Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB
Navigating the complex world of attribution is not that complex with new measurement capabilities in play for radio success
There is a misperception in the advertising community that an audio ad’s influence on a consumer’s purchase journey can’t be measured to the same degree as ads that run on digital media. This inaccuracy is grounded in radio’s broadcast nature, which makes attaching a digital pixel for tracking individual listeners from exposure to purchase an impossibility.
When it comes to direct attribution measurement, all media channels are not created equal. Each requires methodology suited to the form in which advertising content is delivered, a point on which providers of attribution methodology concur in the RAB’s recently updated “Audio Attribution” report. While directly tracking consumer behavior and the action that stems from the digital delivery of an impression is easier in digital media than other forms of media – because a pixel embedded within a digital unit has the capability to collect information about an individual’s behavior and interactions – the report makes the point that “the response cannot be attributed or isolated to the consumer’s final digital click [because] the consumer has been exposed to multiple media throughout their journey.” In other words, last-touch attribution doesn’t always tell the whole story.
Can radio in all its forms – which include podcasts, streaming audio, and over-the-air broadcasts – be measured with every KPI movement attributed back to the medium? Yes, it can. Radio can be a full-funnel solution for brands, both on its own and by amplifying the performance of other media. The measurement solutions are identified based on the advertiser’s goals and the objectives for the campaign investment.
According to a recent “State of Audio” report from Audacy, at the widest part of the funnel, radio’s ability to create lasting impressions and boost emotional connection and trust is unmatched, with an average 49 percent lift in awareness. In the middle, when consumers are getting ready to act, audio drives an average of 40 percent lift in brand consideration. As the report states, when the rubber meets the road and consumers act, radio smashes conversion goals, driving 48 percent of consumers to purchase.
There are several methodologies used by broadcasters, marketers, and their agencies to meet any advertiser’s goal. Measurement including attribution, multitouch attribution, upper-funnel lift studies, engagement neuroscience, creative evaluations, and media mix models serve individual goals, yet all help to inform, measure, and gain insights to improve return on investment and return on advertising spend.
Gauging the impact of campaigns in real time falls within the expertise of the many attribution providers who can implement cross-channel methods, allowing advertisers the ability to understand the effect and amplification that occurs between radio advertising and other digital marketing channels. One such provider, LeadsRx, is quoted in RAB’s report: “By analyzing how radio ads impact consumer behavior across different touchpoints, a more holistic view of attribution emerges.”
The Cumulus Westwood One Audio Active group recently published results from 17 campaigns measured by LeadsRx across verticals including tax preparation services, B2B supplies/services, apparel and jewelry retailers, financial institutions, job websites, subscription managers, identify theft protection, online therapy apps, vitamin supplement subscription services, and a haircare supplement. Using a methodology that applies channel filters to remove or include the impact of other marketing programs, LeadsRx’s studies examined attribution by day of the week, daypart, and by AM/FM radio programming format and averaged a 14 percent increase in website traffic directly attributable to AM/FM radio advertising.
Today’s listeners engage with radio in more ways than ever throughout their daily journey, whether it be through streaming, podcasts, or the over-the-air broadcast. In fact, according to the 2023 “Infinite Dial” study from Edison Research, cited by Audacy’s Idil Cakim, SVP and head of research and insight, and Senior Analyst Frank Williamson in a company blog post, combined listening across platforms increased 66 percent from 2021 to 2023.
In an effort to allow advertisers the opportunity to look at total audio attribution in a holistic way, data-based marketing firm Claritas has developed a single dashboard that will amalgamate the channels, providing marketers with a comprehensive view of the impact derived from their audio campaigns. Erik Lundberg, chief growth officer for media and audio at Claritas, shared with RAB that the company is currently beta testing over-the-air measurement solutions that could track conversions happening further into the funnel, such as lead generation and, ultimately, purchases.
Understanding what will move the consumer to act is important well before attribution measurement takes place. Brand effect, neuroscience, and emotional resonance studies capture the strength and engagement of a campaign, which will correlate back to conversions. System 1’s “Listen Up” study shows that audio ads that make listeners feel more positive can dramatically change consumer behavior, generating over 8 percent more brand action and delivering longer-lasting brand effects. According to Westwood One, MediaProbe’s neuroscientific emotional engagement testing found that AM/FM radio advertising’s emotional impact score outperformed television advertising by 12 percent, validating a dentsu/Lumen study cited by AdAge in 2023 that shows audio ads outperform video for attention and brand recall. Measuring brand effect not only confirms lift for brand metrics but is also a guide and connection to the attributable results that radio provides.
Finally, the long tail to measurement, yet critically important to many national brands, is marketing-mix modeling. Used to determine the effectiveness of investment in a brand’s marketing and media tactics, it often determines how allocations are made. Historically, radio’s performance in the models has not accurately depicted results due to the data input provided to modelers (often planned media weight versus as-run data, which may include variances). Moving forward, the RAB on behalf of the radio industry has committed to providing as-run data to marketers, agencies, and their modelers to help to improve the accuracy of measurement for brands.
No matter how it’s sliced or diced, audio/radio campaigns are measurable, and they can generate insightful and impactful results to marketers’ bottom lines. As technological innovations continue to enhance capability, there are many companies that are and will be emerging as additional attribution solutions. Marketers can rest assured that, as advertising technology advances, radio’s ability to provide campaign data will become even smarter, faster, and stronger.