AM/FM Radio Works For Healthcare As More Consumers Start To Resume Normal Doctor Appointments
The pandemic caused Americans to press pause on many aspects of normal life. While hospitals buckled down for an influx of patients, routine healthcare took a backseat. Many Americans postponed their normal medical appointments. Fortunately, times are changing.
According to The Conference Board, economic indicators are trending positive. “Consumer Confidence increased to its highest level since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020,” said Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators. “Consumers’ assessment of current conditions and their short-term outlook improved significantly, an indication that economic growth is likely to strengthen further in the coming months. Consumers’ renewed optimism boosted their purchasing intentions for homes, autos and several big-ticket items.”
With this newfound consumer optimism, healthcare providers can now begin to resume advertising and opening again for routine services. An effective way to do that? Using AM/FM radio.
Consumers are resuming their normal activities
Over the last year, Nielsen has conducted five consumer studies probing consumer sentiment on COVID-19, their use of AM/FM radio, and spending optimism.
Their most recent national wave was conducted in March 2021 among 1,009 consumers aged 18 and older. Three consumer segments representing varying degrees of post-COVID-19 normalcy were examined.
The “wait and see” consumers are those do who do not feel things are normalizing or opening up. The “proceed with caution” consumers are those in the middle on opening up and resumption. The “ready to go” segment is most optimistic about a return to normalcy.
The study found that among the “ready to go” segment, 95% are starting to resume more normal activities. 90% believe their city or town is starting to emerge out of the crisis and 88% believe that it is safer now than it was a month ago.
Over half of consumers say they are likely to go to routine doctor and dentist appointments
While significant concerns about health remain, 69% of consumers are very or somewhat likely to go to a routine doctor appointment in the next two months. 58% will go the dentist for a regular checkup or cleaning. While these routine health appointments were put on hold at the height of the pandemic, consumers are beginning to focus on their health again.
AM/FM radio has massive reach among those who have health insurance
A great way for healthcare providers to reach customers who have health insurance and remind them of the importance of routine visits is through AM/FM radio.
According to Nielsen Scarborough, 85% of adults 18+ with health insurance are AM/FM radio listeners. The number is nearly as high as those who are Internet users or TV viewers. 40% of those with health insurance are heavy AM/FM radio listeners, those who spend significant time listening to AM/FM radio on a weekly basis.
AM/FM radio listeners take action after hearing healthcare ads
Nielsen Scarborough also finds that those who have taken action after hearing a healthcare ad are AM/FM radio listeners. Of those who have purchased a non-prescription drug after hearing a healthcare ad, 86% have listened to AM/FM radio.
Among those who have made an appointment with their doctor after hearing a healthcare ad, a massive 85% have listened to AM/FM radio. In 2020 even in the midst of the pandemic 24.6 million heavy AM/FM radio listeners made a doctor’s appointment because of a health ad.
Among heavy AM/FM radio listeners, allergies, high blood pressure, and digestive disorders are concerns
Thought he pandemic dominated the minds of Americans last year, other symptoms were also of concern. In the past 12 months, 42% of heavy AM/FM radio listeners purchased allergy medication. 23% bought high blood pressure medicine and 19% purchased digestive disorder medicine. To encourage Americans to make non-COVID issues a focus as we emerge from the pandemic, audio copy should focus on specific ailments and symptoms.
A variety of AM/FM radio programming formats reach those with health insurance
Healthcare providers, hospitals, and pharmacies can reach rich concentrations of those who have health insurance across a variety of programming formats. Nielsen Scarborough finds that 27% of those with health insurance listen to Adult Contemporary. 20% listen to Country, News/Talk, and CHR.
AM/FM radio is a credible medium
When it comes to matters of health, credibility is essential. Consumers trust AM/FM radio. According to the MARU/Matchbox study, 48% of consumers say when thinking of the term ‘credible’ as a media descriptor, AM/FM radio comes to mind. Newspapers, broadcast and cable TV, the Internet, and social media are all trusted less, falling underneath the 14% point. After a year of charged discussion surrounding health and wellness, healthcare advertisers can benefit from being in a trusted environment like AM/FM radio.
As America reemerges, routine healthcare can once again take center stage
For healthcare advertisers who needed to pause out of necessity during the pandemic, the optimism of consumers and a renewed attention to routine health maintenance marks a great opportunity for reopening. A credible medium with mass reach, AM/FM radio is the ideal medium to reach those with health insurance.