Category Archives: Full Articles

Full length blog posts about radio, tv, streaming and digital advertising.

Help Wanted The Sign For The Times

Help Wanted The Sign For The Times

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When people say “Those Were Good Times”, what do they really mean? Are they talking about themselves or as a nation or, bigger yet, the world! How can you or I know or recognize a sign of good times. I’m going to go out on a limb and proclaim Help Wanted The Sign For The Times. When you see a help wanted sign I believe you are looking at the product of “Good Times”.

I won’t bore you with the part you already know … business is good so more employees are needed … recruiters and candidates pour in … but what happens when you run out of qualified people for these new job positions? You advertise to the ones who aren’t necessarily looking for you.

Help Wanted The Sign For The Times

Think about how many Help Wanted signs have you seen lately. Just about everywhere, right? We are seeing it here at BC Media and Associates too. More and more companies are turning to us to advertise open job positions on the radio and daytime tv.

…weekly pay of $500 or more while you are training

But enough about us. Lets look at some other industries that are seeking to fill deficits in labor.

Transportation, Truck Drivers and Equipment Operators

Many agree the first industries to need increased employees are transportation, truck drivers and equipment operators. You could say they are the front line. These three industries are the horse to the spur of the economy. Increase in consumerism, increased need for products on shelves which leads to an increase in the need for Transportation professionals, truck drivers and equipment operators.

These are the men and women that get all the stuff you want to buy to all of the places you want to buy it from. In fact1 by 2045 the weight of goods moved by truck will increase to 2273 Million Tons or at a rate of 4% per year. According to the chart that equates to 8,185 Billion Dollars worth of cargo.

Chart Showing Domestic Mode of Exports and Imports by Tonnage and Value
The above chart shows the increase in transportation via truck between 2015 and 2045.

As A Result

As A Result trucking companies are looking for drivers. Many companies are even offering to pay for Truck Driver School AND employ you while you are going to school. Some well known companies are advertising weekly pay of $500 or more while you are training to be a truck driver. That’s not a bad salary to start.

It is clear to the trucking industry that they have a shortage of drivers and they are reacting. However that need extends to warehouse workers as well, forklift operators, order pickers, truck mechanics … the list goes on and on.
Are you starting to believe Help Wanted: The Sign For The Times yet?

The Medical Field Is An Oyster

If you have ever thought of a career in the medical field now is a great time. Earlier this year CNBC highlighted the top ten in demand jobs that don’t have enough applicants. Surprisingly, healthcare takes up a good portion of the list. Number 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9, all of which are higher on the list than a truck driver (Number 10). Respectively those medical jobs are Home Health Aide, Medical Service Manager, Nurse Practitioner, Personal Care Aide and Physical Therapist.

All great career options, some paying over 6 figures per year! For this reason you may be hearing advertisements on the radio for Nursing School and Nursing Assistants at all hours of the day. The reason is there is such an employment demand in the medical professions that the best way to reach potential nurses etc. is to advertise on the radio as well as offering employment bonuses.

Believe It Or Not … Call Center Employees

Believe It Or Not … Call Center Employees are in demand too. Especially phone sales positions and patient customer service reps. We have reports of call centers offering up to $20/hour and sign on bonuses for time on the job. Commonly known to as a “turn and burn” type of employment, even small call centers are stepping away from the old boiler room feeling and encouraging employees to grown with the company.

Again, we see the increase in business, coupled with an increase for skilled labor.

Skilled Construction Workers

An industry that has been labor starved for quite awhile are the skilled construction workers. Our inside sources say “It doesn’t matter what trade you choose, you’ll have more work than you can handle.” Over the past decades there has been a steady decline in skilled construction workers as computers and tech in general took over.

Luckily, with some help, trade schools and even high schools are reaching out to youngsters offering starting salaries upwards of $40,000 per year working in the construction industry. Apprenticeship and paid tuition are also included in some cases.

Some Key Components To Understand Hiring Advertising In 2019

hiring manager holding sign graphic
Primarily BC Media handles Radio and TV advertising on small, medium and mass scale. However, if you are a company or recruiter reading this, here are tips for success in advertising your hiring campaign.

1. Have a way for people to reach you online.
It’s 2018 now. Everyone has a smartphone and most likely they are going to want to use it or their computer to fill out preliminary information.
Granted this isn’t what most of the working world is accustomed to, but your potential employees are going to want to get some details before they get in their car to fill out an application.

2. Use your radio ad to direct traffic to your online application.
What if you, as a hiring manager, could pre-screen candidates using a simple online form containing a transparent pre-qualification information? Likewise, what if a candidate has the opportunity to quick information that makes them feel the job offer you have is not the right fit?

Think of the time that saves everyone. We make it easy to set up an online, mobile friendly, quick application when you choose to advertise you job opportunities with us.

3. Give every possible way for applicants to contact you.
When times are good some power shifts to the employee as it comes to the hiring process. People seeking employment from radio advertisements will be varied so offer any way for them to contact you that is convenient. Here’s the kicker to that … convenient for them.

Considering Help Wanted The Sign For The Times

As you know, the topic of using advertising mediums to recruit new employees is pretty vast so there is no way to cover it all here. However in subsequent blog posts we’ll revisit the topic. For now if you are a recruiter or hiring manager, let us know what is working to help you find quality candidates.

If you are seeking employment, let us know how you like to respond to employment opportunities.

Need Help Advertising For Job Openings?

BC Media and Associates can help lead applicants to your job openings using Radio, TV and Online methods. Use our in house web development team for landing pages and short application forms. Then use our radio and TV commercial time to drive your applicants to the landing pages. Contact us today, we’ll be happy to discuss details.

Resources:
Bureau Of Transportation Statistics Freight Facts & Figures

CNBC Article: 10 In Demand Jobs That Don’t Draw Enough Applicants

Which Is Better Radio Or Facebook For Small Business Advertising

Radio Or Facebook For Small Business Advertising?

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There is no doubt Facebook and social media in general has changed the way we live and do business. But lets take a realistic look at radio or Facebook for small business advertising. While Facebook advertising may seem less expensive, ROI might say otherwise. In this article we will take a common sense approach. Factors will be common small business owners trying to create Facebook ads themselves. On the flip side will be using a company, like BC Media and Associates, to create and run a radio ad.

Which Is Better Radio Or Facebook For Small Business Advertising?

Small Business in our definition is any business that generates $1 to $1 million per year. On the high side, some might consider that medium business. But for our purposes we’ll call that small.

Facebook First.

Why Facebook Isnt Best For Small Business AdvertisingThere are many aspects that are alluring when it comes to Facebook ads. You can start an advertising campaign for as little as $7! Wow! You can do it yourself which might “save the business money”. You can choose your target audience by their likes and dislikes. However when it comes down to brass tacks this is what most small business find out about Facebook. ———–>

Lack of real interaction is what they find. Maybe a few like your post. One or two like your page. But what most business owners are finding out is that Facebook advertising do not convert. Social Media advertising also take lots of work. Not only creating the ads themselves but monitoring and responding to them also. (That monitoring part is ALWAYS overlooked.) You see, the drawback is when you advertise on Social Media platforms people expect an immediate response. Most comments will “test you out” or “see if you would respond”. For small business owners this becomes a challenge. Often times resulting in dead conversation that just wastes time.

Now … about that $7 starting price tag. Lets explore that a bit more. For $7 on Facebook you will get seen by 500 – 700 people. That’s it. If you created an awesome ad you may get some engagement … but don’t expect much. Time for an monetary example. Given the numbers above lets say you want to reach 50,000 people.

So, 50,000 ÷ 700 = 71.42.

Then 71.42 x $7 = $499.94

From the math example it is clear. For about $500 you will be seen by approximately 50,000 people. BUT! That does not guarantee interaction or conversion.

What Do Others Say?

While we are discussing Radio or Facebook for Small Business Advertising, here are some interesting truths from around the web to back up this article. This article from chron.com states “Ispos and Reuters Newswire found that four in five Facebook users have never bought a product or service as a result of advertising on the site”. The article goes on to say “General Motors pulled its own ads … claiming advertising on the site [Facebook] was ineffective”.

Here is a nifty chart that from WordStream.com showing click through rate per industry via Facebook advertising. Lets take a look.

facebook ads average click through rate graphic

Depending on your industry you can see that using Facebook as a sole source of advertising will have a pretty low conversion rate overall. Additionally, the chart above has professional ads factored in. Ads that have gone through A/B testing to see which ones are more effective. Thus, keep in mind, “testing” Facebook ads is the same as running ads.

Are Radio Commercials Cheaper Than Facebook Ads?

As a small business owner one question that is 100% valid is “are radio commercials cheaper than Facebook ads?”. We think you might be surprised at the answer.

Low Maintenance

Radio ads aren’t just low maintenance … they are no maintenance. As the business owner, simply decide on a weekly budget and BC Media works within that budget to get you your desired listening times. However you do have options to participate in your radio ad. You can write the script. You can narrate the ad yourself. Or you can choose a “Do It For Me” approach and we will create the entire radio ad for you. Simple.

So now you know. With radio advertising you don’t have to monitor and respond, test and re-test like you do with Facebook. Small Business owners make a few key selections, approve the script and set the budget. BC Media will also provide tracking information on the calls or views to your landing pages. I’m sure you will agree, saving you time also saves you money, no doubt.

What About Cost Of Radio Advertising For Small Business?

Here is what will shock you. Small business owners asking “What about the cost of radio advertising for small business?”. “Is Radio Affordable?”. Or “I have a very limited budget, how can I afford radio advertising?”. As a basic response BC Media replies “$2 per 1000 listeners”.

So lets stack that figure for radio advertising against Facebook advertising.

Radio: $2 per 1000 impressions

Facebook: $14 per 1400 impressions (this is actually the writer being VERY generous. actuals are closer to 700-800 impressions depending on your ad.)

Given the information above, radio advertising has the potential to be far more effective. Radio is easier to implement than Facebook advertising and requires no maintenance or response monitoring like Facebook does. Dive deeper into the effectiveness with Radio Advertising in our article Facts on Radio Advertising Listener Base

The Focus Is Conversion

The focus is conversion with little effort on part of the small business owner. All aspect considered, Radio is by far the winner in this head to head battle. To quote Ron Popeil Radio has a “Set it and forget it” appeal that Social Media just can’t compete with. Radio advertising also pre-qualifies customers interested in your product or service. While on Social Media people can comment whatever they like, Radio requires them to honestly have a need. This pre-qualification eliminates wasted time on leads that are not truly ready for your product or service.

So What Is Your Take? Radio Or Facebook For Small Business Advertising?

Radio or Facebook for small business advertising? What will your choice be? While BC Media recommends you try both to gather your own results, resoundingly our findings are you will be happier with the ROI from Radio advertising. Contact us via email or phone for a free consultation on which option might be best for your business.

Why Web Services?

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Why Web Services?

Why Web Services you ask? Your web presence is the most important piece of your marketing campaign. Web presence can be thought of as the central hub of your advertising campaigns. All points should lead to your website. For example, if a radio listener hears your ad, they may not have enough time to write down your number. The next best option for the listener is to use a search engine, like Google, to find you. There are other searches but I’ll save those for later.

Google searches are where SEO comes into play. What you will find if your website is not indexed correctly, even if someone searches your business name directly, you may not come up. That said, you can see the importances of a proper SEO campaign during your advertising push. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, a service we offer. Having your website in the highest position possible is the key to conversion.

Can’t Google Adwords Put Me On Top Of Searches?

Why Web Services SEO IconGoogle has just changed the name of Adwords. The new name for Adwords is Google Ads. But to answer the question “can’t Google Adwords put me on top of searches”, the answer is “Yes”. However, here is the correlation with Google Ads (formerly Adwords) and Organic SEO. The amount of times a customer will see your business name on the search page.

Let’s break that statement down to an example. Potential customer searches, your Google Ad pops up on top. They see it, read it, but scroll down. Now that they have seen your business name and now you are able to build trust. This gives you an advantage over even the number 1 listing on Google. Now insert BC Media SEO Web Service. As the user scrolls down they see your business name again on the first page list. You are almost guaranteed to get a click on your SEO ranked link. Why? Because your business name subconsciously looks familiar to the user you are already established trust.

We Do Landing Pages And Sales Funnels Too!

Landing pages and sales funnels are great for short, highly memorable, goods and services. The importance of a landing page is to deliver fast information and give the user a clear cut way to contact your business. Landing pages can consist of video, text content and a contact form. Feeling a landing page or sales funnel is for you? Contact our Web Team.

Why Web Services? Because Your Customers Are Online Just Like You!

But we can’t leave out Social Media. For a business to be relevant today you must have your brand on all social media platforms. These can vary internationally however Twitter, Facebook, Instagram Google Plus and Pinterest are a MUST. But why? Why should you create social media accounts if your marketing model doesn’t revolve around being social?
The answer is simple. Your potential customers will look for your there.

For instance, a person watching TV at home always has their phone handy. They most likely are scrolling through their favorite social media platform periodically while watching TV. Then your commercial comes on. Immediately they scroll to the top and search your business name in whatever social app they are using. If they don’t find you there your chances of them looking elsewhere online are slim to none. Worse still their search may bring up your competitors!! The takeaway here is to meet your customers where they are at. And they are at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google Plus and Pinterest.

Why Do I Need A Website If I Have Social Media?

Website Social Media AnswersClients will frequently ask “Why do I need a website if I have Social Media set up?”. As part of BC Media and Associates Web Services we do full website design. Having a full website is important to your customers because it gives them a central hub. Again, all road should lead to and from your website.

Studies show that when a user engages with your business online through one platform they will search for you on others. This is how your potential customers gain trust. Think of it like this … each “place”, like Google, Facebook, Twitter etc, that you list your business at builds more trust with the internet as a whole. The key role of the website is to connect all of your trusted locations online.

So there you have it. A wordy overview and explanation of the NEW BC Media and Associates Web Services. Now that you know why web services our team is ready to bring you the results. As a note, Web Services are available with or without a Radio or TV advertising campaign.

Available Services:

  • Campaign Landing Pages
  • Sales Funnels
  • Full Website Design
  • SEO Services
  • Google Ads (formerly Adwords)
  • Social Media Management
Generic Commercials Get Generic Results

Generic Commercials Get Generic Results

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Attention Radio Advertisers!
Generic Commercials Get Generic Results!

That’s right! Ideally, when you advertise on the TV and radio the goal is to convert consumers into customer. Thus enhancing your commercials with brand awareness is essential. In this article we’ll take a look at specific research why generic commercials don’t work as branded TV and Radio commercials do.

Testing Why Generic Commercials Get Generic Results

You may have guessed a ton of research has gone into testing why generic commercials get generic results. Some of the best research on brand awareness took place at Kansas State University in 2007. In an experiment with crayons, tissues and tortilla chips students rate the quality and price of products along with packaging.

If you don’t stand out, you’re left out!

For all 3 products: packaging rotated, products were stand alone, product in original package and lastly just the name of the product. Because products and packaging are random, we are looking at consumers natural reaction to the product name, packaging and quality.

Test Results

Findings from the research concluded that people are far more likely to react to products that are packaged and branded. Take a look at these charts showing the test results.

chart showing consumers branding and packaging preference tortilla chips
This chart shows the Tortilla Chip results. Notice how any brand tortilla chip put in a Tostitos brand bag has a higher perceived quality.

chart showing consumers branding and packaging preference tissue
This chart shows the Facial Tissue results. Notice that even when the top brands are put in generic packaging perceived quality plummets by almost 50%.
chart showing consumers branding and packaging preference crayons
This chart shows the Crayon results. Notice how the Dollar Tree crayon has a perceived higher quality because it was in Crayola packaging.

Above you have charted evidence that brand awareness and packaging will lead to more conversions. In some cases you can see that presentation outweighs quality, largely apparent in the case of the Dollar Tree crayon.

What Do Crayons, Tortilla Chips and Facial Tissues Have To Do With Media Advertising?

Good question. In the examples above we are focusing on the perceived value increase of your product when branded correctly. In short, if you want to sell any product, especially on the radio or TV, you have to brand yourself in every advert. Therefore, make it easy for your potential customers to convert themselves. You can check out the full paper here.

So there you have it. The data is in and it says that you need to brand your product correctly in order to increase your ROI on TV and Radio advertisements. Ultimately the goal of any business, ours or yours, is to deliver a product that exceeds customer expectation. BC Media is here to give you the tools and experience you need to make great things happen on any advertising budget. Read on to find out who the biggest offenders of generic commercials are.

Easier Solutions For Advertisements That Convert

Considering best examples are Tax Settlement, Debt Collection and Injury advertisements. These industries have immense competition. Despite said competition, commonly these industries will choose bland commercials that aren’t memorable. Instead, Tax Settlement, Debt Collection, Insurance Agents and Injury Lawyers should Contact BC Media & Associates. We have experience using voices that people recognize on radio and faces they love seeing on TV. Creating a powerful, memorable, SHAREABLE radio or TV commercial is what we do. Because if you don’t stand out you’re left out!

radio advertising effects google ranking

Radio Advertising Effects Google Ranking

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Sounds crazy eh? “Radio Advertising Effects Google Ranking”. Outlandish. What would Google ranking possibly have to do with Radio advertising? The truth is … a lot. Let me explain.

Exploring How Radio Advertising Effects Google Ranking

At first glance your internet rank doesn’t seem connected to radio advertising. However, exploring how Radio Advertising effects Google ranking will shed new light on the connection between the two. By the end of this article you will know how all platforms connect by the same process. Although we will be focusing chiefly on Google and Radio, the connections between platforms is almost inevitable.

Radio Listeners Will Search First

Commonly when people are listening to the radio they are engaged in some activity. Be it working or driving, chances are they are not ready to write down your contact information. Enter the search engines. Most cases listeners will search your business name or key phrase. From there they will navigate to your website, then call you.

But how do searches effect your rank?

Even though the radio listener may or may not contact you, the act of searching your business benefits you greatly. First, Google knows that the listener interested in your product or service. Thus, Google will be more likely to suggest your site if the listener goes looking again. So now you know even if you don’t gain a customer immediately, a radio advertisement search helped your online presence grow. mobile radio advertising search image

Second, the higher volume of people that search your business name specifically will show Google that people are talking about you. If people are talking, and you don’t have negative reviews, you are more likely to come up in search results. Think of it like bell bottoms. No one likes them until everyone starts wearing them. Although reading that you may be tempted to search yourself a bunch of times … but it doesn’t work like that. Google knows it’s you.

But Wait … There’s More!

Third. You may not know, many other search engines feed off of Google. In turn your listing at alternate search engines like Bing or Yahoo! will begin to factor in your new found popularity with Google. Even international search engines can begin to index and show your site

Lastly, now this is the cherry on top. Sometimes Android devices will send notifications to the listener. Notification can ask to leave a review or if they are still interested in your service. Free advertising at its finest!

To quote a May 2018 BC Media article

“… Radio Advertising Bureau shows that radio boosts Google brand searches by an average of 29%”

Read full article here

29%. How would your business change with a 29% increase? With numbers like that it literally pays to have your radio advertising and online presence in sync. We will get into how to update your online presence for radio advertising in another article. Today more than ever before you must be ready to be searched from a mobile phone. Naturally, Google would prefer it to be an android however iPhone users use Google too when prompted. Be forward thinking about the information your potential customer will be looking for.

For the recap:
– Always be ready for radio listeners to search your business
– People searching your business is good
– Most other search engines get some information from Google
– Google Android users may get notifications after they search your radio advertisement

Using these creative ideas and more to generate conversions is hallmark of BC Media. When we say “Maximize Your ROI” we mean it! Tap into these ideas and more with our representative. They will be happy to discuss how Radio Advertising effects Google ranking with you directly. No time for a call? Send us an email from the Contact Us Page.

Sobering Truth About Rehab Advertising

Sobering Truth About Rehab Advertising

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In this summary of our Linkedin Articles we reveal some sobering truth about rehab advertising.

When you think of “Rehab” you may think of The Betty Ford Clinic where celebrities go to get better. However for the rest of us, Rehab facilities need to advertise like any other business. BC Media is up front with clients, explaining best practices for advertising on radio, tv and billboard

Sobering Truth About Rehab Advertising: Better Is Here

Not all advertising methods are productive when it comes to Rehab Facilities. Rehab Centers need key components to equal advertising conversions. Lets face it, people seeking rehab need help. Centers need to be accessible at the time drug and alcohol users need them. Realizing this, BC Media uses advertising experience to help Rehab Centers convert customers which helps people.

Duplicating Successful Campaigns For Rehab Centers

women at rehabilitation clinic garden
Trust BC Media experience in TV and Radio for drug and alcohol rehab. Get the most out of your current advertising budget by duplicating successful campaigns for rehab centers in the past. Targeting time and audience leads to better conversions. It has been said that the road to drug and alcohol recovery starts with the phone call to the rehab clinic. BC Media is the company that can help connect that call.

Because there are options when it comes to media advertising, we posted this article. In the following Linkin Article “There is No Such Thing as Cheap Rehab Leads!”, BC Media answers the questions What is the cost of Rehab Advertising? and How Rehab facilities should advertise successfully?

Above all BC Media wants you to be informed. As a result, reach out with any questions. Simply Contact Us. Finally, you welcome to call for a one on one consultation. Our goal is to help rehab clinics help people.

Enjoy the article!

Check out the full article on Linkdin Here