Developing a strategy that is customised for your audience will remain a key component of your plan, regardless of the latest trends. However, don’t get sucked in by what the trends say you should and shouldn’t include in your marketing strategy.

The best trend in the industry is your audience. Give them what they want, by using the correct marketing tools to reach them and reward them for their brand loyalty. It's that simple.

But the marketing landscape is very different from what it was a decade ago, and new technology has changed the industry in a big way. Marketing to your current listeners alone is not going to cut it anymore and assuming that everyone listens to your radio station is naïve.

You can't rely on amplifying your efforts through one medium that you have full ownership over. Yes, it is one of the biggest assets to use when marketing your product to your current audience, but in order to stay relevant and acquire a new market, one needs to have a sound digital marketing strategy and create engaging activations/events that drive people back to listen to the radio station.

Influencer marketing, content marketing, live video, and sponsorship marketing will remain big in 2020. Here's why:

Influencer marketing:

People follow people and the bigger the influencer or celebrity, the bigger the following. Influencer marketing can help create awareness and attract a new audience.

Content Marketing:

Content marketing is one of the best ways to demonstrate expertise, build credibility and create a relationship with your audience. This can be done through on-air content, campaign content and podcasting. Invest in a strategic content marketing plan that is personalised and targeted for your audience.

Live video:

This will continue to grow as more businesses find interesting ways to connect with their audience by posting Q&A's, interviews and behind-the-scenes content.

Strategic partnerships/Sponsorship marketing:

Partnerships can be a great way to expand your reach and cultivate a positive brand image by visibly aligning yourself with your audience's interests.

Streaming or listening via an app:

A strategy is not about just targeting your everyday listener in your region but opening up your product to a market that is looking for something new, something that resonates with them and something that they click with. Create a narrative that informs and educates no matter where you are.

Podcasting:

This platform needs to be used for what it is intended to do. Many brands still don't use podcasting for the purpose of telling stories that are exciting, relatable and connecting with a brand.

When the content in the podcast is correct the numbers will rocket, and the audience will grow. All facets of the radio station brand  —including digital — need to be considered when creating your marketing strategy in 2020.

Digital marketing:

Digital can influence an audience that isn't currently sampling your radio station. So, including digital is crucial in exposing your brand to an untapped audience and creating tune-backs for the radio station.

Digital targeting through your main pages and personality pages could really unlock a new audience and convert them into your everyday listener. An example of a successful radio marketing campaign was East Coast Radio's '28 Day Music Makeover' campaign.

The campaign incorporated digital marketing significantly well. It invited the KwaZulu-Natal audience to take over the East Coast Radio playlist and to vote for their favourite track on the station's website. The audience could view a live Top 10 feed from the votes. Just by voting, individuals stood a chance of winning their share of R250 000.

A comprehensive digital content plan was created around the campaign, allowing on-air, online and on-the-ground audiences to take part in the campaign by answering music-related questions. A dedicated 28-day 'Music Makeover' content block was created on the station's website, sharing all the latest music trends, gossip and pop culture content.

After the '28-day Music Makeover', the votes were counted and the radio station played the playlist for 24 hours. The station removed all ads, presenters, traffic and news and just played the new playlist voted in by the audience. The station then hosted a first-ever live music billboard performance in Umlazi, showcasing the new playlist live to the KZN public. 

One of the biggest challenges that radio marketers will face in 2020 is deciding what trends will work best for their campaigns. Don't fall into the trap of feeling like 'you should be doing this and not that'. Focus on the goal, but nothing stops you from changing your strategy along the way.

It is important to have a strategy and an end goal, but ensure that your strategy and tactics are agile and easily adaptable to the external environments and the needs of your audience. You need to evolve and stay relevant.

For more information, visit www.ecr.co.za. You can also follow East Coast Radio on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.