In 2025 there are lots of media platforms available to advertise on so sometimes it’s hard to know where to invest in advertising for the best results. This World Radio Day, our marketing manager, Keira, looks at why you should consider commercial radio as part of your advertising strategy.

Why advertise on radio?

The number of media platforms is increasing with the number of social media and mobile apps readily available at our fingertips. With that, the way we consume media is changing but radio can still be a powerful advertising platform.

Commercial radio stations are funded through advertising however, BBC Radio stations, are funded through the TV Licence.

Whether you are targeting a national audience or more people in your local area, radio advertising could help you reach a larger number of people.

69% of people aged 15+ listen to commercial radio each week in the UK and 77% of the UK population tune into digital radio every week. The average listener tunes into 20.6 hours of live radio per week.

Platform share % of all radio listening:

Location of listeners:

Would you choose radio over social media?

In short, this depends on your target audience and the purpose of your campaign. Each campaign is different, so we would need to consider all advertising platforms initially and then look into factors such as target audience, desired outcomes and budget.

However, some benefits of radio advertising include:

• You can’t skip or fast forward radio adverts – yes you can change radio station, but listeners generally keep the same radio station on for each listening session.
• It is common for people to have radio playing in the background while completing other tasks as you can do it while doing things such as cleaning or paperwork – you don’t need your hands to listen to the radio, but you do to scroll on your phone.
• Radio can be listened to anywhere – at home, while driving, at work and when walking out and about. Sometimes radio stations are played in cafes, shops, barbers and more – so you could be reaching even more people than you think.
• Radio allows for emotion to be conveyed easier than written content, allowing for messaging to be embedded in our minds.

So, should my business be advertising on radio?

Our team are media buying specialists who have the expertise to know whether your target audience is listening to the radio and if so, which stations they tune in to. We place your brand on the airwaves that matter, connecting you with your target audience and ensuring you invest your advertising budget on the right platforms.

If you would like our support to plan your business’ next advertising campaign to make sure you reach your target audience, please get in touch.

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