When was the last time you navigated your radio station’s website like an actual listener or new visitor? It’s easy to get tunnel vision, especially when you’ve seen the site thousands of times. But fresh eyes often spot issues. That’s where a secret shopper can become a valuable asset.

As everyone can see by scrolling through their social feeds and watching Bigfoot vlog, we’ve made significant advancements in recent weeks. Despite that, I believe we are still in the first of what will ultimately be three phases of AI. Here’s how I define those three phases, my estimate on the timeline, and how that will impact radio.

We’re in the middle of a significant shift in how people discover information. More and more, search results aren’t a list of links anymore. They’re instant answers, often powered by AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google’s new "AI Mode" search.

Even if talent are doing everything they should, it's likely not enough content to compete digitally because of how little staff most stations have now. That’s why I encourage stations to supplement the content they create in-house with partnerships with outside creators and local influencers. Here’s how any station can do that regardless of format or market size.

Your mobile app can be more than just a stream player—it can be an in-car game-changer for engagement and new revenue possibilities. Today, I’m challenging you to try three new things that could boost listener engagement and add value, specifically through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

With the advancement of affordable tools that make extending our radio brands online much more manageable, we can all carve out a little time each day to create some digital content. Here are a few specific ways to use new, inexpensive tools to crank out bigger, better content more often.

As a fan of his I know that I’m somewhat biased, but after watching most of the 85 episodes he’s put out so far on YouTube, it’s clear to me that he’s created a formula that would work well for some radio talent if they localized and personalized it. Here are a few things radio could learn from Daniel’s podcast.

There are a multitude of ways digital can protect the on-air product, coaching talent to turn benchmarks that go too long into podcasts, creating branded podcasts for clients instead of doing on-air interviews or remotes that don’t fit, and limiting the amount of service elements on the station by moving many of them to the website.

One day of effort can make a big difference. A sharp, engaging website keeps listeners coming back and shows advertisers you’re serious about your digital space. Your online presence deserves the same energy as your on-air signal—give it a tune-up every so often and watch it perform.