According to the HaveYouHeard Group, Spotify's stellar performance when it comes to engagement is proof that radio (audio in all of its forms) is the 'come-back-kid' in the marketer's rock band — particularly within the youth market.

Research just released by the digital platform shows that it outperforms all other media types — not just audio — when it comes to engagement, and it also suggests why.

The research was conducted by Spotify in partnership with the research team at Neuro-Insight, a leading firm in the field of cognitive research. The research shows that digital audio is uniquely powerful, thanks to its interactivity and personalisation.

HaveYouHeard Group's in-broadcasting division head Jon Savage has called this vindication. 

The Eye was intended to be the learning curve on which the team would explore the technology and the marketplace to build a lightweight radio station that is flat structured, nimble and low-cost. This initiative aims to deliver the same returns for advertisers than those delivered by major commercial radio stations.

The group says that it has worked hard to convince brands and advertisers of the strength of digital radio, but helping them has been the analytics from Spotify, TikTok and Facebook to study audiences and truly connect with them.

"The Spotify / Neuro-Insight team adds another arrow to digital radio's quiver," Savage says. "It succinctly explains that the medium has a distinct neurological impact. More than that, it proved that some types of sound have a stronger impact than others."

"In particular, the listening experience for digital audio was significantly elevated across all metrics compared to radio, leading to higher memorability, engagement and emotional intensity The power of digital audio is amplified even further on Spotify," adds Savage.

Individuals are encouraged to read more about the insights from Spotify / Neuro-Insight here. 

"For five years, we've been building neural audio fingerprints for brands who are working in the audio space — whether it be in retail radio, podcasting or digital broadcasting," says Savage.

"During that time, we've proven over and again how the right music strategy (with the right demographic) can have a significant impact on purchasing power, how long a person will stay in a physical store and — as the analytics show — how much longer you can entice people to engage with the brand online. This is a particularly powerful metric if you are an online store," Savage says. 

"This has been a revelationary journey for us and our clients (Sportscene, Totalsports and Markham) that have taken the digital plunge and are winning," adds Savage.

"With Sportscene Radio, we not only managed to grow a digital audience of nearly half a million users per month, but even garner a nomination for best contribution to hip-hop at the SA Hip-Hop Awards. In addition, we are simultaneously building the biggest audio network in South Africa consisting of the most prominent audio content creators on the continent," concludes Savage. 

For more information, visit www.haveyouheard.co.za. You can also follow HaveYouHeard on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.