Radio giveaways have changed significantly over the years, but one interesting trend we are seeing is that they are moving more and more away from caller #5 contests.
Now, major radio corporations are running multi-station giveaways that promote huge cash pots.
Source: Pexels
Radio Stations are Focusing More on Omnichannel Experiences
Stations are now offering bigger cash pots that often stretch well over £100,000. Bauer Media Audio UK is an example here, as they own Jazz FM, KISS, Absolute Radio, Kerrang!, Magic, and Heart Radio. Even though each radio station offers different music, the network pools together entries for competitions, with rolling jackpots. Trends like this mirror digital marketing, as brands are cross-promoting across different devices.
Campaigns now commonly follow users, whether they are on desktop, mobile, tablet, or even an app. McDonald’s is another example. People can place orders through the app, claim discount codes, or buy food, with all purchases counting towards rewards. The Paddy Power bingo deposit bonus works in a similar way.
You can claim 40 free spins when you spend £10, or you can spend £2 on bingo tickets and get a free spin on the cash reel. It doesn’t matter where you game from, whether it’s your tablet, phone, or desktop, because all actions are tracked and syndicated into a central platform, making promotions like this more accessible and user-friendly.
Food platforms like Uber Eats and Deliveroo use push notifications to market to mobile users during peak opening hours, and at the same time, offer discounts across the app and website, creating a single ecosystem that operates across different parameters.
As radio stations grow and as companies grow their portfolio of stations, omnichannel contesting is becoming the norm. Rather than having a single entry point to enter a competition, such as being the fifth caller, it’s now possible for people to enter competitions via text, on the phone, or even on a desktop at home. Not only does this increase audience touchpoints, as it can also be done across different radio stations, meaning different listeners can be targeted with the same campaign.
Giveaways are Becoming More Complex
Interestingly, we are also seeing giveaways become more complex. BBC Radio 1, for example, often has huge scavenger hunts, where listeners have to hear clues and then track down celebrities. Radio stations BBC run scavenger hunts that encourage people to get out there and explore their local parks. To try and increase touchpoints, some radio stations offer incentives for those who download the app, whether it’s a QR code to the next clue, or more information on where a clue may be.
This can be syndicated with the radio station itself, which can then offer live updates. As every touchpoint increases the chance for audience participation, it makes perfect sense that prize giveaways have increased over time, with whole networks of radio stations working with one another to garner thousands of entries at any one time.
Examples like this show how relevant radio is, even to this day, and how by meeting changing audience preferences, it becomes possible to increase conversion rates and success.