Bauer Media launches Alexa Skills for entire radio portfolio
The Skills are built to be as intuitive as possible, tailored to consumer behaviour and optimise the listening experience for Bauer audiences based on intelligent use of data. For example, nearly one in four (23 per cent) Absolute Radio listeners listen across the Absolute Radio decades stations such as Absolute 80s and Absolute Radio 90s. Now they can shift through decade stations just by voice command – such as saying, “Alexa, next”.
In addition, there are special features that enhance the experience. For example, listeners can ask:
- “Alexa, play KISS FM”
- “Alexa, ask Absolute 80s what’s playing?”
- “Alexa, ask Key 103 who is on air?”
- “Alexa, next”, which will trigger the next station channel within the brand Skill
- “Alexa, previous”, which will open the last station channel played
This enables advertisers to target Alexa users specifically in addition to the opportunity to run dynamic audio ads for brands on Alexa as part of the Instream offering.
In addition, Bauer also plans to make more on-demand content available on Alexa, such as boxsets and podcasts to the service so users can enjoy the same functionality found on its listen apps.
Nadia Holmes, head of digital audio at Bauer Media, said: “The Bauer radio skills for Alexa enhance the listener experience users expect in an increasingly connected home environment, and we anticipate further take-up of voice-activated devices with research from the Radiocentre showing that 77 per cent of Amazon Echo users use their devices to listen to radio. This innovation creates further exciting advertising opportunities around digital audio”.
This new digital innovation will serve to further enhance the listening experience for the highly engaged audiences through a truly seamless experience.
All Bauer Radio brands will be live on the Alexa by early March.
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