Boomtown research shows 90% of media buyers invest in regional media

The success of the Boomtown Collective has seen nine in 10 media buyers invest in regional media in the past 12 months, with 96% planning to use regional media in their next campaign, according to new research. 

Boomtown launched in April 2019 and has since stamped itself as a major media market, now representing 9.1 million regional Australians, or 36% of the population. 

Boomtown’s annual study of media buyers across the country, conducted by SCA iQ last month, explored awareness and perceptions of regional media, the Boomtown brand, and the Boomtown Hub for media planning. 

Among the results highlights: 

• 98% of media buyers say regional media is effective in achieving a ROI 
• 75% cite regional’s ‘valuable audiences’ as a key reason for its inclusion in campaigns 
• 72% say regional media provides access to local audiences and local reach 
• Almost one in three media buyers added regional media to client campaigns after hearing or seeing Boomtown advertising – an increase of 43% year on year. 

“Boomtown saw Australia’s regional media owners unite in an industry-first initiative to tackle the issue of the underinvestment of advertising dollars in regional markets. In two and a half years, Boomtown has established itself as a major media market in its own right offering diverse, high-disposable income audiences in an uncluttered environment, at scale,” Boomtown chairman and SCA chief sales officer, Brian Gallagher, said. 

“Boomtown is indeed booming, with a new record of almost 70,000 new jobs on offer in July and housing prices jumping by almost 18% in the year to June fuelled by metro migration and the ‘work from anywhere’ phenomenon. Our tracking study demonstrates that media buyers have regional Australians squarely in their sights; 9.1 million unforgettable Aussies they can’t afford to ignore.” 

In addition, the Hub, which launched in March, provides an easy way to search and find 9.1 million regional Australians in minutes. According to the tracker survey, 40% of those who’ve used the Hub say it has changed the way they plan and buy regional media.