Radio continues to dominate when it comes to a client’s return on investment. With a new look into these stats we can see exactly where money is being spent.
The Association of National Advertisers’ latest report shows new measurement tools and shifting media trends relay a new picture of the ROI from audio advertising. One thing is certain, AMFM radio is still holding onto the top spot for ad supported listening versus digital media; this according to Edison Research. AMFM radio had 66% of ad supported audio time with adults ages 25-54. Podcasts were far behind with only 18% of those surveyed saying they listened to the ads, streaming audio walked away with 12% and satellite radio brought up the rear with only 3% showing time spent on ads.
We can look even further…ages 18-34: radio met with 47%; 35 and older showed 73% of listeners stayed to hear the ads.
Podcasts is another beast. Comparing last year’s numbers to this year we saw a huge jump. In the first half of 2025, ad spending TRIPLED to $6billion on podcasts, according to Emarketer. Sounds Profitable did their on study and found 48% believed ads on podcasts AND AMFM radio, Twitch had 49%. Clearly, ad supported podcasts showed more engagement than any social media platform.
We can see consumers still trust ad supported radio and podcasts. Nielsen’s 2025 Annual Marketing Report finds AMFM radio was last in influence with 46%. HOWEVER, radio had the second highest ROI at $2. Social media slipped by to the front by only .22 more. These findings are useful in that moving 10% of a media budget from TV and digital to AMFM radio can increase the reach by 20%. Widening coverage will help to fine tune marketing mix models, according to InsideRadio. Since Nielsen shortened its PPM measurement from 3-5 minutes, a change is expected as well.
This being said, these stats, hopefully, showed during your holiday sales. If not, take these with you to your next sales meeting. It’s apparent radio ads are still working. The most trustworthy platform remains to be radio. Be diligent with getting creative with your creative and transparent about the use of AI. These seem to be the main headaches. Once you jump those hurdles, your ROI should continue to grow.