Podcast and on-demand audio content consumption is growing in popularity in Africa. Increased internet penetration on the continent has seen the gradual displacement of traditional forms of electronic media (radio and TV). This change in content consumption habits has paved the way for digital content livestreams and podcasts.
Today, it is possible for Dennis Ochieng, a Kenyan, to listen live to his favourite program on Kiss 100 FM Nairobi, from Brisbane, Australia. As a matter of fact, if Dennis were to be too busy at work, he could easily get around to listening to that program much later as a podcast by simply logging on to atunwapodcasts.com.
Sadly, not many African radio stations can offer this to their diaspora or even local audiences because their streaming partners do not offer affordable options to convert their live shows into podcasts. Consequently, they lose these audiences and potential monetization opportunities.
However, let’s explore three tactics African radio stations can employ to retain existing listeners, reach more people, and improve monetization opportunities.
- Ensure quality and uptime
One of the biggest challenges facing several African radio stations is a lack of consistency in managing their livestreams. For many different reasons — often poor or no internet connection — these stations experience a ‘dead air’, meaning they cannot be streamed for hours and sometimes, days. It is almost impossible to monetize ‘non-existent’ livestreams, therefore, stations must ensure they aim for at least 99% uptime. Also important is the quality of the content being streamed. Advertisers often look to deliver impressions on quality and available content.
- Build & maintain a sizeable audience
Advertisers are keen on the size of audience a radio station has. The size of the audience largely determines how well they can be monetized. Therefore, deliberately building and maintaining a sizable audience is of utmost importance.
- Find the right monetization & streaming partner
Considering the current digital media landscape, it has become imperative for radio stations to offer their most popular programs in podcast/on-demand format. This helps with audience-building and retention and improves monetization opportunities.
Also, with the bulk of digital advertising revenue accruing to content publishers in the US and Europe, most monetization and streaming partners focus largely on those two regions and less on Africa. Therefore, it is important to select the right monetization partner to help you monetize your inventory. With audio content monetization, make sure you’re looking towards an Africa-focused partner that can connect your station with quality global advertisers and a variety of ad networks.
If you are an African radio station owner or manager looking to properly monetize your inventory, reach us via mac@atunwadigital.com for a quick chat.
