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IHeartRadio rocks 60M users by blending live, digital events

IHeartRadio?s surpassing 60 million registered users points to how the digital music and live streaming radio service is listening to mobile-empowered users, seamlessly integrating live and digital events to build brand engagement.

With the milestone, on top of its reaching nearly 90 million unique visitors across its iHeartRadio Network, iHeart is positioned as a top streaming radio application, one of the most used music apps and one of the top free downloads in app stores across all categories. IHeartRadio?s growth comes on the heels of its expanded availability across more than a dozen additional devices, announced at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show, including first-time integrations with Sony, LG and others spanning automotive, in-home entertainment and gaming.

?Music is a shared experience, over the air, in concert halls and now through digital channels,? said Chris Williams, iHeartRadio?s chief product officer. ?At iHeartRadio we connect our listeners and our partners to the most culturally relevant content, entertainment, and personalities in the world.  

?We have an unmatched ability to connect artists with their fans and brands with their consumers through a unique collection of terrestrial, digital, mobile, outdoor media assets and, of course, live events.?

Multichannel support
IHeartMedia, parent of iHeartRadio, is an exponent of the view that mobile is most effective combined with other tactics. 

Multichannel power.

Live events are a major part of the channel?s strategy. It hosts more than 20,000 live events per year nationwide and iHeartRadio is a vehicle for sharing events with listeners who may not be able to travel to see them. 

HeartMedia is winning fans by engaging its growing audience of on-the-go consumers on a range of platforms, especially live events.
 
The company?s fourth annual iHeartRadio Music Festival last fall generated five billion social media impressions, more than double the prior year?s total, and on par with the Academy Awards. The numbers reflected how the company leverages its diverse media platforms to engage consumers and build its brand.

During the iHeartRadio Music Festival, more than 80 percent of social media posts came from Millennials, the 18-34-year-old demographic.

HeartRadio also worked with Snapchat to create Our iHeartRadio Story, allowing mobile festival-goers to tell the story of the event live from their point of view.  

On top of nearly 30,000 fans who experienced the Sept. 19-20 event in person in Las Vegas, the festival was broadcast live to millions across iHeartMedia?s broadcast stations, the iHeartRadio app, as well as via the Yahoo Live stream. The CW Network also aired the concerts as an exclusive two-night TV special Sept. 29-30.

Last week, IHeartMedia announced its 2015 iHeartRadio Country Festival would take place May 2 at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, TX.

The roster of artists so far includes Tim McGraw, Brantley Gilbert, Rascal Flatts and Brad Paisley.

Brand awareness
IHeartRadio?s brand awareness reached 75 percent in December, up 5 percent from last year and an impressive milestone in just three years. IHeartRadio also has more than 500 million downloads of the app and nearly 80 million social media followers across the iHeartRadio Network.

Sharing music via mobile.

?It is important for us to always listen to what our audience wants,? Mr. Williams said. ?Their ideas and recommendations really fuel what we do and help us to provide the content and products that they are most interested in.  

?We will continue to prioritize making sure iHeartRadio is available everywhere our audience wants to listen,? he said.  ?Mobile, wearables, TV and gaming integrations continue to be important to our growth strategy in 2015.?

Final Take
Michael Barris is staff reporter on Mobile Marketer, New York.