Augusta, Georgia area business owners have an abundance of options for marketing their goods and services to local consumers. New research from Nielsen, however, indicates that advertising on Augusta radio is still the best way to reach local shoppers.

Every week, according to Nielsen, Augusta radio reaches 367,446 adults. This is significantly more than are reached by social media, local TV stations and cable systems, newspapers, streaming video and audio, and podcasts.

In addition to listening to their favorite Augusta radio stations over the air, Nielsen reports that 106,828 adults also listen to local stations online every month.

As a matter of fact, according to a study conducted by Edison Research during the third quarter of 2022, among Adults 25-54, 17% of all time spent listening to local AM/FM stations occurs online. This share of online listening has nearly doubled since 2016.

Me: Alexa, how many consumers In the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA)have access to a smart speaker?

Alexa: According to a recent Nielsen study, 151,074 Augusta, Georgia area adults own a smart speaker. This is 36.1% of the local population.*

Me: Alexa, what exactly is a smart speaker?

Alexa: According to Wikipedia, A smart speaker is a type of loudspeaker and voice command device with an integrated virtual assistant that offers interactive actions and hands-free activation with the help of one "hot word" (or several "hot words"). Some smart speakers can also act as a smart device that utilizes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and other protocol standards to extend usage beyond audio playback, such as to control home automation devices. This can include, but is not limited to, features such as compatibility across a number of services and platforms, peer-to-peer connection through mesh networking, virtual assistants, and others. Each can have its own designated interface and features in-house, usually launched or controlled via application or home automation software. Some smart speakers also include a screen to show the user a visual response.

Me: Alexa, what brand of smart speakers are Augusta consumers likely to own?

Based on projections from the National Retail Federation (NRF), Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) consumers are on track to spend $8.1-billion with retailers by the end of this year. This would be 13.5% higher than was spent in 2020.

To earn a significant share of these retail dollars, Augusta area business owners are expected to spend $169.9 million to advertise by year's end, according to Borrell Associates. This company tracks advertising expenditures in local markets across the U.S.

To ensure they are spending their advertising and marketing dollars wisely, many CSRA business owners research how to best target prospective customers by using local media. An exceptional resource for local business owners to investigate the media habits of localconsumers is on the advice section of AdvertiseInAugusta.com.  

Here are the top five most-read articles on the site in 2021:

In 2020, there were 23,012 new cars and trucks registered in the Augusta metro area. This number is based on projections from the National Auto Dealers Associaton (NADA) and the U.S. Census bureau.

In all, says NADA, there are 490 new-car dealerships in Georgia. Despite the pandemic, these dealers, including those in the Augusta area, sold $29.7 billion worth of new vehicles.

Through June of this year, these same dealers have already rung up $19 billion in new car sales.

When it comes to buying new vehicles, Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) consumers have a broad range of preferences. Some buyers want Fords while others want Chevrolets, Toyotas, or Teslas.  Some buyers want pick-up trucks, while others want sub-compacts, SUVs, or sports cars. Of course, some want blue vehicles, while others want pearl white, orchard green, or redolent red.

There is one purchase criterion, however, that most CSRA car buyers can agree on. They want an AM/FM radio smack-dab, in the middle of their dash.

According to Nielsen, 21.8% of CSRA consumers listened to or downloaded a podcast during the past 30 days.

A podcast is a downloadable digital audio file available to listeners on an internet-connected device like a smartphone, tablet, or computer. These files are typically part of series focusing on a particular theme such as true crime, professional football, politics, or pop culture.

Augusta, Georiga area consumers can listen to their favorite podcasts whenever they choose using apps like Spotify, Pandora, Google, and Stitcher. The most used podcasting app, though, is Apple Podcasts.

Research from PodcastHosing.org indicates that Augusta area consumers can access more than 2,000,000 podcast series comprising over 48,000,000 unique episodes. According to data compiled by Edison research, the top 10 podcasts during the second quarter of 2021 were:

Each week, according to Nielsen, 68.4% of Central Savannah River Area consumers watch video programs that aren't delivered over-the-air by local TV stations.  They aren't coming from a local cable company or by satellite.  Instead, these programs are being streamed directly to viewers via an internet connection.

This type of streamed video content is called OTT (Over-The-Top-Television) or CTV (Connected-Television). These two terms are sometimes are often used interchangeably but do have a subtle difference.

OTT generally means the video is watched on a small device like a computer, tablet, or smartphone.  CTV, on the other hand, typically means the content is viewed on a smart-TV or a regular television using a streaming device like a Roku or Amazon stick.

In the Augusta, Georgia area, OTT/CTV has exceeded the weekly reach of local newspapers and streaming audio services such as Pandora and Spotify. The medium is rapidly approaching the reach of local cable and broadcast TV stations.

Central Savannah River Area business owners are expected to invest $96-million during 2021 to advertise to consumers connected to the internet. This forecast was produced by Borrell Associates, a company that tracks business advertising expenditures across the country.

These online marketing dollars will be spent on banner advertising, search engine marketing, email, as well as audio and video advertising. This is all to capture the attention of shoppers and buyers as they go about their connected days.

According to Nielsen, 95.2% of adult consumers in the Augusta, GA area have access to the internet. They connect, primarily, with desktop and laptop computers; smartphones; or tablets.

Ninety-four percent of Augusta adults spend at least one hour per week online, with most spending at least 10 hours connected.

Since 1930, advertising on Augusta radio has helped small business owners survive and thrive during times of peril. This includes world wars, natural disasters, depressions, and recessions.

Even during a pandemic, by almost every key marketing metric, radio advertising remains the best way for a Central Savannah River Area business to market its goods and services.

To prove the point, here are five statistics that vividly demonstrate the value of advertising on Augusta radio.

It's a fact. Unless a consumer remembers your business when it comes time to buy, then it is likely they will purchase from someone else. Staying top of mind, therefore, is critical for every Central Savannah River Area small business owner who wants to grab a share of the area's $9.3-billion retail market.

Advertising on Augusta radio provides local business owners with the most affordable way to move to the top of customers' minds. But, before discussing how to get remembered, we must understand why consumers forget.

Every second, local consumers are exposed to 11,000,000 pieces of data. A consumer's brain, however, is only capable of dealing with about 50 pieces of this data at a time. So, if my calculus is correct, a consumer forgets approximately 10,999,950 things every second.

In 1930, the Galvin Manufacturing Corporation put the first car radio on the market. They called it the Motorola. This in-car entertainment would have setback a Central Savannah River Area consumer about $120. That would be equivalent to $1300 today.

But, if you had that kind of cash back then, you would be able to cruise around in your Ford Model-A, DeSoto, Packard, or Studebaker and hear the music of the day from radio stations in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Atlanta.

Today, there's a radio in almost every vehicle on the streets of the CSRA. Despite the competition on the dashboard from other sources of entertainment, AM/FM radio remains the dominant choice among consumers for in-car entertainment.  This is great news for local business owners who depend on Augusta radio to market their goods and services.

Central Savannah River Area consumers are expected to spend $9.3 billion at retail this year, according to Nielsen. This means that every household, on average, will be paying out $41,705.

To capture a larger share of these dollars, local small business owners need to know the answer to two questions.

The first question is, where is this enormous amount of cash being spent?  The list below details the answer.

Central Savannah River Area consumers are expected to spend $1.3 billion on this year's holiday shopping, based on predictions by The National Retail Federation.  This would be a 4% increase over last year.

Deloitte, one of the world's top four accounting firms, forecasts similar growth.

"The projected holiday season growth is, in part, due to the current health of the labor market,” said Daniel Bachman, Deloitte's U.S. economic forecaster. “Near record-low unemployment rates, coupled with continued monthly job creation, may encourage people to spend more during the holiday season. The economy is still growing, albeit at a slower rate. Additionally, we continue to see consumer confidence elevated, which also helps boost holiday spending."

For most CSRA retailers, holiday spending brings in about 20% of annual sales But, long gone are the days when the bulk of this shopping occurred between Black Friday and Christmas.

"Radio is a large part of our advertising, and it always has been," says Peter Alewine.  His family has owned and operates Pete Alewine Pools & Spas in the Central Savannah River Area since 1998.

"My father's goal, when he began the company out of our garage, was to build a few pools a year. He started with three employees, including me,  during my school vacations."

Today, the company has more than 100 employees working out of locations in Evans, GA; Aiken, SC; and Lexington, SC. In addition to building hundreds of pools per year, it has expanded into the sale of hot tubs, pool chemicals, deck furniture, and maintenance.

"Augusta radio is our dominant form of advertising," says Mr. Alewine who, is responsible for the company's marketing. "We are starting to add more online advertising to the mix as well, including social media and Google advertising. We have used a little bit of television, but it hasn't worked well for us."

Is advertising on the radio just a day job for Central Savannah River Area small business owners?  

Thousands of local companies depend on radio advertising to market their goods and services. But, many of these business owners choose to buy commercials only between 6:00 am and 7:00 pm.  Is this a good idea? Maybe not.  Here are the facts.

Last week, for instance, 412,144 adult consumers tuned-in to their favorite Augusta radio stations. This is significantly higher than the number that tuned-in to a local TV station, read a local newspaper, logged-on to social media sites like Facebook, or streamed audio from Pandora and Spotify.

Based on information from the National Retail Foundation, Central Savannah River Area consumers will be spending $13.4 million on Halloween this year. 

Typically, 80% of all Halloween shopping, according to the NRF, will occur between now and October 16.  The remaining dollars will be spent in the last 14 days leading up to the holiday.

Nearly 53% of consumers in the CSRA are expected to participate in Halloween this year, each spending, on average, about $86.  This money will go towards the purchase of candy, decorations, costumes, pumpkins, and greeting cards.

Almost every type of local small business enjoys a taste of this spending. This includes hardware stores, convenience stores, craft stores, fabric stores, thrift stores, florists, card stores, consignment shops, haunted houses, home decor store, bakeries, and, of course, candy stores.

To claim a significant share of this Halloween cash will require local small business owners to advertise.  The key to successful advertising is reaching as many Halloween shoppers as possible over the next four weeks.

Central Savannah River Area small business owners have depended on radio advertising to market their goods and services since the first August radio station, WRDW, began broadcasting in 1930.

Today, hundreds of local small business owners still invest in radio advertising. Not only because it's the only local medium that can reach 412,144 consumers every week, but, most importantly, because it works.

Meet five of the of local business owners who currently advertise on Auguste radio to capture a significant share of the $8.6 billion CSRA consumers will spend this year.

Two things are remarkable about voting day in 1920.  It was the first time, ever, women could participate in the selection of the U.S. President. It was also the first time live election results were broadcast on the radio. Not to mention, it was also the first radio broadcast, ever.

The voters' choice that night was between Warren G. Harding  and James M. Cox.  Both men had derived their political power as successful newspaper publishers.  It is quite ironic, then, that one of these men would reach the highest office in the land on the same night that the nascent radio broadcasting business began its takedown of the newspaper industry.

Nowhere is this takedown more apparent than locally, where radio has become, by far, the advertising medium with the largest reach among Central Savannah River Area consumers.

First Choice Home Builders is an Evans, Georgia based construction company. It has been building spec and semi-custom luxury homes in the Central Savannah River Area since 2003.

"In 2018, we sold 48 homes," says Jade Ross, the company's Marketing Coordinator. "The year before we sold 32."

"Advertising on Augusta radio stations has been very important in the growth of our company," she says. "We have used it to build our brand so that when people in the CSRA are ready to buy a newly built home, the first company they think about it us."

Market research indicates that radio advertising is the best way to reach the prospective home buyers that First Choice needs to reach to be successful.

If you don't have time to read this entire article, then I will tell you right now. The best way to advertise in the Central Savannah River Area is on Augusta radio.

A vital function of advertising is to build mental availability, which nudges a consumer toward the purchase of a product or service. It also serves to provide public notice that a product or service exists and is available for purchase.

Consumers in the CSRA area are expected to spend at least $8.6 billion at retail this year. To claim a greater share of this giant pool of cash requires local business owners of every size to advertise their goods and services. As Professor Jef Richards at Michigan State University points out, “Advertising is totally unnecessary…unless you want to make money."

"Endorsement commercials on Augusta radio is now our predominant form of advertising," says Jeff Rucker. He is the owner of three Mathnasium franchises throughout the Central Savannah River Area with locations in Augusta, Evans, and Aiken.

"We originally signed up for a six-month campaign," he says. "but, it worked so well we are now on Augusta radio every weekday, 52 weeks a year."

"Mathnasium," explains Mr. Rucker, "is similar to a gymnasium. At a gym, people go to keep their bodies fit.  When parents bring their kids to us, it's for a mind workout. Our instructors help school children from grades 2-12 develop their math skills, exercise their thinking skills, and help them with their math homework."

"And, like at a gymnasium," he continues, "parents pay a monthly membership so their kids can come to us as many times as they need to be successful in school."

One of the reasons radio advertising performs so well for Mathnasium is the medium's ability to reach CSRA parents with school-age kids.

Suppose you found a 100-year-old machine in your attic. You, then, quickly learned that every time you deposited a dime in the machine, one dollar popped out.  How many dimes would you drop in that machine?

Good news for Central Savannah River Area  small business owners: such a machine exists and you probably have one in your car, at work, at home, even on your phone. It's called local radio.

Over the past few years, Nielsen has conducted over 20 studies to determine what type of return-on-investment (ROI) a business can expect from radio advertising.  Although the results varied by industry, the average company generated $100 in sales for ever $10 invested.  Turning dimes into dollars.

If you were one of the 412,144 adults who tuned-in to an Augusta radio station last week, it is likely you heard a commercial for Indeed.  That's because, last week, Indeed, the world's largest online job site was also one of radio's biggest advertisers.

There is a good reason Indeed invested so heavily in radio advertising. The site has far more job openings posted than there are job-hunters to fill them. 

This is not unlike the predicament of Central Savannah River Area small business owners who are also having difficulty finding and hiring qualified candidates. These employee-strapped businesses can learn something from Indeed.

What Indeed has figured out is that there are not enough unemployed people or disgruntled white-collar workers searching for jobs. So, the company is looking to attract what human resource experts call the 'passive job seekers'.

It turns out that advertising on Augusta radio is the best way for any business owner to recruit, hire, and retain passive, white-collar job seekers.

Of all the advertising options available to Central Savannah River Area business owners, streaming audio services like Pandora and Spotify are the least effective.  Here's why.

According to Nielsen, after the content of a commercial is considered, the element of an advertising campaign that drives sales the most is reach. In other words, making sure the most people possible are exposed to the advertiser's message is crucial.

When it comes to achieving reach among consumers, Pandora and Spotify rank dead last.  Advertising on Augusta radio stations can reach 201% more consumers than these two streaming-audio platforms combined.

Forty-percent of contractors nationwide report that they have turned down jobs this year because they don't have enough skilled blue-collar workers. In Georgia, over one-third of contractors say they would add 25 more employees this year if they could recruit qualified candidates.

The labor crunch isn't confined to construction. Overall, half of all CSRA employers say they are having difficulty hiring enough blue-collar employees to fulfill the increasing demand from customers. This includes truck drivers, plumbers, HVAC technicians, electrical workers, machinists, metal workers, landscapers, janitors, and mechanics.

Local business owners can benefit from a study by The North Carolina Works Commission. The NCWC found that the recruitment efforts of many employers in that state are failing because they depend on hiring strategies from a time when qualified candidates were plentiful.

These failing strategies include posting on job boards like Monster and Indeed; publishing employment ads in local newspapers; and pleading on social media pages. Some small business owners still depend on hanging help-wanted signs.

"Radio advertising, truly, put our store on the map," says Suzanne Lilly Honeymichael. She and her late husband Ray Lilly started Hardwood Floors & More in Evans, Georgia during  the late 1980s.

"For the first years we were in business," she says, "We worked out of our home."  In 2006, though, the business had grown large enough to move into an 800 square foot showroom which they outgrew after just a year.

In 2007, the Lilly's expanded into the 8000 square foot store on Washington Road, where it has been ever since.

"I was hesitant to start advertising back then," says Ms. Lilly Honeymichael. "I just didn't realize what a strong return-on-investment advertising could bring for us. So, we started slowly."

The National Retail Federation has predicted that this year's back-to-school shopping season will set a new record. Households with school-age children are expected to spend, on average, $696.70 preparing their kids for the first day of classes. This tops the previous record set in 2012.

For Central Savannah River Area small business owners, this means there is $155,483,400 of back-to-school bucks in play between now and the first bell of the school year.

According to the NRF, here's how the $696.70 per household will be spent.

• Clothing & Accessories: $239.82
• Computers & Electronics: $203.44
• Shoes: $135.96
• School Supplies: $117.49

To grab the largest share of back-to-school spending will require small business owners to advertise.  By any metric, advertising on Augusta radio stations will be the most effective.  Here's why.

The number one job of every commercial on Augusta radio is not to sell products.

The number one job is not to build store traffic or to create top of mind of awareness.

The number one job of a radio commercial is not to build brand or deliver ROI.

The number one job of every commercial on an Augusta radio station is to be heard. Period. When a commercial is heard, then all the rest will follow. But being heard is not easy.

At the exact second a radio commercial begins, 11,000,000 other pieces of information are all wrestling for the listener's attention.  Sadly, a consumer's brain is only capable of dealing with about 50 bits of that information at a time.

If you are a Central Savannah River Area business owner who would like to secure a larger share of the $8.6 billion local consumers will spend this year, then what you say first in your commercial is crucial to winning the battle for a consumer's ear.

When a Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) small business owner buys a 60-second commercial on an Augusta radio station, she is limited to about 160 words to persuade listeners to become customers.  To be successful, then, each word needs to be carefully selected to fulfill the desired marketing objective. 

A telephone number comprises seven words. Ten if the area code is included.  If the number is repeated three times during the commercial, then it will consume 21-30 words or up to 18% of the total.

So, should a CSRA business owner sacrifice a significant portion of a radio commercial to insert a phone number? Except for certain circumstances, described below, the answer is no. 

Here are the facts.

Eight months ago, Jonathan Wingard opened his own State Farm insurance agency in North Augusta, South Carolina. Since then he has added 120 new households as clients.

After about 30 days in business, Mr. Wingard began advertising on Augusta radio stations. "New customers come in all the time," he says, "and say they heard about us on the radio."

Mr. Wingard always knew he wanted to be in insurance. "I was introduced to the business in college by one of my elementary school teachers who had become a State Farm agent herself.  I liked her confidence. I liked the way she listened to people. I liked her professionalism.  I knew I wanted to be like that, too."

Before opening up his own small business, Mr. Wingard worked for another agency to "learn the ropes."  After four years, he was ready to go out on his own by absorbing 800 accounts from an agent who was moving out of town."

"When I started my business," says Mr. Wingard, "there were already six other State Farm agents in North Augusta. So, I knew I had to build my own brand to differentiate myself. Advertising was the way to go." 

"I do as much as I can afford," he says. "Since I opened, I have invested about 8% of the income generated by my existing accounts back into advertising."

It's time to set some misinformed CSRA small business owners straight.  When we say everybody listens to Augusta radio stations, we mean everybody.  Generations X, Y, and Z. Baby boomers, and, yes, the millennial generation.

You know...millennials. Those are the "kids" who came of age at the turn of the millennium (which is, debatably, either 2000 or 2001).  This means 18-34 year olds. 

Thousands of Central Savannah River Area small business owners depend on radio advertising to claim their share of the $8.6 billion local consumers will spend this year. Cha-ching.

These advertisers have, typically, 30 or 60 seconds to convince the 412,144 listeners who tune-in to Augusta radio stations each week to become customers. So, it is essential to know how to use that time effectively.

Gathering a sample of 6003 respondents, Westwood One in partnership with audio testing experts Veritonic studied how different elements of award-winning radio commercials affect a listener's intent to buy the products or services advertised. 

Here are the results of the study that CSRA business owners could find useful.

Professional advice is always welcome. Especially when you are a Central Savannah River Area business owner investing your own money trying to capture a larger share of the $8.6-billion local consumers will spend this year.

Hundreds of business owners depend on Augusta radio stations to market their goods and services.  What a company says in their commercials and how they say it are the most critical factors for turning listeners into customers.  This is referred to by the professionals as the "creative."

A study by Nielsen indicates that the creative elements of a commercial are responsible for 47% of an advertiser's sales result. 

Creative, it turns out, has a more significant effect on sales for CSRA small business owners than does reach, targeting, or branding elements. 

Producing and judging effective creative, though, can be a challenge for a CSRA business owner. So, here is some advice from an award-winning, advertising professional.

It is not a gimmick. Many CSRA business owners qualify for free advertising on Augusta radio stations. They pay nothing out-of-pocket.  Zero. Zilch. Zip. Bupkis. Free.

Henry Ford understood that the continual investment in advertising was necessary for a business to be successful. “Stopping advertising to save money," he said, "is like stopping your watch to save time.”

Sometimes, though, when daily expenses challenge their cash flow, CSRA small business owners must prioritize spending. Many times, unfortunately, Mr. Ford’s advice is ignored and buying commercials on Augusta radio will move down the list behind making payroll, maintaining delivery vehicles, and replenishing stock. A lot of times, advertising doesn’t make a list at all.

Some CSRA business owners have discovered that their radio advertising doesn’t have to be sacrificed at all when belts need to be tightened. It turns out there’s a deep pool of “free money” that can be dipped into for the singular purpose of advertising. These funds are called cooperative funds, or co-op for short.