The recently released Audio Planning Guide from Cumulus Media/Westwood One is an essential tool for advertisers looking to make informed media buys. According to Pierre Bouvard, Chief Insights Officer at Cumulus Media/Westwood One, the Audio Planning Guide is “sourced from three of the most useful data sets that we have in audio today”. Combining data from Edison Research’s Share of Ear, Nielsen’s twice annual Nationwide study, and the Nielsen Scarborough Podcast Buying Power, the Audio Planning Guide offers these tips for audio marketers.
1. AM/FM radio still has the biggest share of ear.
Edison Research’s Share of Ear study shows that AM/FM remains the “dominant” audio platform, with a 76% share of ad-supported audio time, according to Bouvard. To reach the largest audiences, advertise on AM/FM radio.
2. AM/FM radio amplifies the reach of a TV + digital campaign.
According to Nielsen, a 74% increase in reach can be achieved by shifting 30% of a campaign’s TV budget to AM/FM radio.
3. Reach younger audiences with podcasts.
23% of ad-supported audio media time spent by 18- to 34-year-olds is with podcasts.
4. Podcasts with the largest reach may not be the best for reaching your demographic.
Comedy and News podcasts both reach 12% of podcast listeners 18 and over, according to Nielsen. But, depending on your product or service’s demographic, the biggest formats might not be the most effective for reaching your target audience.
As Inside Radio explains, “While Comedy may be the biggest category overall, that is not the case among Men aged 18 and older. For them, Nielsen data shows News comes out on top with a 13.7% share versus 12.4% for Comedy.”
5. Consider duplication between podcast audiences
The top reach podcast genres are as follows: Comedy, News, Society & Culture, True Crime, Sports, Business, Science, and Tech. But there is overlap between podcast audiences. If you’re trying to build reach, Bouvard recommends looking to see which genres have the smallest duplication. To help buyers do that, Westwood One has created a podcast genre duplication chart, which can be accessed in the Audio Planning Guide.
Download Westwood One/Cumulus Media’s Audio Planning Guide for more help with media planning. And to get your commercial on AM/FM, satellite, or streaming radio—as well as podcasts—contact SMI today.