After Edison Research’s recent report on how Americans aged 13 and older continue to spend a fourth of their waking hours with radio, the group has released more data with potential for advertisers in the audio space in terms of AM/FM reach.
According to Share of Ear data, 84% of Americans aged 13 and older engage with some form of ad-supported audio each day. This category encompasses a variety of platforms, with AM/FM radio leading the way. Other audio sources include podcasts, ad-based streaming services like Spotify and Pandora, spoken-word channels on SiriusXM, and the free use of YouTube for music videos.
The reach of ad-supported audio extends impressively to the typically challenging 18–34-year-old demographic, with 82% of this group in the US being reached by ad-supported audio daily. This backs up the sometimes-doubted effectiveness of audio advertising in connecting with younger audiences.
If the window of observation is expanded over a week or a month, the reach of ad-supported audio is expected to expand significantly, exceeding 90% of all Americans.
Edison’s study shows that with the vast number of Americans tuning into ad-supported audio daily, advertisers aiming to disseminate their message broadly should seriously consider increasing their investment in audio advertising, especially for younger consumers.
