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DATATRAC Radio Trends V: Website Usage and Patterns
Internet Usage - Daily usage of the Internet among radio listeners (63% in 2005) has continued to progressively increased since 1997 (12%). Among the rest, about twice as many log on to the Internet occasionally (25%) than are non-users (12%). Just eight years ago, in 1997, three of four radio listeners reported that they did not surf the Internet at all. Most News/Talk (66%) and Hot AC (54%) listeners are daily users of the Internet.
Internet Usage Among Radio Listeners, 1997-2005
Internet Usage By Station Format, 2005
Website Visitation/Internet Listening - Between 1999 and 2003, the share of computer-using radio listeners who have visited a radio station website has increased (from 28% in 1999 to 49% in 2003). Importantly, radio station website visitation has dipped in the past couple of years (to 44% in 2005). Radio station website visitation is higher among Hot AC listeners (56%). Often, these AC-types explain that they log on to a station website to get information (about a specific program, host or contest). Others log on out of curiosity or to listen to station programming.
The percentage of computer users who have listened to a radio station over the Internet has stayed about the same as our 2003 findings (22%) – down from 2001 (25%), but still significantly higher than 1999 levels (9%). On-line listening tends to be higher among News/Talk-oriented listeners. Like station website surfing, many listening to radio via the Internet do so out of curiosity. Others listen to the Internet to avoid over-the-air signal reception problems and/or tune-in to specific programs (including sports play-by-play broadcasts).
Visitation of a Radio Station Website, 1999-2005
Incidence of Radio Station Listening on the Internet, 1999-2005
With the emergence of the Internet as a key marketing tool for radio stations, FMR Associates has conducted several recent radio listener Internet and website “testing” studies. In addition to the Internet usage patterns summarized above that we continually monitor, we offer the following general observations concerning radio listeners and the Internet:
Internet usage and radio listenership are related.
- Increased daily time-spent-surfing on the Internet is directly related to daily time-spent-listening to radio. The reverse is also true.
- Radio station website visitors are generally satisfied with the sites they log on to. How often they visit a particular website is directly related to perceived satisfaction.
- Perceived satisfaction relates to the ease of navigating and comprehensive nature of the website.
- Those dissatisfied with their radio website visit tend to say that the particular site was confusing or difficult to navigate, including some who mention technical glitches.
Radio listeners tend to visit station websites for passive rather than interactive reasons.
- Passive reasons for website visitation -
- To obtain specific information related to program schedules, music playlists, contests and to follow-up on a particular news story.
- To check local news headlines.
- To view a station events calendar.
- Interactive reasons for website visitation -
- To review program archives.
- To obtain links to other websites, as well as station contact information (including the ability to provide some feedback to the station).
- To make on-line purchases.
Interested in other Datatrac links featuring industry trends and highlights? Click on the links below:
Radio Trends I: Media Effectiveness
Radio Trends II: Methods of Referral
Radio Trends III: Changes in Listenership and Loyalty
Radio Trends IV: Commercial Tolerance and Listenership
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