With some of the broadest reach among ad-supported media, AM/FM and podcast ads continue to stand out as top performers in driving consumer action, outpacing digital platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube in both engagement and conversion metrics.
The Advertising Landscape: Driving to Action, the third installment of Sounds Profitable’s 2025 research series conducted with Signal Hill Insights, surveyed 5,005 U.S. adults in January and February. All respondents reported using at least one ad-supported media platform.
In terms of direct response, 7% of those surveyed said they had made an immediate purchase after hearing an ad on AM/FM broadcast radio in the past six months. That placed radio ahead of platforms like Facebook (4%), TikTok (5%), and network or cable TV (4%). Podcasts again led all media, with 22% of frequent users reporting an immediate purchase after hearing a podcast ad.
Radio also ranked near the top for prompting consumer research behavior. Six percent of AM/FM listeners said they had searched for more information about a brand after hearing an ad, trailing only podcasts at 27%, but ahead of television (5%) and ad-supported free streaming music (4%). AM/FM also tied for sixth – with TikTok, no less – in driving listeners to visit a brand’s social media page.
For those in radio viewing podcasts as purely competition, there remains plenty of room for ad synergy between the two. When podcast users were asked where they recalled hearing an ad that led to a recent purchase, 22% cited podcasts, just behind social media platforms at 23%. Traditional radio and internet/web advertising tied for third at 17%, followed by television at 16%.
The study also asked what made ads effective. Top reasons included price sensitivity (11%), personal needs and preferences (10%), and general advertisement influence (10%). Visual appeal and entertainment value were each cited by 9% of respondents, while product quality, brand trust, and food-related cravings appeared further down the list.
One final point of interest: 2% of respondents reported they took a picture of an ad on “a regular radio.” While there is little other data around this point, it suggests the effectiveness of in-car accompanying ad visualizations for AM/FM broadcasts – tying Reddit, X, mobile games, and free streaming music.
The Advertising Landscape: Driving to Action is available via Sounds Profitable.
