The store’s location, brand recognition, advertising, and fashion are not the only aspects to consider when developing a retail business. High-quality audio design also plays a role in success. Let’s also examine the differences between a digital signage player and a centralized digital audio management system.  

 

 

The importance of music in retail

 

Audio marketing is the use of audio files to promote a business. In fitting rooms or cafés, you often hear music. This is part of a marketing strategy. Well-designed audio not only separates the space from the noise of the crowd but also puts employees and customers in a positive mood. How does it work?  

 

The essence of audio marketing is to influence customer behavior indirectly rather than directly. The genre, volume, tempo, and even the acoustic characteristics of a space shape customer reactions. The journal Frontiers in Psychology conducted a study on the relationship between sound influence and human psychology. It found that melodies affect emotions—joy, sadness, concentration, or relaxation. These, in turn, influence how and what a person chooses to spend money on. That is why selecting the right music is crucial.  

 

 

Music selection

 

Professional playlist creation is handled by music producers and sound platforms. Their goal is to generate a positive reaction from visitors and increase revenue.  

 

The tracklist is formed based on the venue’s concept—how it makes money, what products and services it offers, and which audience it targets. For example, mass-market stores use more energetic songs to speed up customer flow. Luxury brands prefer calm instrumental compositions that evoke stability and luxury.

 

Some business owners think that selecting the right music is simple, believing they can just play their favorite tracks or the radio. In reality, it’s not that easy:  

 

– Creating a playlist based on personal musical preferences is a tedious task, especially if you’re a music enthusiast. A mix of tracks from different genres will not support the venue’s atmosphere.  

 

– Frequent repetition is another drawback. Listening to the same songs over and over quickly becomes tiresome and drives customers away. Additionally, radio often broadcasts advertisements that distract from shopping or even lure customers to competitors.  

 

Such music is unsuitable for retail because it is ineffective. The modern audio marketing industry offers more convenient solutions. For example, a centralized audio management system allows for automatic control of music content across a network of stores. Using a specialized indoor audio player helps create the right atmosphere, enhancing customer comfort.

 

Useful tips

 

Radio and streaming platforms are unsuitable for another reason. In many countries, the law requires paying licensing fees for playing popular tracks in public places. Therefore, when choosing background music, follow these recommendations.  

 

 

Use music legally

 

Only licensed music is allowed in public commercial spaces. To simplify the search, you can sign a contract with an intermediary company.  

 

 

Choose high-quality equipment

 

First, consider the space. The room size determines the volume requirements and the number of speakers needed. It’s also important to ensure a high-quality signal transmission. Poor sound quality creates discomfort and does not encourage shopping. Using an Android media player ensures stable audio playback without interference.  

 

 

Pay attention to music tempo

 

Our heartbeat, breathing, and overall activity adjust to the rhythm of the environment. Energetic tracks encourage quick purchases, while slow music relaxes customers and encourages them to stay in the store longer.  

 

There is an unwritten rule in retail spaces: change the music depending on the time of day and store traffic. In the morning and afternoon, calm music is usually played, while in the evening, before closing, more dynamic tracks are used. An indoor radio player allows for automating these settings, ensuring smooth transitions between playlists.  

 

 

Adjust the volume

 

Prolonged exposure to excessively loud music negatively affects not only a person’s mood but also their physical state. In 2013, the University of Zurich conducted a study that found the most comfortable volume level for hearing is 40–50 dB. When the sound increased to 60 dB, most participants felt the urge to leave the space as quickly as possible.  

 

Volume should be adjusted according to the time of day. In the morning, when people have more energy, even loud music does not interfere with activity. However, in the evening, after a long day, noisy tracks can irritate visitors.  

 

 

Create the right atmosphere

 

Consider the tastes of your target audience. Young people will appreciate pop music and modern hits, while older visitors may prefer easy listening or retro songs.  

 

 

Don’t focus on recognizability

 

Avoid using popular retail playlists. The downside of well-known tracks is that everyone has heard them. At first, familiar music may attract attention, but over time, it becomes tiresome, prompting customers to leave the store.  

 

 

Select the right genre

 

The concept of the retail space will help determine the appropriate genre. It should not contradict the store’s overall style but rather complement it. This directly influences customer choices.  

 

The impact of genre on purchases was proven back in 1999. Adrian North, David Hargreaves, and Jenette Hargreaves conducted an experiment in which store visitors were played two music selections: French and German. As a result, customers chose alcohol from the country of the performers.  

 

To manage content effectively, use a Digital Signage player. It allows for synchronizing audio and video, adjusting multimedia content according to the store’s marketing strategy.

Music depending on the venue

 

Each commercial space requires an individual playlist.  

 

Non-food retail: Shopping centers and stores are interested in keeping visitors inside for as long as possible. Therefore, the background music should not be irritating or too intrusive. The best choice is melodies with pleasant motifs that customers won’t remember after leaving an electronics or perfume store. Jazz, blues, or calm lounge music are ideal. Using an indoor radio player helps automatically adjust playback, maintaining the desired atmosphere.  

 

Grocery retail: The logic is the same as in the non-food sector. Nothing should distract customers from choosing their favorite products, but at the same time, it’s important to avoid silence, where every cart movement is audible.  

 

Additionally, the playlist should be adapted to the season and holidays. For example, Christmas music can be added in December.  

 

Beauty salons and SPAs: The choice of music depends on the concept of your beauty space. If it’s a premium-class salon, it’s best to create calm playlists with lounge, chill-out, and instrumental music. These genres are perfect for spa treatments as they help clients relax and escape daily concerns. No one expects to hear rock during a massage. A Digital Signage player allows synchronizing audio with video content, creating a harmonious visual-audio environment.  

 

 

Ways to evaluate the effectiveness of audio advertising

 

Audio advertising requires less attention than video or text content, making it an attractive format for commercial spaces. What are its main advantages?  

 

– Reaches a wide audience, including everyone present in the venue.

 

– Helps avoid the so-called “banner blindness” effect, where visitors subconsciously ignore repetitive ads.

 

– Allows communication with customers when their attention is occupied, such as in store aisles or queues.

 

– Delivers the advertising message in full. Audio ads cannot be skipped, significantly increasing the likelihood of them being heard to the end.

 

– Integrates into the background sound without conflicting with other advertising campaigns.  

 

To effectively manage advertising content, a Digital Signage player can be used. It allows precise configuration of audio and video streams according to the venue’s marketing strategy.  

 

 

How to measure the marketing impact of audio advertising

 

To assess the effectiveness of audio advertising, several key metrics should be considered. They help determine how well the ad captures attention, influences customer behavior, and contributes to sales growth.  

 

 

OTS (Opportunity to see)

 

OTS (Opportunity to See) is a metric representing the potential number of contacts with an advertising message. It indicates how many people could have heard the audio ad. The higher the OTS, the greater the chance that the advertisement will be remembered by visitors.  

 

However, OTS is not a precise indicator, as it is difficult to determine whether people actually paid attention to the ad and whether it influenced their decisions. Still, this parameter provides a general idea of the campaign’s potential reach. If an indoor radio player is used in your venue, you can adjust the frequency and timing of ad broadcasts to reach the audience more effectively.

CPI (Cost per impression)

 

CPI (cost per impression) is a metric that shows how much each contact with an advertisement costs. In audio marketing, an impression refers to each playback of an advertising audio clip.  

 

 

Why is CPI important?

 

This parameter allows calculating how efficiently the advertising budget is spent and whether the strategy needs adjustment. For example, if impression costs are high but do not lead to a corresponding increase in sales, it may be worth optimizing playlists or changing the ad broadcast time. Modern solutions, such as a Digital Signage player, help automatically adjust ad playback based on the time of day and the number of visitors.  

 

 

Contact frequency

 

Frequency shows how many times a unique visitor hears an ad during their stay at your venue. This helps determine the average visit duration and the likelihood that a customer will pay attention to the advertisement.  

 

For example, if a person spends 30 minutes in the venue and hears the ad three times, you can assess how effectively audio marketing retains their attention. However, if the frequency is too high, it may annoy customers, reducing the campaign’s effectiveness. To avoid this, an indoor radio player can be used to optimize the frequency of broadcasts and alternate ad blocks with background music.  

 

 

Changes in sales

 

One of the simplest and most reliable ways to assess the effectiveness of audio advertising is to track sales changes before and after launching an ad campaign.  

 

If the ad is focused on a specific product or service, it’s essential to analyze whether demand increased after the audio ads aired. For example, if a coffee advertisement ran in a café for two weeks, comparing coffee sales before and after the campaign can provide insights. Additionally, overall revenue growth on days when ads were broadcast can be examined.  

 

If a Digital Signage player is used in the venue, ads can not only be broadcast but also integrated with other content formats, such as video or interactive screens, enhancing their impact.  

 

 

Customer surveys

 

Another way to evaluate the effectiveness of audio advertising is to ask visitors directly how they learned about the promotion.  

 

Surveys can be conducted at checkout or through electronic questionnaires. For example, staff might ask, “Where did you hear about our promotion?” If a significant portion of customers respond that they heard about it from the audio ad, this confirms its effectiveness.  

 

Of course, this method is not perfectly accurate, as not all visitors remember where they received the information. However, when combined with other metrics, it provides a more comprehensive picture of the campaign’s effectiveness.  

 

 

Additional evaluation factors

 

To obtain the most objective results, it’s important to measure audio advertising effectiveness from multiple perspectives. In addition to key metrics, consider:  

 

– Time periods when the ad performs best (morning, afternoon, evening).

 

– Interaction of audio advertising with other marketing channels (social media, visual ads).

 

– Staff observations—whether employees notice changes in customer behavior after the campaign launch.

 

The first results of audio marketing usually become noticeable within 1–2 weeks after the ads start running. Using modern technologies, such as a Digital Signage player, not only automates the process but also provides analytics to help adjust the marketing strategy in real time.

Advision — Content Management System for remote management and media planning of video and audio content broadcast. We help offline businesses and advertising companies automate workflows and implement reliable Digital Signage infrastructure using our own software and hardware solutions.

 

Contact us and we will help you implement the most modern technologies to solve your problems!