Pandora and similar online radio services want to users to listen to them all day, every day. They have a simple model that has become very popular because it gives people the ability to tailor their music to what they are feeling and doing at any given time. In addition, Pandora’s online radio advertising is minimal, and often dovetails with the listener’s current music. The advertising feels less invasive and more like a helpful suggestion than an interruption. People use the online radio apps to help them wake up, get ready for work, exercise, chill out after a long day, create a party atmosphere, or add ambiance to a quiet family meal. Why have these apps taken the world by storm? Here are a few reasons.
Online Radio is Very Simple
There are many different online radio choices, but to keep things easy, let’s focus on Pandora, one of the more basic and popular online radio options. Pandora only uses four buttons while playing music. The thumb up and thumb down buttons let the service know whether users like or dislike songs that are playing. There is a play or pause button and a fast forward button to move onto the next song. One interesting feature is that if a user has the free version of the app, they have to listen to online radio advertising in exchange for skipping a song.
Online Radio Users Are Willing to Listen to Advertisers for the Music They Want
When users try to skip more than one song, Pandora will play even more advertising for their listeners. Most would expect that people would stop using the service, since many people are leaving traditional radio because they feel forced to listen to commercials rather than just music. However, in the case of Pandora listeners, they don’t mind online radio advertising because it is short and quickly returns them to their music.
A brief online radio advertisement of a minute or less is something that users do not mind. This makes online radio much more enticing to a listener, even though they have to listen to advertising, it is not overwhelming.
While many listeners are not necessarily interested in paying for their online radio, they are willing to give up a few moments of their time in exchange for listening to the music that interests them. People tailor their radio stations to their individual tastes, so advertisers can tailor to audiences that may already be interested in buying their products. Online radio has given people choices that they may have felt they did not previously have. This ability has opened up a lot of new doors for listeners and advertisers.
