Until 1930, there were no radio stations the Central Savannah River Area. Local listeners would need to tune to distant signals including WSB, a station owned by The Atlanta Journal. WSB was Georgia's first radio station and had been on the air since March 15, 1922.
On June 25, 1930, however, Warren Davenport and Clark Jack put Augusta's first radio station, WRDW, on the air. Mr. Davenport and Mr. Clark were owners of Musicove, a store at 309 Eighth Street that sold radios, records, and sheet music.
The inaugural broadcast of WRDW began at 1:05am and lasted nearly three hours. The first program included a performance by local musician J. Bernard Carpenter.
A few days later on July 3, WRDW broadcast a speech by J. Roy Cooper, a candidate for Mayor in Augusta. This was the city's first ever political broadcast.
For 90 years, small business owners have depended on local radio stations to successfully market their goods and services through depressions, recessions, wars, and natural disasters. Even now, during a pandemic, advertising on Augusta radio remains a dependable way to make cash registers ring.
Here are five facts every CSRA small business owner needs to know about local radio in 2020.
1. Augusta Radio Reaches More Adult Consumers Every Week Than All Other Media
Each week, according to Nielsen, more CSRA consumers tune-in to local radio than watch Augusta television, connect to cable-TV, read the newspaper, browse social media, or listen to streaming audio sites like Facebook and Instagram.
.png?noresize=true&width=632&name=Advertising%20In%20Augusta%20Adult%20Media%20Reach%202020%20(R2).png)
2. Local Radio Reaches More Augusta Millennials Every Week Than All Other Advertising Options
The millennial generation now accounts for over 30% of every retail dollar spent in the Augusta area. This generation was the first to inject online and digital options into their daily media usage. Local radio still reaches more members of this age group than all other advertising options available to Augusta small business owners.
3. The Time Consumers Spend Listening To Augusta Radio Is Little Changed From One Year Ago
The onset of the Coronavirus pandemic has created significant changes in the media, work, mobility, commuting, shopping, and lifestyle habits of local consumers. Something that has not changed, though, is the length of time adults spend listening to Augusta radio every day.
4. Augusta Radio Has The Greatest Reach Among College-Educated Consumers
There are 107,300 adults in the CSRA who have earned a four-year college or postgraduate degree, according to research from Nielsen. A study from the Federal Reserve indicates that these educated consumers have been least affected by the economic consequences of the pandemic, and they have money to spend now.
5. Advertising On Augusta Radio Is The Best Way To Reach Online Shoppers
CSRA shoppers are expected to spend a record $1.4 billion online in 2020, based on the most recent projections from eMarketer. This would represent year-over-year growth of 32.4%.
During the same period, according to eMarketer, receipts at brick-and-mortar stores have contracted by 3.2%. Overall, excluding gas and auto sales, e-commerce will account for 20.6% of all retail sales this year.
By any measure, the best way to reach local online consumers is by advertising on Augusta radio.
Last week, for instance, local radio reached significantly more online shoppers than all other local media including, Augusta TV, cable, newspaper, or social media.
More Advertising Advice For CSRA Small Business Owners
- Online Advertising In Augusta: How Much Do Local Businesses Spend?
- Advertising In Augusta: Top 5 Articles From 2020
- Who's Spending Now? CSRA Small Business Owners Ask.
- Advertising In Augusta: Still Time To Ring Up Holiday Sales
- What Is The Best Way To Reach Online Shoppers In The CSRA?
- Small Business Advertising In Augusta: Consumers Ready To Spend
- Advertising ROI In CSRA: Television vs. Radio
- AVOD: Four Letters Every Augusta Small Business Owners Should Know
