Technological advancements have led to a rise in radio monitoring in both online and offline platforms. Through automated processes, such monitoring can be done effectively using bots, which are basically software designed to run on powerful servers. These bots scan content in both internet radio and social media and in the process; it indexes every term used in the content and postings. After the content has been compiled, the bots identify the section that contain client keywords, clips them and then sends them to the client. With such automated processes, speed and accuracy are assured not only in radio monitoring, but in general media monitoring as well. Unlike monitoring services that employ human services, the software rarely misses the specified keywords because it goes through the content bit by bit and in case there’s an article to read through such as in social media, it will be scanned word for word.
One of the main advantages of radio monitoring particularly where it is done online is that it can track content on stations that are simulcast via the internet. This therefore means that the monitoring can be performed in all countries regardless of the language used. Currently, over 50,000 stations are monitored, thanks to the availability of internet radio. The monitoring of various languages is made possible due to the translation software embedded in the bots –the software instantly translates content provided in foreign languages.
While the old processes of monitoring would take weeks before results were delivered to clients, clips obtained in audio monitoring can currently be delivered overnight and at an additional cost, a company can even obtain real time delivery. Such clippings are delivered to the client via email, XML or even RSS feeds. By accessing such reports on daily basis, company executives can stay up to date with information regarding the company and the brand, and in case of any brewing problems, they can also find out on time and solve the issue before things get out of control. This is one of the major reasons why a company should make use of radio monitoring. Also, with online monitoring, the software used can meet very specific requirements with exceptional accuracy such that instead of providing clients with all mentions of a given keyword, it can deliver content with specific word subsets.
The other key advantage of monitoring internet radio is that the clips obtained are delivered as digital files, thus it becomes very easy to manage, distribute and store such files. Besides, as long as they have been authorized by the client, anyone can access the files from any location, meaning the database can be easily organized and the information used as needed without any hindrances. Other than that, this option is very efficient when it comes to time; it’s fast, yet very cost effective. To obtain such services, a company can employ the services of a media monitoring company on monthly basis. The services provided vary though; thus, the best thing to do is to try out different monitoring services at a go and then commit and purchase the most suitable one.