Fasthosts is a UK-based web hosting provider known for its 24/7 expert human support and a 4.8 Trustpilot rating, offering an all-in-one solution including website hosting, domains, professional email and AI-powered website creation.
The Brief
To reach small businesses in one of the UK’s richest SMB regions, Fasthosts partnered with Bauer Media on the North West Boost, a high-impact regional audio campaign built around a compelling free first-year offer and a simple message: getting your business online doesn’t have to be expensive, complicated or time-consuming.
The objectives of the campaign:
- Test radio as a new acquisition channel by delivering a high-impact, audio-led strategy
- Build regional brand awareness among local SMB owners
- Drive direct traffic and conversions to a dedicated campaign landing page
- Reach time-pressed, price-conscious entrepreneurs
The North West was chosen deliberately. It has one of the highest concentrations of SMBs outside London, a growing e-commerce and digital agency scene, and a large number of businesses still in the process of building their online presence, making it an ideal fit for Fasthosts’ core products.
The campaign needed to feel locally relevant and immediately compelling, speaking directly to tradespeople, independent retailers, startups and freelancers across the region.
The Execution
Bauer Media developed a multi-channel audio campaign using its extensive North West portfolio, combining:
- FM and DAB advertising: delivering over 700, 30-second ads across Hits Radio Manchester and Liverpool over eight weeks
- Targeted digital audio through AudioXi: reaching listeners on streaming platforms with precision targeting to ensure minimal wastage
This layered approach ensured Fasthosts reached the right audience at multiple touchpoints, whether they were listening in the van, at work or streaming music at home.
To bring the campaign to life, Bauer Media licensed a bespoke acoustic version of Canned Heat’s classic track “Let’s Work Together”, a familiar, feel-good song that instantly built warmth and credibility with an audience that was new to the brand. The tagline “Let’s work together” served as both the campaign’s identity and a genuine expression of Fasthosts’ proposition.
Three distinct scripts were crafted, each tailored to resonate with time-poor business owners:
- Problem–Solution narrative: highlighting how customers judge a business within seconds online, and how a slow or outdated website could cost valuable leads. The free offer was positioned as the simple, no-cost fix.
- Pain point amplification: tapping into everyday business pressures such as staffing, stock and overheads, acknowledging that website investment often falls down the priority list. By offering a full year free, Fasthosts removed the barrier entirely.
- Direct call-to-action: speaking directly to small business owners, challenging them to evaluate their current website performance and reinforcing that a professional online presence is achievable without technical headaches or financial commitment.
Across all executions, the messaging consistently reinforced Fasthosts’ core promise: a free first year, AI-powered website creation, and 24/7 UK-based human support, no bots, no nonsense.
The Results
Website and landing page activity
- Over 41,000 North West sessions recorded across the Fasthosts site during the campaign period
- Nearly 4,000 landing page views and active users on the dedicated North West page
Customer acquisition
- Over 200 new customers acquired as a direct result of the campaign
- Total North West customer accounts created during the campaign period were up over 55% year on year compared with the same period in 2025
Summary
The North West Boost campaign shows what’s possible when a well-crafted audio strategy is paired with a compelling offer and a clear conversion path. By reaching SMB owners where they already were, in the van, at work, or streaming at home, Fasthosts was able to introduce the brand to an audience it had never spoken to before, and turn that awareness into real business results.
Audio advertising remains a highly effective channel for driving awareness and action. If you want to achieve similar results, get in touch with our Hits Radio Advertising team.