RAJAR Release Latest Q4 Figures

RAJAR has release the latest figure from Q4. The data finds 89% of the UK population, or 49.7 million of us, now listen to the radio each week. Altogether that’s 1.01 billion hours listened to in the average week.

• Commercial radio continues to increase its share over BBC radio, with 38 million listeners per week vs the BBC’s 33 million.
• 74% of radio listening is now done digitally, through DAB, TV, online, apps or smart speakers.
• Smart speakers are used for 20% of all digital listening hours.
• So with so many households tuning into radio via their smart speakers, what opportunities does that offer brands when considering audio advertising?
  

Firstly (and this might sound obvious) we know that people are most likely listening to smart speakers in their homes, compared with phone apps or analogue radio listening where there’s no real way of knowing where the audience are, which gives the advertiser a big contextual boost.

Executive creative director Kathleen Moroney explains, “If we know the listener is at home then it means we can talk to them directly about anything that might be relevant to that environment which is a major win for household or DIY brands. Imagine asking the listener to consider the décor in their home, does it need a refresh? Is the kitchen looking drab? Do the walls need brightening up? Creating a relatable message that fits perfectly in the listener’s mindset is a great way to maximise an advertising budget.”

Beyond the spot, the smart speaker is the gateway to an exciting new world, whether it’s creating an informative or fun Alexa skill, or asking the listener if they’d like to be sent a sample of the product on offer. It becomes more of a conversation than another advert, which is something most brands are now trying to achieve.

Want to know what your brand sounds like? Get in touch by emailing info@redapplecreative.co.uk!

Data source: RAJAR/Ipsos MORI/RSMB