DJ Influencers have been a staple of Infinity Marketing since our beginning in 1993, and there’s a reason they continue to serve as one of the biggest differentiating factors between us and other agencies. Now, more than twenty-five years later, Infinity still provides a DJ Influencer program that spans over 1,000 DJs nationwide across 700 general market and Hispanic stations.
The Advantages of DJ Influencers
On a weekly basis, more Americans listen to over-the-air radio than any other platform, surpassing television audiences and the number of users on PCs, tablets, and even smartphones. Perhaps even more importantly, radio has an extremely diverse audience with near equal reach across each generation, according to Nielsen.
It’s All About Personality
The advantage DJ endorsements and live reads have over traditional radio and television spots comes down to the on-air-personalities’ ability to cut through the “commercial clutter” that surrounds all other platforms. On-air-personalities are trusted voices within their communities that have gained the respect of their audience over multiple years.
There are significant advantages for endorsements and live reads versus traditional radio spots in terms of a potential customer’s path through the purchase funnel. From the initial association a listener makes between a radio spot and the product being promoted, to the consideration of purchasing the product and ending with intent to buy, endorsements and live reads have a significantly higher percentage of success.
This is backed by data that shows a staggering 68 percent of listeners seek further information on goods that are mentioned by DJs. Much like a neighbor, friend, or family member, the connection local on-air-personalities are able to make with listeners far exceeds what is possible through national, or even statewide, general spots.
The Advantages of Infinity’s DJ Influencer Program
The work that Infinity performs to ensure that each campaign takes full advantage of this platform’s possibilities positions our clients above others utilizing live reads. The foundation of the DJ Influencer program depends upon matching a client with local personalities whose audiences are within the target demographic. This is accomplished through evaluations of radio personalities to discover the best match for each client’s brand and product.
Every selected DJ goes through a training seminar that familiarizes them with the brand and product they will be endorsing, the desired message to be conveyed, and the program requirements. One of the main requirements of any Infinity DJ Influencer campaign is for vendors to upload an aircheck of each spot to the Infinity Web Portal. This dual-purpose system makes it easier for vendors to submit their airchecks while also providing immediate access to each aircheck for both Infinity and the client.
Infinity monitors airchecks to consistently provide coaching and feedback to ensure that each spot has a unique quality that is sure to provide the listener with new and relevant information in an engaging presentation.
Social media and digital marketing
As social media and digital marketing continue to progress, Infinity’s DJ Influencer program has taken advantage of the additional channels of communication to move beyond a single-platform strategy. Utilizing images, videos, and live broadcasts through a DJ’s or station’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram creates numerous touchpoints for endorsers’ followers.
True endorsements and live reads
Naturally, adjustments are made to the program based on the nature of a client’s product. The Comcast program utilizes what is known as a true endorsement, which means the DJ who performs the spot is also a user of the product. For this program, all DJs are required to have Xfinity Internet and TV service. This ensures the DJs can use the products and services and speak to their experience as a customer during the endorsement.
For certain clients, such as Clayton Homes, true endorsement program requirements are not feasible. This is where live reads become an effective alternative, as it wouldn’t be practical to require each DJ to live in a Clayton Homes home. The live read program retains the same requirements for endorsements, but relies on more intricate training, introductory seminars, and two visits to a Clayton Home Center each year to familiarize the DJs with the products and brand.
Last but not least — added value
One of the DJ Influencer program’s key advantages is guaranteed added value — often additional social media posts, web banners on a station’s web page, sponsorships, live remotes, bonus spots, and other tactics provided at no additional cost. All aspects of added value contribute to what makes Infinity’s DJ Influencer program transcend that of a normal live read or endorsement campaign.
The DJ Influencer program has been with Infinity since the agency’s inception, but its core principle is continuous evaluation and implementation of improvements. Research into the listening audience, aircheck critique, and incorporating social media all embody the ever-evolving nature of the DJ Influencer program that allows it to maintain its position as the most impactful strategy for our clients to reach their customers.
