Cutting Through the Noise Using Retail Audio Advertising
Brands and stores looking to maximize sales through retail audio advertising can cut through the noise using best practices to optimize their return on investment from retail audio ads.
After removing COVID sanctions, shoppers flocked to physical stores in droves in hopes that retail therapy would alleviate their two-year bouts of cabin fever. Recent statistics from Statistics Canada indicate that 93.5 % of monthly retail activity occurs inside stores.
Reviving brick-and-mortar shopping has been met with excitement by shop owners of all sizes. It allows them to synergize online and offline sales channels more seamlessly. Furthermore, consumers have expressed greater demand for multisensory purchasing experiences, with overhead audio advertising providing vital ties into digital retail communications networks.
According to Insider Intelligence, under- or in-store digital audio messaging is a significant element of retail media and one of the fastest-rising channels in digital marketing. Combining music, ambient noises and voiceover messaging into an unforgettable shopping experience while providing timely product information and store promotions – retail audio advertising provides shoppers with one communications vehicle they cannot tune out, and that reaches everyone no matter where they may be in a crowded store environment.
While walking home from the dog park with my furbaby, Lelo, I remembered that I needed food for dinner. With her in tow, I grabbed a basket and filled my order while keeping an eye out for Lelo while simultaneously balancing ingredients for my meal in my arms – no way could I read aisle signs or product labels, yet one of the retail audio messages resonated: it advertised an ice cream brand I’d been eager to try; making a quick stop into the freezer section quick enough that both our dinner and dessert were taken care of too!
That is the power of in-store digital audio advertising.
And it’s not just me:
A recent Path to Purchase Institute survey discovered that nearly three out of four shoppers notice audio ads in-store, and 48% regularly consider purchasing brands they hear advertised over retail audio – nearly equaling engagement rates as ads shown on video monitors or digital screens.
Audio advertising in stores is also an effective strategy for non-endemic brands such as movie releases, travel providers, new car launches and communications companies whose products or services cannot be purchased directly in-store. Non-endemic brands that advertise via audio can reap all of the same advantages.
Brands and stores looking to increase sales through retail audio advertising can maximize their return on investment by following best practices. Let’s examine strategies that can help brands harness digital audio advertising effectively in-store based on what I have observed from industry leaders.
- Engage often. In-store audio can boost sales and basket sizes and streamline shoppers’ journeys by providing advertisers with a means of communicating with them throughout their shopping trip. Overhead messages that direct consumers directly to popular products and store departments are welcome and effective at driving buying decisions.
- Consider programmatic. Retail audio ads are well suited for programmatic technology that captures real-time and longitudinal data to automate message content and delivery.
- Flexible Deal Types. This strategy gives brands more options in accessing retail audio advertising inventory across various channels. Industry leaders collaborate with top demand-side platforms (DSPs) to offer programmatic guaranteed deals, private marketplace purchases (PMP), and direct purchases tailored for more customized experiences.
- Customize Content. Remember your store’s identity; a bed and bath shop shouldn’t play heavy metal music or present explosive messages overhead. Strike a balance that meets customer expectations!
- Measuring Precisely. To accurately gauge the impact of in-store audio advertising, utilize technology that calculates average hourly impressions per day by factoring transaction volume data, additional factors, and venue-specific dwell factors into calculations of hourly impressions per day – this enables you to compare its impact against that of other elements of your marketing strategy.
- Use proximity. As audio ads engage customers as they browse, in-store audio advertising has the unique power to influence purchase decisions when shoppers are close by – not miles away! Brands can dominate their purchase funnel with one format that meets upper-funnel objectives while driving lower-funnel shopper marketing outcomes.
Digital retail audio advertising creates an intimate connection with shoppers throughout a store, fostering instant influence and conversions. Nearly 85% of surveyed shoppers reported considering purchasing products mentioned through in-store audio messages; to increase effectiveness and enhance your in-store audio marketing strategy further, explore audio out-of-home (AOOH) solutions such as those pioneered by Stingray advertising.
Integrating AOOH technology into an ambient in-store music delivery system enables you to create engaging experiences while optimizing message management and scheduling – ultimately maximizing impact for business development and revenue-streaming campaigns.
Related
Connect Dynamic Audio Ads Across 850+ Apps with PayTunes
Also read:- MVP Development Services