Clickable Audio - A New Kind of Radio Ad

RadioCentral is starting a new kind of Internet radio - branded stations associated with websites. And the stations will run a new kind of advertising, too, which is being called "clickable audio."

Eric Rhoads, founder and president of RadioCentral, which is based in San Francisco, says his company has developed technology that synchronizes the audio on a radio spot with graphic material on the screen that can be clicked for immediate action. "You can click on an info button that triggers a Web page related to the advertising," Rhoads says.

He says other technologies offer something similar, but not as immediate. "No one can completely synchronize it with the audio the way we do," he says. He says his technology has been patented.

The technology will enable advertisers to run interactive ads that enable listeners to do everything from test drive cars take advantage of discounts. Listeners could click to request information, make purchases, play games, complete surveys and more. He thinks BMW could run ads that allow listeners to test drive cars or see cars in a variety of color combinations. The possibilities are endless.

"It makes the advertising stand out," he says. "You're using radio online and now you have the ability for a response mechanism to drive someone deeper."

Internet radio has run ads with accompanying banners and other graphics, but Rhoads isn't interested in that. "I don't believe banner advertising is strong," he says. "We'll offer it but it's not a major part of the plan." Instead of graphical ads being used, the graphics will come when listeners click in response to the audio, he notes.

RadioCentral stations are only about three months old. The company was founded in 1999 and spent two years developing its idea of customized interactive radio stations. It partners with Web sites, which start their own stations as a branding move. Earthlink.com, the A&E television network, About.com and Scour.com, an entertainment site, are the first sites to start their own stations. They can start a variety of stations with different formats and Earthlink.com has ten. "We go to brands with traffic and convert a small percentage of their traffic into regular radio listeners," Rhoads says.

This may be the future of Internet radio with Rhoads working to sign up more sites, including a major automotive manufacturer he wouldn't name.

The stations that are broadcasting now aren't running any advertising, because the audience has to be built first. But Rhoads has a sales staff working on selling advertising and expects to begin doing it soon.

Advertisers will also be provided with exact audience reports because the stations know exactly who is listening and when they sign on and off. "Trackable technology exists that allows advertisers to know exactly whether the targeted number of people was achieved," he says. "They'll know exactly how many heard the ads, at what times and who responded."

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