Have you ever wondered just how influential radio is? Well, according to Nielsen’s Audio Today 2019 report, 92% of Americans listen to the radio every single week. That’s 272 million people over the age of six; a larger, steadier number than TV, mobile, or digital. With reach and influence like that, why wouldn't you sell radio advertising?

Sell Radio Advertising to Clients Using These Facts

Who?

The percentage of regular radio listeners only gets higher when you zero in on age groups with buying power. Nielsen says that radio reaches 96% of adults ages 18 to 34 and 99% of 25- to 54-​year-​olds on a monthly basis. Overall, 98% of U.S. adults listen to the radio monthly. 

When and Where?

Radio reaches more people during the week than on weekends. Prime radio listening time for U.S. adults is between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Why’s that? You probably guessed it: The majority of radio consumption is done out-​of-​home. During a typical weekday workday, 73% of radio listening happens when the listener is away from home, and 63% of that out-​of-​home listening occurs in the car. Another 35% of out-​of-​home listening takes place at work. Comparatively, 64% of weekend radio consumption occurs out-​of-​home and almost all of it (79%) happens while driving. So, when you sell radio advertising to your clients, make sure you recommend these days and times for their ads' placements.

Favorite Stations

As expected, most radio listeners have favorite radio stations that are network-​affiliated that you need to be aware of to sell radio advertising. These stations reach more than 90% of Americans in all age groups on a weekly basis. What kind of stations are these favored stations? The top station type among Americans over the age of 12 is country. It’s the preferred station type of U.S. adults in general, both men and women. However, when broken out by ethnic or racial groups, Hispanics prefer Mexican regional stations and African Americans tune in to urban adult contemporary the most. 

Round out your radio ad pitch to your clients with information from AudienceSCAN on AdMall by SalesFuel. There, you’ll find 16 different radio-​based audience profiles, detailing demographic information, purchase intent, and research on the most effective advertising methods for each.