Software works better when all the features, actions and capabilities are within one ecosystem. The days of working in silos are over, and the broadcast industry wants modern solutions that consolidate and simplify. The result is time and money savings, more refined insights and smoother workflows. Industry chatter regarding this concept has become louder, but be aware that not every radio software integration is the same.
There are many shades of connected systems, including integrations and APIs (application programming interfaces). These have different abilities in terms of data exchanges and workflows. It’s crucial for radio station leaders to dig into what vendors are promising, especially now as digital advertising sales for radio become more mature and a greater part of the revenue pot. The next year looks strong for digital ad sales, while spot revenue will remain mostly flat.
However, you don’t have to forget your roots of being radio-first. You need simple, consolidated and efficient technology to be able to deliver on all ad needs for your clients.
Radio Software Connections: Integrations and APIs
Integrations and APIs are not the same. Each has its use cases and value. An integration means independent systems sync to create one workflow.
Workflow Integrations: Everything You Need in One Place
A workflow integration is operational and combines systems to achieve some desired state. It encompasses an entire workflow from start to finish, sharing data and moving information downstream.
This is the type of integration between Marketron Traffic and Marketron NXT. You can do everything needed on the traffic and digital side, including proposing, ordering, reporting and billing.
If your goal is to operate leaner and with less manual work and the use of disparate systems, workflow integration is paramount. The ability to just pass data is helpful but doesn’t deliver the benefits of a true integration.
APIs Share Data
APIs make data sharing possible and allow the passing of data from traffic or digital to other systems. For example, sales managers want to know how deals are tracking, and they need this information from a digital ad platform to move to their CRM system. APIs facilitate this data exchange, but not all APIs do it effectively.
RESTful APIs enable data related to orders, spots, AR and account information to be shareable from our systems and other platforms. Built with modern architecture, they are open interfaces that allow for making calls across systems efficiently and reliably.
Asynchronous APIs don’t work the same way. They can introduce complexity by having to handle concurrency and callbacks since systems can only request information and wait for a response. Depending on the software, you may have limitations. They’re usually bulk loads and not transactional.
Older software using asynchronous APIs often experiences timeouts due to the difficulty of managing concurrency and volume. They also aren’t flexible and mainly allow for sending data sets less frequently. This can often lead to lapsed data due to changes or failures in managing the underlying jobs waiting to be completed.
Integrations and APIs for data exchange are necessary to build your optimized radio software stack.
Marketron Traffic and Marketron NXT: The Most Integrated Radio Software Available
Airtime and digital advertising platforms no longer have to live in silos. They intertwine to form a true integration that includes all processes in one login.
What Can Marketron Traffic and NXT Do Together?
The short answer is everything. Here are the details.
One Workflow
Marketron Traffic and NXT operate as a seamless workflow with 100% synchronization. It uses your actual traffic data; you don’t have to link it back elsewhere, ensuring efficiency and continuity. Everything is bidirectional, so there is no duplication of efforts. You can manage all accounts and business data for your organization via one web-based portal.
Proposing
The NXT proposal tool enables you to include all ad tactics in one document — airtime, digital, O&O and alternative revenue. It’s an easy process that you can go through with your customer. If the advertiser is already in the system, it populates their information automatically in the proposal.
You then add the ad tactics and select targeting, budgeting and flighting. Once you save the proposal, the system provides a complete presentation to deliver to your client.
Ordering
Converting a proposal to an order takes a few clicks, and the technology does the work. Wherever the order needs to push to execute, the system takes it there, whether airtime, digital or alternative revenue.
NXT traffics digital orders via DSPs (demand-side platforms), SSPs (supply-side platforms), Google Ad Manager and O&O streaming platforms.
After digital orders publish, they automatically carry over to the traffic system, with an approval process and contracting complete.
Invoicing
It’s fully integrated with AR, not just the invoicing. The workflow provides delivery information down to the traffic system invoicing with coding. Connected to traffic and digital is also our electronic payments platform, PayNow. It handles the receipt of all electronic payments, including ACH, credit cards and debit cards. With features like guest checkout, pre-payments and next-day funding, it completes the life cycle of an ad buy with ease.
Reporting
You can run reports that use your data without manual intervention. You can also customize your dashboard to view the metrics that matter most to you. The reporting capabilities are expansive, from pacing to forecasting to looking at orders by tactic.
You can add access to NXT Insight, an in-depth business intelligence module with rolled-up reporting for multiple markets and databases.
The Future of Radio Software Is Integrated and Connected
As radio ad sales evolve, your technology should too. Staying with platforms that have limitations in integration capabilities costs you much more than migrating to a new system. Our team of developers and product specialists built this integration. We did so in a way that makes sense for radio, and no other radio software integration can make that statement.
Be part of a healthy revenue future with us as your partner. We’ve been an ally and partner to radio for over 50 years, innovating and delivering solutions that propel your success.
