Radio traffic systems are the hub of your airtime advertising operations and revenue, so they contain valuable data for reporting. Additionally, you may want to push that data to other systems for further insight and manipulation.
However, not every traffic solution allows you such flexibility. Some platforms have many restrictions on what you can do with your data, and some vendors even charge you to export it. You deserve software that allows you to access data easily, pull a variety of reports, and share data as necessary through APIs (application programming interfaces) or integrations.
Radio Traffic System Data Accessibility
Your data is yours! It’s valuable and can provide context that enables you to make the best decisions. However, some traffic systems hold your data hostage. It may be cumbersome to export or access.
Traffic managers often want to pull that data and combine it with other information. It seems simple, right? It’s not a given in terms of functionality, though.
We want our customers to be able to use their data in the way they want it for reporting, analytics and more. Accessing your data shouldn’t require additional fees and lots of maneuvering.
Reporting with Your Traffic Data: Accurate and Up to Date
Radio traffic systems typically provide you with many reporting options, and some have more variation than others. Additionally, custom reporting is a standard feature. But where is the data that drives these reports coming from?
Ideally, it should be your traffic data that isn’t linking back to other components. In this model, you gain efficiency, accuracy and continuity. The data available is real-time or near-real-time data in most cases, which matters because you don’t want to make decisions based on stale information.
Another consideration in reporting within your entire advertising revenue ecosystem is the combination of airtime and digital data. Very few traffic systems deliver this functionality. It’s available for our customers that use Marketron Traffic and Marketron NXT via Insight reporting. All your data is in one place and available for many different reporting options. It keeps your sales, finance and traffic teams all on the same page.
Data Sharing and Exchange
Radio traffic systems often need to share or exchange data. Common use cases include a digital advertising platform and an electronic payment solution. Other examples include CRM (customer relationship management) systems or accounting software.
Depending on the data requirements, this happens via an API or a total integration. Marketron Traffic and NXT have a complete workflow integration. Marketron Traffic also connects to our electronic payment solution, PayNow, for reconciliation. As a result, users have access to all data for many functions, creating efficiency.
Our traffic products also have API capabilities. We use RESTful APIs, which is an important distinction. These API types are agile and provide immediate responses to calls for information. It’s seamless, unlike asynchronous APIs, which are bulk loads of data and not transactional. They often time out and aren’t reliable.
The key to future-proofing your advertising revenue solutions is ensuring they can connect and share data however needed. It reduces manual work and enables faster, more consistent insights.
Modern Radio Traffic Systems Don’t Play Games with Your Data
Radio station operations are evolving, and you need software that can change with you. Some systems just don’t have the capabilities to do this, which can cause problems with your data regarding access, reporting and sharing.
For a review of what a traffic solution should deliver, read our e-book: Is Your Traffic System Supporting Your Operations or Spinning You into Chaos?
