listen to the radio each week, and on average they tune in for 23.9 hours a week. Most households in the UK have at least one radio, and 60% have four or more in the home. The total number of radios in the UK is approximately 188 million. (All figures sourced from Rajar Q3 2006).

While there are currently no accurate listening figures for digital radio - something we're actively working at changing - national networks have the potential to reach more than 44 million adults.

Consumer awareness and take-up of DAB digital radio continues to grow. As receiver prices continue to fall, we expect to see digital radio achieve an ever more popular status.

With digital radio, advertisers can target far more specifically than using analogue radio. Advertise on a sport channel, a classic rock station, or one formatted for the under-25s, and you know exactly which target market the message is reaching.

Advertisements can include visual information such as phone numbers, product information and special offers. The next generation of digital radios could see listeners storing and retrieving text information enabling advertisers to initiate direct response and marketing campaigns on the radio.

In the future, global-positioning systems could enable advertisers to run geographically targeted campaigns. Eventually, the day will come when a single person's profile can be stored, and personalised advertisements specifically targeted to his known needs and interests can be sent directly to his radio.

So what are the benefits to business?

More value

A broader reach for advertisers coupled with aggressive new strategies from broadcasters looking to boost their ad revenue.
More creative opportunities

Flexible programming and distinctive target audiences create limitless opportunities for innovative advertising, promotion and sponsorship campaigns.
More interaction

Visual displays and information services increase the impact of direct response and call-to-action campaigns. In the future, listeners will be able to download and store anything they see or hear on radio, allowing them to respond to advertisers' messages either instantly or at their leisure.