After last weeks 7 Basic Radio Promos post went live – I received quite a few emails saying I was wrong – that there was WAY more than that – as I said at the time – it was a basic list that I had lumped promotions from around the world into 7 basic types.
After much back and forth between myself and a couple of VERY passionate radio promotion people – I agreed to revise the list into 10 Basic Radio Promos – while I don’t 100% agree with them – I am willing to concede that in the cases they presented to me – they did appear to be different enough to be added to the list.
Both of these people thought that they were indeed, VERY different – and who am I to argue? As they have been working in their fields for over 2 decades respectively.
I have simplified the first 7 to include more detail in the last 3:
1. Call-in contests: Listeners are required to call in to the radio station to participate in the contest. This can include trivia contests, song identification contests, and more.
2. Text-to-win contests: Listeners can enter the contest by sending a text message to the radio station. This type of contest is popular among mobile-first audiences.
3. Social media contests: These contests are run through social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Listeners often need to post a photo or use a specific hashtag to enter.
4. Online contests: These contests are run through the radio station’s website and require listeners to fill out a form or complete a task to enter.
5. On-site contests: These contests require listeners to be present at a specific location, such as a sponsored event or concert, to participate.
6. Interactive contests: These contests leverage technology to create an interactive experience for listeners, such as augmented reality games or virtual scavenger hunts.
7. Scratch-off/Fill-In contests: Listeners can win prizes by scratching off a card or ticket distributed at sponsor locations.
8. Voting contests: Listeners can vote for their favourite song or artist by either: texting a specific keyword to the radio station, voting on the station website, voting on social media, voting on the station app, or sending in a physical vote.
9. Themed contests: These contests are centred around a specific theme or holiday, such as Halloween, Christmas or Valentine’s Day. They are usually a combination of the top 7 or allow for a combination of the above 7 to allow for entries.
10. Cash/Major giveaways: Listeners can win cash prizes by participating in various types of contests, usually this is tied in with Survey/Ratings time and again uses a combination of the top 7 competition/promo types in order to enter – showing that listeners will engage in one format or another.
