Somewhere along the way, radio salespeople started acting like AM/FM radio was the underdog.
Like we need to apologize for selling it.
HELLO?! Have you looked at the numbers?
According to Edison Research’s Share of Ear study, AM/FM radio accounts for approximately 70% of all ad-supported audio listening time among adults 35 and older (you know the ones – those people who tend to have more disposable income).
Podcasts? Around 15%. Ad-supported streaming music? Roughly 10–13%.
Radio isn’t fighting for scraps. It’s still the biggest piece of the pie!
Everywhere you look, there’s another headline about podcasts, streaming audio, and other digital platforms. And yes, they’re growing. But with all that noise, it’s easy to forget who’s still dominating ad-supported audio listening.
And don’t confuse all those fancy digital reports filled with impressions, completion rates, and other metrics with actual advertising effectiveness.
But since when did having more reports make something a better advertising medium?!
Think about billboards. Advertisers spend thousands on them with little more than estimations. Nobody gets a report showing exactly how many drivers looked up from their steering wheel and actually noticed the sign. Yet billboards keep selling! Funny how some advertisers demand a microscope for radio but are perfectly happy with a traffic count for billboards.
AM/FM radio delivers enormous reach, habitual listening, and opportunities for consistent repetition. And when paired with great creative, it can build a business into a household name.
Sure, digital advertising provides useful reporting. But a spreadsheet full of impressions doesn’t automatically translate into more customers or more money in the cash register.
And neither does a poorly written radio ad, no matter how many people hear it.
Your job is to understand how radio works, learn how to make it work for advertisers, and SELL THAT VALUE with confidence.
Stop selling schedules and start selling good strategies and 48 to 52-week contracts. Stop apologizing for the medium you’re representing.
You’ve got a powerful product. Learn the research. Know the numbers. Explain the benefits. And write better ads!
You’re not selling yesterday’s medium. You’re selling one of today’s most powerful ways to build tomorrow’s customers.
Cheers!
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