According to Statista, there will be well over 220 million smartphone users by the end of 2017. These users will engage with radio in various ways – texting, downloading or just listening in.
While we all know that radio reaches 91% of people 18 and over, how they engage with radio via their smartphones is important to analyze. According to GfK MRI, 83% of smartphone owners who are 18 or older listen to broadcast radio and 92% of adults who have listened to a broadcast radio stream own a smartphone. Today, the smartphone allows radio to provide the companionship it has always done – delivering the information that people want – allowing them to engage with entertainment and information on the go.
So what other activities do these smartphone owners/radio listeners take part in? It should be no surprise that 91% of adult smartphone owners have visited a radio station, program or radio personality’s site on their smartphone. Did you know that 84% of adults that have used text messaging to vote in a contest are broadcast radio listeners? When it comes to redeeming coupons or looking at an ad sent with a text message, 84% of these same adults are tuning in to broadcast radio.
When looking at the various age groups:
- 18-24-year-old radio listeners are 61% more likely to vote in a contest
- 25-34-year-old radio listeners are 59% more likely to redeem a mobile coupon.
- 35-44-year-old radio listeners are 41% more likely to go to a website for entertainment information.
There are so many facts to share, but here’s a simple chart for you to share with colleagues and potential advertisers to remind them that the smartphone is like radio – a constant companion providing listeners with information and entertainment – whenever and wherever they want it.
