It’s not news that the business and content side of radio is rapidly changing as digital and the internet change the way the radio industry operates. On area that has rapidly grown yet seems to be a mystery to many is the world of “mobile” and how it interacts with a radio station or group.
One company that is working to marry radio and mobile is Jebbit. Radio World spoke with Jonathan Lacoste, president and co-founder of Jebbit
Radio World: What is the name of the company and who is involved? Tell us about it.
Jonathan Lacoste: Jebbit is a mobile marketing company founded by Tom Coburn and myself. It’s headquartered in Boston, Mass., and works with brands like Tribune Media, TripAdvisor and Expedia.
RW: What is the product/service?
Lacoste: Jebbit’s platform creates mobile interactive content that drives digital revenue. It gives radio sales reps a fresh, new solution to add to any media package, creating a differentiator for the station. The sales rep doesn’t have to do any extra work, because they whitelabel our technology.
Our industry experts create custom interactive content for our clients, ranging from virtual tours to personality quizzes to lookbooks. These pieces of interactive content replace typical content like landing pages and blog posts, creating a smarter option to drive online consumers to.
RW: What does it do?
Lacoste: Jebbit content increases engagement and lead generation because it gives users the chance to interact with it on their own terms. As a consumer interacts, the Jebbit platform captures data from their responses and ties it to their contact information. This content can be launched via any channel: social media, email, sponsored content, display ads and on-air commercials. Brands use content like trivia, quizzes, interactive videos and virtual tours to better educate and convert their customers. Broadcasters sell Jebbit experiences to their advertisers, to help them increase their engagement, lead generation, and conversions.
RW: Why was it developed?
Lacoste: While in an airport, Tom Coburn pulled out his laptop and went to Hulu. He clicked on his favorite show, and instead of starting, a pre-roll video ad played. Like everyone else, Tom opened a new tab to check his email and Facebook while the ad played. Unlike everyone else, Tom realized: A brand had paid money to show him something, and he couldn’t even remember the brand’s name now that he had his email open. He realized how much money must be wasted and how many consumers must be annoyed. And he decided to do something about it.
Tom wanted to create the most efficient way for a company to understand, educate and influence any audience, one person at a time. That vision evolved into Jebbit. Tom and I dropped out of college to run Jebbit full-time.
RW: How does it help radio broadcasters?
Lacoste: We drive digital revenue and prove the ROI of hybrid radio and digital campaigns. We work with broadcasters’ digital sales teams to help them create engaging mobile solutions to win new business and upsell current clients. Each interactive experience is completely customized to the brand and can be launched on air with a vanity URL, or via any digital channel within a media buy.
RW: Does it work with other products/infrastructure that radio broadcasters use?
Lacoste: Jebbit integrates with numerous other software, but requires no code to implement. Our broadcast partners frequently comment on how easy it is to add into their media packages. It can be used on any device — mobile, tablet and desktop — and across any channel, including spots.
RW: Is anyone in the radio industry using this?
Lacoste: We have several radio partners, including Beasley’s Boston market.
To learn more about Jebbit, contact Kaitlyn Kirkaldy, content marketing manager.
