Having a website has become so “normal” that advertisers and the public simply expect all companies to have a website no matter what business they are in. Being active on social media is great, but it’s very hard to close an advertising sale there. You need to have a corporate website that advertisers can find when they are looking to advertise. And your company, which owns the radio station may do more than just radio. Like sports broadcasts, events, etc. We’ve seen some stations owners who also offer sound equipment, lighting, and venues.
A corporate website would properly convey every opportunity to potential advertisers and those looking for these additional services your company offers, how involved your company is involved within your community, and even showcase your best creative work that has paid off for previous clients.
Think about it, when you need information about something probably the first thing you will do is search for it on Google. Will your station appear within those results with a new business owner search for “(your city) advertising”?
It’s vital to have a station website where you can interact with listeners, provide local news, run contests, show local events, etc. This is where your advertisers will have their banner ads displayed because of the listener-directed content. It’s also equally as vital to have a corporate website directed entirely towards providing information to existing and potential advertisers.
Sure, you can have marketing pages on your existing station websites but be mindful that these do not get into the way of the real reason for your station website; entertaining and informing your listeners.
If you don’t have a corporate/group/market website, here are some reasons why you should consider it.
Visibility/Competitive Edge
If advertisers can’t find your station/group online, they’ll likely find your competitors. With more and more stations putting more focus on a substantial web presence, your station/group runs the risk of losing business to your competitor because you’ve failed to represent yourself properly and gain that better first impression.
So, it is important that your website looks good on all devices, is easy to navigate, and has enough information about your stations and the advertising opportunities you provide. Your website is the first thing a potential advertiser sees, and they will judge the kind of experience they will have from that.
An ugly or incomplete website will give them an unnecessary bad image of your company. Advertisers will often choose to do business with an inferior company just because their website looked better or answered all their questions. Therefore, having a good website provides a competitive edge.
Makes it Easier for Advertisers to Find You on their Time
Put yourself in the mind of a brand-new business in your area. You’re a smart business owner, so you know advertising is important to get new customers. How do you find the best ways to advertise? Are you going to scan the local radio and TV stations? Chances are that you going to a search engine online to start your research in finding the best for your business.
Studies show that 93% of business decisions start with a search engine search. That means if you don’t have a website (for any business that you’re in), you are only selling to 7% of your market. That’s reducing the potential size of your business by 93%.
Your corporate website is available to the world 24/7/365. This makes it possible to have your advertising information available to more people than your sales team can reach, and it can be done around the clock.
We’ve all experienced client who simply does not like having salespeople visit their business. Your website can reach advertisers like these, as well as potential out-of-town advertisers. They will be able to learn more about your opportunities without having them take the time to meet with your sales representative in person.
This website “salesperson” continues to work for you while you and your sales team are asleep or on vacation.
Instill Confidence in Your Advertisers
Not every bit of content on your station/market site must be a conversion tool. Giving away useful information is a great way to instill confidence in your clients because it positions you and your team as community thought leaders and forward thinkers. These are the kind of people that advertisers trust as being knowledgeable and confident in their actions.
A great way to give away this information is with a blog or news page. Offer tips on how clients can push their business forward, even if they are not using your services. Do provide easy access in case they do want to start advertising.
It’s very important that this information be updated on a continuous basis, so you’ll need to create a content calendar and stick with it. This content should keep advertisers coming back to check out what your station or group is doing. Think of it as having a salesperson popping in on the client every week or month to let them know about new things or opportunities happening at your station.
This frequently updated content will also be rewarded by search engines that will boost your website higher in search results. When someone searches for “(your city) advertising”, you’ll want your website to appear first.
Enhance Your Company Image
If someone searches for advertising opportunities in your market online and cannot find your company, you’ve made a first impression – but not a good one. There is a large portion of the advertising market that won’t even consider you as an option, if you can’t be found online.
A corporate website can help you to establish a credible, professional image, instilling a higher level of trust with your advertisers. Your corporate website can (and should) reflect the spirit and vision of you and your company. It can also offer the opportunity for any smaller business to portray itself as a bigger/more solid operation.
Better Customer Service
Does your staff spend a lot of time on the phone answering listener and advertiser requests? Do they keep answering the same questions and sending out the same material? Answering the same questions repeatedly can be a great waste of money and employee morale.
A carefully crafted list of frequently asked questions (FAQs), posted on a corporate website, can reduce the stream of repetitive questions and your sales team can devote more of their time to selling.
Do you really need a corporate website?
Your company may not need a corporate website: if you are happy with your market share, if you have no expansion plans, if enough advertisers come your way doing what you are doing, and if your competitors cause you no concern. This doesn’t describe my business and if it doesn’t describe yours, then you probably need a corporate website.
Can you put these corporate-type pages on your existing radio station website? Sure! But if you have multiple stations and brands, then your message might get muddied by the content you’re using to attract listeners. It might also be difficult to get certain advertisers to come on board with your radio station if their competitor’s banner ad is on the “Advertise with Us” page.
Covid showed many businesses the need for a greater online presence, especially when their salespeople could not visit clients in person. If you don’t have a corporate website, please consider it.
Visit our example at https://www.markettheme.net and then reach out to us for help with yours. Even if you don’t choose us, please consider doing something more online to reach more advertisers.
