“But how can I track it?”
I started hearing this when I started selling radio a number of decades ago. Back then it was couponing that I was battling. “People come into my store with a coupon so I know it works”. Today, it’s unique visitors in the proper demographics making the final jump to the web site that are “proof”. So how, in a world of numbers can radio still prove its worth?
1) Godaddy.com
2) Squarespace.com
3) Google Trends
First let me lay some knowledge on you that you may or may not know. “HomeAdvisor.com, Angi, LendingTree, APlaceForMom… these are not businesses. They are lead generators. You see the ad, you log on, tell them what you need and then your phone starts ringing..usually while you’re still on the site. Why? Because companies local businesses are paying these companies for leads. They are paying based upon demand and… they don’t give the leads exclusively to any one business. A dozen businesses could be being given your contact information at the same time and, in many cases, autodialers start calling within seconds.
So...what does that have to do with Radio? Simple. Radio stations can generate leads too. Think about this a second. You go to Goddaddy and reserve the name JonesvilleBusiness.com, or something else easy to remember. You write ads telling people to call in for the best insurance rates. Or you tell them to call in for the best car repair place. Use language that spells it out: “When you call JonesvilleBusiness, you’ll be referred to a highly rated business in town……”. And, what do you do with that lead? Hmmmm… sell it maybe? For how much? Easy enough… find out what HomeAdvisor is charging for those leads and match it. OR… make it value added for annual advertisers spending over $X,XXX per month. Want to sell a new Insurance agent? Show them the number of highly qualified leads you came up with!
Categories: Heating/AC, Real Estate, Plumbers, Nursing Homes, Handymen…. All categories radio is weak in at best.
Next phase…. The web pages:
Anyone who uses analytics on their web pages knows exactly what page people came in and and where they bounced (came in and left on the same page) from. But, if you on the radio are saying “Go to Joe’s Hardware . com), there is no way for Joe to know that was you. So what do you do? Yo go to Godaddy.com and register the name JoesHardwareAimsville.com. Then you either go to swuarespace.com and make a quick opening page that links right to his web site, OR you simply set the referrer in GoDaddy to go to a SPECIFIC page on Joe’s web site. Maybe its to his “about” page… a page that would probably have little direct traffic normally, but now starts showing as a landing page.
This is something I do with my Social Media Marketing for my customers. A Facebook ad may click to a page that is unusually unused. I can then see if the Facebook traffic is actually going into the site or just bouncing AND I can see if the page they are landing on is sticky.
Finally there is Google Trends. Check it every day. Find out what people in your area are searching on Google. Use THOSE worlds in your ads.
We can sell 30’s and 60’s. We have been for a very long time. BUT I am pretty sure that a radio company that walks in with LEADS is going to get the business.
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