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Advertising In Charlotte: Why Radio Is Still The Best Option

Jun 23, 2023 11:49:55 AM / by Larry Julius

Local businesses have been marketing their goods and services on Charlotte radio since March 18, 1922. That's when the Federal Radio Commission granted a license to the Southern Radio Corporation with the randomly assigned call sign, WBT.

From studios located in the Realty Building located at the corner of Trade and Tryon, WBT began broadcasting music from phonograph records for two hours each day. The station's early broadcasts were heard by about 22,000 people using hand-built radio receivers.

Who could have guessed that 102 years later, advertising on Charlotte radio would still be the best advertising option for all types of retailers and business owners.

Nowadays, according to Nielsen, Charlotte radio reaches 1,983,988 adult consumers. This reach is significantly higher than all other advertising options including local TV, cable, social media, streaming video, online audio, and newspapers.

Reach, according to Nielsen, is the audience metric most responsible for driving the success of an advertising campaign. Only the message itself carries more sway.

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Topics best way to advertise, small business owner, reach, small business marketing, small business advertising, reach & frequency, streaming media, streaming audio, advertising reach, radio listening, share of ear, advertising options, online radio listening

Lessons A Charlotte Business Can Learn From World's Biggest Advertiser

May 12, 2023 11:07:12 AM / by Larry Julius

There are 92,427 small businesses in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metro Area, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Almost every one of these businesses is competing for a portion of the $56.2 billion of local retail spending expected to occur in 2023.*

To capture the largest share of this giant pool of consumer cash, Charlotte small business owners will need to consider advertising.

"Think you have a great product?" asks the U.S. Small Business Administration. "Unfortunately, no one's going to know about it unless you advertise. Advertising, if done correctly, can do wonders for your sales., and you know what that means: more revenue and more success for your company."

One of the best ways to advertise in Charlotte may be on local radio, a fact not lost on the world's largest advertiser, Proctor & Gamble. Last year, P&G upped spending on the radio by 43% to $235 million, according to Vivvix (formerly Kantar Media), led by a big jump in local radio.

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Topics best way to advertise, radio advertising, reach, reach & frequency, advertise on radio, advertising reach, radio commercials, radio listening, advertising on radio, advertise on Charlotte radio, who listens to radio, advertising in Charlotte, am/fm radio

Advertising On Charlotte Radio in 2022: Five Things to Know

Jul 20, 2022 8:39:36 AM / by Larry Julius

Local business owners have depended on Charlotte radio to market their goods and services since WBTthe city's first radio station, went on air in 1922. Despite the advent of new media and technologies since then, advertising on local radio stations is still the best way for the area's 92,427 small business owners to create and maintain customers.

Here are five facts every business owner should know about advertising on Charlotte radio in 2022.

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Topics best way to advertise, radio advertising, small business, small business owner, small business marketing, small business advertising, advertise on radio, radio commercials, radio listening, charlotte radio, advertising on radio, advertise on Charlotte radio, radio formats, who listens to radio, car radio, am/fm radio, online radio listening

Advertise On Charlotte Radio? 5 Things Business Owners Get Wrong

Dec 30, 2021 1:47:27 PM / by Larry Julius

To ensure success, every Charlotte business owner needs to advertise.

"Think you have a great product?" asks the US Small Business Administration. "Unfortunately, no one’s going to know about it unless you advertise.”

The SBA goes on to say, “Advertising, if done correctly, can do wonders for your product sales, and you know what that means: more revenue and more success for your business.”

There are dozens of ways for local small business owners to advertise. By most metrics, the best way to advertise is on Charlotte radio. These measures of effectiveness, however, are often obscured by the glimmer and glitz of newer technologies. 

To help reduce the glare that often blinds business owners to the potency of advertising on Charlotte radio, here are the top five things many local business owners get wrong.

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Topics radio advertising, advertise on radio, radio commercials, first radio station in Charlotte, radio history, radio listening, charlotte radio, advertising on radio, advertise on Charlotte radio, radio formats, who listens to radio, car radio

Advertising On Charlotte Radio: How Smart Speakers Add Value

Sep 28, 2021 11:47:59 AM / by Larry Julius

Since 1922 when WBT-AM first signed on, local small business owners have been advertising on Charlotte radio to market the goods and services they sell.

Lately, some of these advertisers are voicing concerns, though, that the accelerating use of smart speakers could erode the effectiveness of commercials on local stations. Current research, however, reveals that these devices actually extend the reach of the medium and its ad content.

More than 663.403 consumers in Charlotte have a smart speaker in their homes, according to Nielsen. This is 30.4% of the local adult population.

Smart speakers are internet-enabled devices controlled by spoken commands and capable of streaming audio content, relaying information, and communicating with other devices. 

According to the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) data, Amazon Echo (aka Alexa) accounts for 69% of all smart speakers in use. Google's smart speaker makes up another 20% of the market. The remaining 11% of the market comprises Apple Home (aka Siri), Sonos, and Bose.

Charlotte consumers can use their smart speakers to accomplish a diverse range of tasks, including accessing news, weather, and sports information; turning on lights in the house; shopping; and food delivery.

The most common use of a smart speaker, though, is streaming audio, including Charlotte radio stations, according to eMarketer. Edison Research's Share of Ear Study indicates that consumers devote 13% of their total time using a smart speaker listening to AM/FM radio stations. This is second only to the time spent listening to Amazon Music at 19%.

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Topics radio advertising, small business, small business owner, online advertising, small business marketing, small business advertising, streaming media, streaming audio, smart speakers, google home, amazon echo, siri, effective advertising, radio listening, alexa, how to advertise, apple

Advertising On Charlotte Radio Makes Good Sense For Business Owners

Jun 16, 2021 12:34:14 PM / by Larry Julius

Since March 2020, when the first case of COVID-19 was reported in the Charlotte area, more than 307,012 local people have been infected, according to data collected by USA Facts. The measures imposed to contain the outbreak have transformed the way consumers work, shop, commute, and conduct the business of everyday life.

One aspect of daily life in Charlotte that remains little changed due to the pandemic is radio listening. Despite the Coronavirus crisis, radio has held its long-held position as the most used of all local media. This is good news for area business owners who depend on radio for marketing their goods and service.

Each week, according to Nielsen, 1.9 million adult consumers tune-in to a Charlotte radio station.  This is significantly more people than are reached by all other local advertising options, including TV, cable, streaming video, streaming audio, social media, and newspapers.

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Topics best way to advertise, radio advertising, small business, small business owner, roi, return on investment, small business marketing, small business advertising, radio listening, listening location, time spent listening, advertising ROI

Consumers Stick With Charlotte Radio Despite Pandemic

Mar 30, 2021 10:26:05 AM / by Larry Julius

In 1922, when WBT became the first radio station in Charlotte, NC, many considered the medium a fad.  Even in 1937, a hit song by George Gershwin, Our Love Is Here To Stay, considered radio to be a "passing fancy and in time may go".

Charlotte radio, however, has survived the advent of talking-movies, television, eight tracks, and cassettes in stereo.  More recently, radio has withstood a tsunami of digital options including, YouTube, SiriusXM, Pandora, and Spotify.

As the Coronavirus pandemic rolls over into a second year, Charlotte radio has hung tough and not ceded its ground despite listener's shifting lifestyles.  This is crucial news for local small business owners who depend on local stations to market their goods and services.

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Topics best way to advertise, reach, return on investment, corona, coronavirus, covid 19, in-car audio, recovery, radio listening, pandemic, listening location, time spent listening, work from home, advertising ROI, commuting

Does Anyone Listen To Charlotte Radio At Night?

Mar 9, 2021 2:26:48 PM / by Larry Julius

Each week, according to Nielsen, more than 1.9 million adult consumers tune-in to a Charlotte radio station. This is significantly more than watch local TV or cable. More than stream video channels like Netflix or Hulu. More than read local newspapers. More than use Facebook or Instagram. More than listen to online audio services like Pandora and Spotify.

But almost everyone knows (including many who advertise on Charlotte radio) that consumers only listen to local radio stations during the day. Right? Wrong!

According to Nielsen, 49% of local consumers listen to Charlotte radio stations each week between 7:00pm and 12:00am. This is a larger audience than Pandora, Spotify, and Instagram combined reach during an entire week.

For Charlotte small business owners, radio's immense nighttime audience offers a unique value proposition.

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Topics small business, small business owner, time of day, small business marketing, small business advertising, advertise on radio, effective advertising, radio listening, advertise on Charlotte radio, night, prime-time

5 Key Advertising Stats Charlotte Small Business Owners Should Know

Feb 22, 2021 11:09:04 AM / by Larry Julius

Since 1922, advertising on Charlotte radio has helped small business owners survive and thrive during times of peril. This includes world wars, natural disasters, depressions, and recessions.

Even during a pandemic, by almost every key marketing metric, radio advertising remains the best way for a Charlotte business to market its goods and services.

To prove the point, here are five statistics that vividly demonstrate the value of advertising on Charlotte radio.

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Topics best way to advertise, roi, reach, return on investment, retail spending, retail, retail sales, retail stores, retailer, web traffic, website visitor, in-car audio, radio commercials, radio listening, listening location, advertising ROI, online shopping, advertise on Charlotte radio, website traffic

Charlotte Radio: Which Stations Do Local Consumers Prefer?

Jan 25, 2021 1:01:26 PM / by Larry Julius

There are 33 radio stations in Charlotte. Each provides a unique format of news, sports, music, entertainment, and inspiration. Some stations broadcast in English. Others serve Spanish speakers. Some stations cater to millennials. Others appeal to Baby Boomers.  No doubt, there is a local radio station that fulfills the preferences of every listener.

Each week, according to Nielsen, 1.9 million adults tune-in to their favorite Charlotte radio stations. This is more people than watch local TV, cable, or streaming channels. This is more than use Facebook and Instagram. This is more than read newspapers or connect to Pandora and Spotify. 

Despite the abundance of Charlotte radio stations to choose between, Nielsen reports that, on average, adult consumers only listen to 3.6 each week.  So, which stations do local consumers choose?

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Topics radio advertising, millennials, streaming audio, smart speakers, radio commercials, radio listening, listening location, radio formats

Advertising In Charlotte: Drivers Turn Up The Radio

Jan 20, 2021 1:33:57 PM / by Larry Julius

Local radio came to Charlotte on March 18, 1922. That's when the Federal Radio Commission granted a license to the Southern Radio Corporation with the randomly assigned call sign, WBT.

From that day, many predicted radio's success would succumb to advances from new technologies. In 1927, the challenge came from talking movies. In the 1940s, the predators were 13-inch TV sets. In the 1970s, it was 8-track and cassette tapes. In the past 20 years, there was a multi-flank attack from iPods, Zunes, YouTube, Sirius, XM, Pandora, Spotify,

So far, all of these challengers have failed. Not even a pandemic has been able to remove radio as a vital force in the life of Charlotte consumers.

Every week, according to Nielsen, more adults tune-in to Charlotte radio than watch TV or cable. Use social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram. Read newspapers. Or, stream music from Pandora or Spotify.

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Topics best way to advertise, small business, small business owner, small business marketing, small business advertising, advertise on radio, vehicle traffic, in-car audio, radio listening, point of purchase, mobility, advertise on Charlotte radio

Advertising In Charlotte: Top 5 Articles From 2020

Dec 8, 2020 1:28:47 PM / by Larry Julius

As the pandemic rages on, advertising is no longer a luxury for the 92,000 small businesses in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area .  Advertising has become a tool for survival.
 
As cash becomes precious, though, Charlotte area small business owners and retailers need to ensure that every dollar spent  on advertising has a significant effect on sales.
 
To make the best advertising choices, thousands of local business owners have sought advice and direction from www.AdvertiseInCharlotte.om.  Here is a recap of the top 5 articles read on the site during 2020.
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Topics radio advertising, small business, small business owner, television advertising, newspaper advertising, newspaper readers, small business marketing, small business advertising, OTT, television, pay-tv, cable television, radio listening, CTV, svod, avod, cable tv, 2020

Who's Spending Now? Charlotte Small Business Owners Ask.

Dec 4, 2020 2:40:03 PM / by Larry Julius

There are 676,000 adults in the Charlotte area who have earned a four-year college or postgraduate degree, according to research from Nielsen. A study from the Federal Reserve indicates that these educated consumers have been least affected by the economic consequences of the pandemic.

"While the labor market disruptions have affected workers in a wide set of industries and occupations, those without a college degree have experienced the most severe impact," say Mary C. Daly, Shelby R. Buckman, and Lily M. Seitelman authors of The Unequal Impact of COVID-19 in the Economic Letter published by the Federal Reserve of San Francisco.

Although the unemployment rate increased among consumers of every education level in late March when the Governors of North Carolina and South Carolina lockdown their states to slow the spread of the Coronavirus, the smallest increase was among those with bachelor or postgraduate degrees, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Seven months later, job recovery among those with college degrees is closer to pre-pandemic levels than consumers with lower levels of educational attainment.

Many small business owners have seen the correlation between advertising and survival during the economic crisis inflicted by the pandemic.  With precious few dollars to invest, it is crucial that every advertisement reaches consumers who have disposable income to buy. Right now, the most likely spenders are customers with college degrees.

By key advertising metrics, the best way to reach consumers with higher education is on Charlotte radio.

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Topics best way to advertise, radio advertising, small business, small business owner, small business marketing, small business advertising, advertise on radio, radio commercials, radio listening, charlotte radio, advertising on radio, college graduates, education

Advertising On Charlotte Radio Is Back In The Driver's Seat

Oct 27, 2020 2:12:25 PM / by Larry Julius

There are more than 1,700,000 car radios in the Charlotte area. On March 30, though, many of these devices became quarantined along with their owners. That was the day when the Governor of North Carolina shut down the state to slow the spread of COVID-19.

According to the Apple Mobility Index, the Governor's public-safety order caused traffic on Charlotte roadways to plummet to 65% of pre-pandemic levels.

By the beginning of July, however,  the AMI indicates that traffic in Charlotte began to exceed pre-Covid levels. The surge in mobility is due, in part, to work-from-home, furloughed, and laid-off employees returning to their workplaces.

According to Nielsen, during the week of April 30, only 39% of adults with jobs were working outside-the-home.  During the week of October 1, though, that number had expanded to 61%.

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Topics consumer spending, small business, small business owner, small business marketing, small business advertising, in car aduio, vehicle traffic, effective advertising, radio listening, consumer confidence, share of ear, point of purchase, mobility

How Has Working From Home Affected Charlotte Radio?

Aug 24, 2020 6:45:00 AM / by Larry Julius

Before COVID-19, most listening to Charlotte radio happened outside the home. Consumers were tuning-in to their favorite stations from the car on the way to their job. Then, they tuned-in when they arrived at work. They listened again during the commute back home.

Nielsen recently surveyed consumers who worked from home before and during the novel coronavirus outbreak. The results show, as of June, 66% of respondents now work from home full-time as a consequence of the pandemic.

As consumers are compelled to work from their houses and curtail their commutes, the share of at-home listening to Charlotte radio has grown by 19%, according to Nielsen.

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Topics best way to advertise, radio advertising, corona, coronavirus, covid 19, advertise on radio, radio listening, pandemic, listening location, time spent listening, work from home

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