Moneyball: Likely Ratings Participants Who Prefer Top 40 & Hot AC, Pt. 2

Thanks again to NuVoodoo EVP Marketing Strategy, Mike O’Connor, for his help with the massive lift of this week’s Moneyball for Radio. 

Welcome back! Last week in Part 1, we explored programming media consumption patterns among likely ratings respondents in Top 40 and Hot AC formats, examining key factors that drive listener engagement and retention. We identified the top tune-out triggers for this audience and emphasized the importance of a multi-platform strategy as digital media consumption continues to expand.

Now, let’s delve into promotion and advertising, covering effective ways for CHR/Hot AC stations to capture listener data, drive engagement and set listening appointments.

Promotion, Contesting, Marketing & Advertising

Listeners to CHR and Hot AC stations who are likely to participate in ratings are indeed feeling the pinch of the economy and are making adjustments to their spending habits. A majority (64%) agree that they are cutting back on discretionary expenses like dining out, concerts, and vacations. As a result, they are big users of coupons and discount codes. A majority of likely ratings respondents use coupons “often” or “almost always,” while over two-thirds use discount codes at least “often.” This indicates that these listeners are actively seeking ways to save money and are receptive to offers and promotions.

This presents a great opportunity for radio stations driving first-party listener data capture or facing shrinking contest budgets. By partnering with advertisers, stations can offer exclusive deals and or prize opportunities that provide much-needed savings to their audience, while increasing station listener email and smartphone data capture. Furthermore, stations can leverage their digital platforms to promote these offers, track engagement, and drive stealth contests that provide self-liquidating tune-in incentives without having to clutter up their on-air product.

Maximizing Listener Data: Activation Strategies for CHR/Hot AC Stations

In today’s data-driven world, CHR/Hot AC stations need to be proactive in capturing listener information and activating their audience. The more ways stations can reach their listeners and remind them of the benefits of tuning in, the more listening occasions they can generate. This is especially critical for the roughly one in three Top 40/Hot AC listeners identified as “RPS Yes” listeners – those most likely to participate in ratings surveys and influence a station’s success. Here’s a breakdown of effective tactics for capturing listener data and activating this valuable segment of “Ratings Prospects:”

Email Acquisition:

> Leverage the power of discounts and incentives: Nearly eight in ten “RPS Yes” listeners are willing to share their email addresses for access to discount codes or savings coupons, while a quarter would do so for the chance to win a prize or cash sweepstakes.

> Tap into loyalty programs: An impressive 82% of these likely ratings respondents would share their email address to join a station loyalty program.

> Offer exclusive presales: Three-quarters of these “Survey Susceptibles” would provide their email contact information to gain access to early on-sales for events or concerts.

> Promote email newsletters: 68% are likely to sign up for a station email newsletter.

Streamlining Data Capture:

> Optimize online forms: Radio stations can significantly benefit from building database-driven social media lead ads. Facebook, Instagram, Google, TikTok, and others offer auto-populated user profile data via single-click sign-up forms. They eliminate the hassle of manual data entry, making it incredibly easy for listeners to participate and drastically increasing conversion rates. When it comes to sharing contact information, likely ratings respondents in the CHR/Hot AC format are quite generous:

> 84% of these valuable listeners have shared either their email address or mobile phone number with radio stations.

> 37% have shared both their email and mobile phone number.

Leveraging Mobile:

> Run mobile-focused contests: Over one in three “RPS Yes” listeners have shared their mobile number to enter contests.

> Utilize loyalty clubs: More than half of this segment have provided their smartphone contact information to join a loyalty program.

> Package exclusive mobile experiences: 42% have shared their mobile number to attend a live online event or webinar. Consider packaging webinars as virtual backstage artist meet-and-greets to further incentivize sharing.

Don’t Forget Surveys:

> Surveys and feedback forms are a surprisingly effective way to capture email addresses from this survey-susceptible audience. Asking for an email address has netted eight in ten from this group in our sample in the past, but with mobile, it’s about half that at 39%.

Contests

Let’s dive into the contest preferences of likely ratings respondents who favor CHR/Hot AC radio. Nearly 7 in 10 tell us that seeing a station advertise an on-air sweepstakes is enough to make them tune in for more details, even if they ultimately don’t participate. For these listeners, the motivation lies in tangible prizes – the kind of rewards that feel attainable and personal.

The sweet spot for these contests? Cash prizes around $500. In fact, 81% of likely ratings participants in this format say they’d get involved for that amount. Increasing the prize to $1,000 only nudges participation up by 6%, making it less cost-effective while burning through the station’s budget for little gain in engagement. More importantly, 58% of these “Ratings Prospects” prefer local contests with a limited pool of eligible listeners, compared to only 28% who lean toward nationwide sweepstakes with larger prize amounts. For these listeners, local means better odds and a stronger community connection.

But it’s not always that simple. Past NuVoodoo studies have shown some ratings-active contest chasing the biggest potential contest payout, unaware of the on-air “fine print” disclosing a national contest. Stations participating in multi-city contests, promising those glossy hourly $1,000 prizes, are skilled at hiding the fact that these competitions span multiple markets. In our study, 35% of ratings-inclined pop format listeners didn’t even realize these were national contests. And of those who did, nearly 90% still rated them favorably or just didn’t care – proving that collective contesting might still catch their eye, if the prize is big enough.

For non-networked local stations, though, there’s an opportunity to lean into authenticity and frequency. Smaller, more frequent giveaways in the $250-$500 range can strike the right balance – keeping likely ratings respondents engaged without ballooning costs. And there’s an added twist: calling out the smoke-and-mirrors tactics of competitors can resonate with the audience. Nearly one in four believe that radio sweepstakes are rigged. Planting a little doubt about your competitor’s flashy nationwide contests might just turn those perceptions to your advantage. As we’ve seen in many areas of media, fueling skepticism can be a powerful tool, especially when those doubts already simmer under the surface.

Talent as Multi-Platform Brand Ambassadors:

We’re putting FM/AM talent in the Advertising and Promotion section of our review because personalities should be seen as multi-platform influencers who can drive both engagement and action. CHR/Hot AC stations looking to boost both their ratings and results for advertisers can leverage their powerful cross-platform megaphone if they recognize the powerful influence their talent has on (ratings-friendly) listeners. Our data shows that this extends beyond the airwaves to encompass podcasts and social media. Think of your talent as a roster of dynamic influencers, each capable of connecting with your audience in unique and meaningful ways, whether boosting occasions or capturing data. Let’s break down the impact of influencers across different channels:

Podcast Host Endorsements:

> Ad Attention: 33% of likely ratings respondents pay attention to podcast host endorsements often or always.

> Action Potential: Among those paying attention, a combined 68% either purchased an advertised item or service or are still considering doing so after hearing a podcast host endorsement.

> Actions Taken: 36% of those who pay attention to podcast host endorsements made a purchase or started using the endorsed product/service.

On-Air Endorsements:

> Ad Attention: A strong 48% of likely ratings respondents pay attention to on-air endorsements often or always.

> Action Potential: Among those who pay attention, 54% show purchase intent by either having purchased the advertised item or still considering it after hearing an on-air endorsement.

> Actions Taken: 31% of those who pay attention to on-air endorsements took action by purchasing or starting to use the endorsed product/service.

Social Media Influencers:

> Ad Attention: 47% of likely ratings respondents pay attention to social media influencers’ ads often or always.

> Action Potential: Among those paying attention, a considerable 47% indicate they are either still considering a purchase or have already made one based on a social media influencer’s recommendation.

> Actions Taken: 34% of those who pay attention to social media influencers have taken action by purchasing or starting to use the endorsed product/service.

Our data clearly shows that these likely ratings respondents are highly engaged with social media personalities, on-air and podcast host endorsements. By strategically leveraging their talent across these platforms, CHR/Hot AC stations can create a powerful ecosystem of engagement that deepens listener connections, opens up new revenue streams, and strengthens their position in the market.

Advertising

This data reveals some fascinating insights into how CHR/Hot AC fans who are likely ratings respondents engage with advertising across different channels. This data is particularly valuable when it comes to surging listening during key ratings periods: Let’s break it down:

The Meta platforms, Facebook and Instagram

This social network duopoly offers a powerful one-two punch for reaching and engaging with likely ratings respondents in the CHR/Hot AC world.

Let’s start with Facebook. A full 52% of these “Ratings Prospects” pay attention to Facebook ads often or always, and nearly a third (32%) say they notice them all the time. This speaks to the platform’s enduring reach and influence, especially among Millennials and even Gen X – key adult demographics for these formats.

Instagram, with its visually-driven format, also proves to be a strong contender. 38% of likely ratings respondents in this format pay attention to Instagram ads often or always, with 26% reporting they see them all the time. This highlights Instagram’s effectiveness in capturing attention and driving engagement, particularly among younger audiences in their 20’s and 30’s.

When combined, Facebook and Instagram provide a comprehensive and impactful advertising ecosystem. Stations can leverage Facebook’s broad reach and targeting capabilities to build awareness and drive traffic, while using Instagram’s visual storytelling prowess to deepen engagement and foster connections. For CHR/Hot AC stations looking to maximize their impact, a strategic presence across both platforms is essential.

Text Messages:

While text message marketing might seem like a surefire way to reach a younger, tech-savvy audience, the data suggests even broader appeal. Although nearly two-thirds of likely ratings respondents (61%) pay attention to text message ads at least “often”, a surprising 41% report paying attention to these ads all the time. This indicates a significant opportunity for marketers to leverage SMS campaigns to engage this highly receptive audience segment.

Direct Mail:

Here’s where things get really interesting. Direct mail, often considered a relic of the past, demonstrates remarkable staying power with this audience. A staggering 56% of likely ratings respondents pay attention to direct mail advertising “often” or “always,” with 38% reporting they notice these ads all the time. This highlights the enduring effectiveness of direct mail marketing, especially when targeted effectively. As our data-driven approach at NuVoodoo allows us to pinpoint listeners inclined to become panelists and diary keepers with incredible accuracy, direct mail becomes an even more potent tool for reaching this valuable segment. It’s important to point out that we have no way of knowing ACTUAL ratings participants in real time. This is about optimizing probabilities and costs associated with influencing this listener segment.

TikTok:

As expected, TikTok ads resonate strongly with this audience, with 47% paying attention often or always. However, the “all the time” figure is lower than for text messages and direct mail, at 33%. This suggests that while TikTok is certainly a relevant platform for reaching this group, marketers should carefully consider their approach to ensure their ads cut through the noise and capture attention in this dynamic environment.

OTT Video

The world of Over-The-Top (OTT) media is exploding! Viewers are ditching traditional cable and satellite TV in favor of streaming services like Freevee, Hulu, Peacock, and Tubi, and advertisers are following close behind. Why? Because OTT offers a targeted, measurable, and increasingly affordable way to reach engaged audiences.

And for radio, particularly CHR/Hot AC stations looking to boost their ratings, OTT presents a golden opportunity. Our research shows that nearly 20% of likely ratings respondents in this format spend over 20 hours a week glued to these streaming platforms, with 60% watching at least four hours. That’s a lot of eyeballs!

What’s more, these “Ratings Prospects” are cord-cutters, meaning they’re less likely to be exposed to traditional televisioin advertising. OTT allows you to reach them where they’re spending their time – on their connected TVs and mobile devices.

Interestingly, we found that a balanced approach works best. While 36% primarily watch on their connected TVs and 17% favor mobile devices or computers, a significant 21% split their time equally. This highlights the importance of a two-pronged strategy, combining the high impact of connected TV ads with the cost-effectiveness of mobile OTT.

And with 58% of these likely ratings respondents paying attention to ads on ad-supported OTT platforms “often or always”, the message is sure to be seen and heard. Plus, with advancements in third-party targeting, including heavy listeners in nearly every radio format, you can ensure your ads reach the right viewers at the right time.

The Google Ecosystem

It’s clear that Google is a powerful platform for reaching likely ratings respondents who enjoy CHR/Hot AC radio. Looking at those who pay attention to Google ads most or all of the time, we see a significant jump from 37% among all CHR/Hot AC listeners to a whopping 59% among those likely to participate in ratings! This tells us that this segment is particularly receptive to advertising on Google’s vast network.

And remember, Google’s reach extends far beyond just those paid search results at the top of the page. We’re talking about the expansive Google Display Network, which includes millions of websites, apps, and even YouTube. This offers a tremendous opportunity to connect with these engaged listeners across a wide range of online experiences.

YouTube

YouTube has become a powerhouse standalone channel in the online video world as well, and it’s no surprise that it’s also a powerful tool for reaching likely ratings respondents in the CHR/Hot AC format. With its vast library of content and diverse audience, YouTube offers a unique opportunity for stations to reach their target listeners in a personalized way. Whether through branded channels, sponsored content, or video ads, stations can leverage YouTube’s power to connect with their audience on a deeper level.

 Our data shows that 42% of these “Ratings Prospects” pay attention to YouTube ads often or always, with 27% reporting engaging in them all the time. This underscores the platform’s ability to capture attention and drive engagement. NuVoodoo deploys ad tech that pushes client advertising to run next to video and other content from and about core format artists.

We’ve only scratched the surface of the opportunities NuVoodoo’s data unlocks for CHR and Hot AC stations in this two-part series. To dive deeper, connect with our experts by emailing tellmemore@nuvoodoo.com, or watch our short video series highlighting additional study insights at nuvoodoo.com/webinars.

CHR and Hot AC stations have a unique advantage to engage listeners most likely to impact ratings. By managing tune-out triggers, enhancing cross-platform promotions, and strategically capturing data, stations can forge stronger connections and drive higher ratings. With the shift to a 3-minute average quarter-hour on the horizon, NuVoodoo can help stations meet the demands of today’s digital-first audience, building a vibrant, loyalty-based community across all channels.

An email to tellmemore@nuvoodoo.com will connect you to get the information you need for your 2025 budget.