Radio advertising has been around for a long time now, and yet it hasn't lost its appeal or popularity. Advertising on the radio is a great way to reach out to a large audience in a short span of time. To be effective it is important that radio advertising is planned carefully, executed well and the response elicited is measured appropriately.

The two crucial factors that make radio advertising effective include the manner in which it is presented and the timing of the advertisement.

Presentation

It is important that a radio advertisement is presented in a manner that it grabs the attention of the listeners. It should either be humorous or dramatic in its content and presentation. Other factors that effect the manner in which it is received is the message that the advertisement conveys, quality of voice, sound effects, music and production engineering.

Radio advertising capitalizes on the imagination of the listener. And hence the cues that the commercial presents are crucial to the manner in which the information is received. Studies also suggest that the fact that the listener's attention is focused on the voice and sound effects and the message is better accepted and retained. Thus radio as a medium of advertising depends on the imagination of its audience. Many advertising agencies find that realistic settings on the advertisements are easier for the listeners to relate and respond to. However more creative advertisements also evoke strong response from their target audience.

Timing

It is crucial that a radio advertisement be timed well. Information regarding listener statistics is usually available with most radio channels, so that advertisers are able to advertise accordingly. It is vital that advertisement is heard by your target audience at a time period when such listeners are in majority. Hence an ad for candy should be timed according to a children's programme and not during the news.

Advantages of Radio Advertising

• Radio advertising is effective because listener's tune into certain programmes which they are interested in. Hence a related product would find a more willing audience if the time slot for the ad is well selected.
• Due to the mobility of the radio advertising on it has a far more wide spread impact than most other mediums of advertising. Listeners can hear and react to your radio advertising when they are travelling, working at work or at home or when they are enjoying a lazy Saturday morning at the beach.
• Radio advertising is more dramatic than other forms of advertising as it has the added advantage of evoking the listener's imagination. Every listener is able to interpret an ad according to his or her own situation and thus it makes the ad more effective.
• Advertising on radio is far cheaper than that on the television and in some magazines.
• Internet radio has added to the numerous advantages of radio, and now internet users can tune into their favourite radio channel while they surf the Internet.