As the most popular audio medium in the US, how does radio beat the disparity between audio advertising spend and audio consumption? A new white paper from WARC and Audacy is taking the “Audio Investment Gap” directly to the marketers responsible.
The report, Breaking Down the Barriers Behind the Audio Investment Gap, examines perceptions that hinder marketers from investing fully in audio, despite its proven effectiveness in driving brand impact. The findings are based on in-depth interviews with 21 experts from leading brands, agencies, measurement firms, and publishers.
Audio accounts for one-third of total daily media consumption in the US, with average daily listening reaching 220 minutes, according to Edison Research. Despite this, WARC Media data reveals audio garners only 8.4% of advertising budgets, a fraction of its share of ad-supported media consumption. This leaves room for spending on audio to nearly triple to align with its usage.
Audio continues to prove itself as a vital advertising channel, reaching 96% of the US population daily, with broadcast radio alone engaging 84% of Americans and podcasts drawing 34% of weekly listeners. Podcasts, in particular, outperform television in attentive seconds per thousand impressions – 10,630 attentive seconds compared to TV’s 4,430.
This reflects similar findings about the efficacy of on-demand and digital audio, as reported by the IAB.
Advanced targeting capabilities further enhance audio’s appeal to advertisers. Using cutting-edge tools like pixel-tracking, Claritas, and ArtsAI, brands can connect ad exposure to online and in-store conversions. However, the report cautions that traditional marketing mix models may underrepresent audio’s impact unless properly calibrated.
Audio also delivers measurable results across the full marketing funnel. From increasing organic search volumes and driving paid search conversions to boosting social ad response rates, the medium consistently supports the customer journey. Nielsen ranks audio as one of the top-performing channels for return on investment, solidifying its role as a critical component of effective advertising strategies.
Audacy SVP Research & Insights Ray Borelli stated, “There are more options available to marketers in audio than ever before, and we see time and again the positive results that come when brands increase their audio spend. However, investment in audio is being constrained for some by a series of perceptual barriers.”
WARC Managing Editor, Research & Advisory Paul Stringer added, “There is a growing volume of evidence to suggest that audio drives a big impact in terms of attention, brand lift, and key business KPIs. Yet, a gap remains between investment and consumption. This paper helps advertisers understand why audio is underutilized and demonstrates its potential.”
Stringer emphasized, “This paper inspires confidence in audio as a core channel, unlocking its potential to drive attention, engagement, and measurable business outcomes.”
For the full findings, Breaking Down the Barriers Behind the Audio Investment Gap is available through WARC.
