television channels

NBC Wins Despite Losses

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By Tim Wolff
VP, TV & Digital Publishing Innovation, Futuri Media

The proverbial champagne corks were popping at NBC this week, with news that the network had become #1 in the coveted 18-49 year-old demo.

The Super Bowl and Olympics were key drivers to get them over the hump, but it wasn’t really a story about strong growth over the past few years; rather, it’s a story about the least amount of loss.

As Adweek points out, in the 2017-2018 season, NBC had twice as many viewers in the demo as they did this season. In fact, this year’s victory with a 1.1 rating in the demo would have been 4th place just a few years ago.

But a win is a win, and NBC gets to say they are #1 in the demo. It gives them something to brag about to advertisers.

However, it is more than that. It is an illustration of the nature of our broadcast business. We often find it more important to compare ourselves to our perceived competitors than to focus on our real performance with our audience.

I see it at the local level, too. I recently was talking with a GM (and former News Director) whose station used to dominate early-evening news with double-digit ratings. In the last ten years, they’ve lost 80% of their audience, down to a 2 rating. “But hey,” he said with a smile, “we’re still #1 in our market.”

In sales, local stations go out of their way to determine their share of the market spend. Sometimes, a station can miss its revenue goals by more than a million dollars…but if they hit their market share relative to their competitors, they’re satisfied.

What both of these examples show us is that we are wired to compete, and that we judge ourselves by how others with similar roles are performing. Unfortunately, it’s not necessarily a great barometer of success. Having a solid share of the market means a lot if your competitors are really good; it means nothing if you and your competitors are all mediocre. On the news side, being the #1 station out of 4 lousy stations is really nothing to brag about; it just means you’re the least lousy.

That’s one reason that top stations find other ways to measure success–starting with measuring against oneself. At the #1 stations I’ve been a part of, we have always set our goals relative to our own performance–not to our competitors. This helped ensure we never fell into the trap of lowering our standards to anyone else’s level, and that we kept pushing forward to always be a better version of ourselves. It was a driving key to our success.

So what about NBC, winning the demo despite having half as many viewers as just 5 years ago? They’ve got some real challenges to consider; Peacock is far behind Paramount Plus (and Disney Plus, Amazon and Netflix). CBS still had more overall viewers than NBC.

The reality is that network programming, with commercials, will always have a hard time competing against commercial-free streaming. In that context, it can feel like “losing the least viewers” is a reason to celebrate for NBC.

But for local news stations, the scenario is different. Local news stations are offering something no streaming service is: local news. It’s typically the only place to get it on television in any given market, and local stations have a 70-year branding lead on streaming services.

As long as they are providing value and local context, strong local stations can continue to see strong ratings, no matter how the networks perform. And local station leaders need to realize that their competitors are not the stations across the street; the competitors are also not the streaming services.

The only way for stations to truly succeed is for stations to compete with themselves. If we can constantly strive to understand our audience better, to deliver higher-quality content, to report news that has profound impact on our communities, then the audience will be there.

If we’re just trying to hang on to be a little better than the other guys, then our audience will fade away, and being #1 will be an empty celebration.

Tim Wolff is the VP of TV & Digital Publishing Innovation at Futuri Media. To learn more or continue the conversation, email him at timwolff@futurimedia.com or message him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/timwolff1/.

Turbocharging Your Growth in 2022 NAB Show Preview

Turbocharging Your Growth in 2022: NAB Show Preview

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Get the most out of this year’s NAB Show whether you are on-site or online!

Watch NAB’s Director, Member Experience Josh Miely and Futuri’s SVP Content Zena Burns discuss what Radio Show’s integration into NAB Show means and the best way to navigate the new and improved convention center experience. Not going to the show? They also discuss how you can take advantage of NAB Show’s on-demand content to educate yourself and your team. Even if you won’t be waking up in Vegas for this event, there’s so much you can get out of its programming and education to help you drive audience and revenue growth this year.

Don’t forget to share this video with your friends and co-workers attending the show.

Turbocharging Your Growth in 2022 NAB Show Preview

Going to NAB Show? New approaches to audience and revenue growth are critical to survive 2022’s competitive landscape. Click here to connect with Futuri at NAB Show 2022 and learn about the tools you need to thrive.

A Better Way to Put More Listener Audio On-the-Air

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Making it easier for your fans to be heard makes it easier for you

 

By Scott Lindy, Futuri Media

Listener voices are the heart and soul of every famous radio brand. When fans of a station or show are invited to join the conversation, magic happens. We’re humans, and we all want to belong to something bigger than ourselves. It’s an emotional magnet when you hear a listener’s voice saying something on the air you might say yourself or wish you had.

For decades, radio stations have used the studio phone line to run contests, take requests and get feedback on the topic du jour. The calls would pour in. One of the essential parts of a radio DJ’s job was to answer the phone. The studio phone is mostly silent these days because the world communicates differently now.

We heard from the experts, and you can too

We went to the front lines of radio in our most recent webinar, The Studio Line is Dead: How to Get Listener Voices On Air in 2022, to hear from the experts. Three of radio’s most strategic thinkers, Deb Turpin, Program Director for Z104 in Salt Lake City; Nathan James, Director of Marketing and Digital at SummitMedia and Jordan Miller, Digital Content Specialist at Steel City Media – Pittsburgh, spent 30 minutes sharing creative ideas and ways to keep the audience involved on the air. 

The entire guest panel of experts agreed that the Open Mic feature in Futuri Mobile apps makes getting listener voices on the air easy for the user and the station. Nathan James at SummitMedia became a fan of Open Mic at the beginning of the pandemic, “We weren’t out in public with a microphone walking up to listeners to get an actuality. So, it was a way for listeners to give us real-time feedback. To get that content and easily turn it into sweepers immediately was the first thing we did with it.

From Z104 in Salt Lake City, Deb Turpin puts kids on the air reciting the Pledge of Allegiance that not only gets more listener voices on the air but also builds tune in. “We solicit for it and tell them about the Open Mic feature and we’ll let you know when we’re going to play your pledge on the air. So you’ve got grandma listening, you’ve got mom and dad listening. You’ve got a big brother and a big sister, maybe some neighbors listening. And they get the chance to hear that little kid or the scout troop or the bridge club or whoever sends the pledge in. Everybody wants to hear their pledge on the air.”

Jordan Miller, with Steel City Media‘s stations in Pittsburgh, says, “On Q92.9 we created a section called ‘Talk to Q’ where we literally let listeners say anything. From a song request to a mock on-air tryout to be on the air and introduce some songs. We get listeners of all ages from all over.”

When listener audio gets turned on it’s ear

When listeners can simply tap their smartphone to record and send their voice to radio stations using a Futuri Mobile app, there’s no telling what you’ll get. Turpin uses Open Mic listener audio most stations would delete, “We got one Open Mic that says, ‘Dave & Deb, a couple of dumb ***es in the morning.’ We just turned it into a sweeper and we play it almost every day and it’s hilarious.”

Other creative ways to capture listener audio:

  • Record winners when they come to the station to get their prize. A mic on a stand, with branding in plain view, turns it into a video opportunity as well. Use a simple script or just ask questions (off mic and camera.) Get their name, hometown, what they won, and how they did it. What’s their favorite thing about your station? What’s their favorite song and why? If you want to record the listener saying specific branding statements you’ll get more bang for your buck using the ‘repeat after me,’ method.
  • Voicemail! It’s a bit more work but can work with the right approach. Here’s a cool twist on that idea; next time an artist visits the station, have them record outgoing greetings for your voicemail with a question for listeners to answer. Write questions designed to get answers from your listeners that you can really use, like, “who is the funniest person on the morning show and how can you prove it?”
  • Concerts, festivals, remotes, sporting events. Your phone is the microphone you take everywhere. Wear your station gear and say hello to as many people as you can. You’ll find fans of your station or at the very least, fans of the music and artists you play. Plan your questions ahead of time and weave them into the conversation rather than interviewing them, keep it casual to keep it real. When you find a fan, let them know you’re recording and definitely get their name/hometown and permission.

Increasing engagement with mobile = increasing revenue

The opportunity to drive revenue with your Mobile app starts with creating a content strategy built around a personalized and unique user experience. Sponsorships and client presence in your app should embrace the app’s overall design and creative concepts that listeners respond to the most. Futuri Mobile apps are designed to be monetized with that type of approach. As we heard in our webinar, there’s no shortage of ideas to increase mobile app engagement that put sponsors right in the middle of the action.

If you’re looking for standout ideas and creative angles that help get more listener voices on the air this webinar is a ‘must-see.’ Plus, our panel shares ideas for organizing and monetizing station mobile apps that you can use right now. Click to watch the entire webinar on-demand.

 

Scott Lindy is a Marketing Content Specialist and Partner Success Specialist at Futuri Media. He works with a select group of stations to drive their digital efforts forward, while also creating compelling marketing content about Futuri’s audience engagement and sales intelligence solutions. Prior to Futuri, Lindy spent 30 years developing an impressive programming resume at companies including Cumulus, Clear Channel, Lincoln Financial Media, and SiriusXM. He has also served on the boards of directors for several industry organizations, including the Country Music Association and Country Radio Broadcasters.

Omnichannel Marketing and The Digital Divide

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Shifting away from selling ‘traditional’ media vs. ‘digital’ media makes more sense now than ever

Broadcast sales executives hear the term, Omnichannel marketing more and more. It describes an approach to marketing that reaches beyond broadcast radio and TV. Omnichannel refers to the combinations of platforms found in digital environments. That covers everything from on-demand video sent to mobile apps to live streaming on smart speakers.

For years,  broadcasters have been mindful of separating ‘traditional’ media from ‘digital’ media. That meant two separate rate cards, two different sales budgets, and sometimes, individual sales staff.

That made a lot of sense until now.

It Is What The Audience Says It Is

Futuri recently released the results of our collaboration with SmithGeigerGroup, The Future of Audience and Revenue study, one of the most innovative media studies ever conducted.

This study revealed dozens of reasons why omnichannel marketing has become so important. One, in particular, stood out:

The perception of media is changing. Formerly well-established concepts such as “TV” and “radio” no longer exist as they once did. Instead, we have a continuum of professional and semi-professional content delivered through innumerable routes to the end consumer, who is, as a result, more selective and less trusting of the major players who used to dominate the field. In focus groups featuring more than 100 media consumers, we found that modern consumers interpret the term “television” to mean all forms of video, from standard live television to streamed events, video posts on social media, and of course YouTube. The same expanded definition applied to radio, which now refers to any form of transmitted audio over any channel. In every case, respondents brought up non-broadcast content when asked to describe their experience of “radio” or “TV.” Consumers used the terms interchangeably with a variety of audio and video resources. This is both a threat and an opportunity. 

In other words, the audience isn’t thinking about the words ‘radio’ and ‘TV’ the way broadcasters have. Radio is audio, and TV is video, no matter where they’re consumed.  

Download the white paper to see more key takeaways supporting a shift to selling and integrating omnichannel marketing into your branding strategy here.  

The Silver Lined Truth

The terms ‘Radio’ and ‘TV’ aren’t as discriminated against by the modern audience as you might have thought. Instead, audiences are as welcoming to television and radio content they are to video and audio content. 

Broadcast sales executives now have the opportunity to leverage this new information when pitching an omnichannel solution to a client or prospect. The audience’s definition of ‘radio’ and ‘TV’ helps support the digital platforms recommended in any proposal.

 Tell the Two Stories About Digital 

When making a pitch to a prospect, tell two stories that support the digital components of an omnichannel solution. First, tell the story of the prospect’s website performance. Then, the story about their customer’s digital habits. 

The magic happens when these two stories connect to support the digital parts of the proposal. It removes a great deal if not all of the questions the prospect might have. 

Always assume that the prospect is aware of their own website’s performance and is tracking the metrics vital to them. That means you’ll need to blow them away with insights they never thought they would hear from an outsider.  

It’s also highly likely that your prospect will have researched how to best engage with their targets online. If you’re able to offer data that deepen their understanding of their target’s digital habits, your prospect’s ears should perk right up.

An Omnichannel Tool Based on the New Science

So, how do you get the data to tell those two stories? If that sounds like a lot of work you know you don’t have the time for, let’s talk — because our TopLine sales intelligence system can help. TopLine’s Digital Analysis reports will help you tell two stories about your target’s digital data in a way that justifies your pitch and omnichannel solution proposal.  

TopLine advances every stage of your sales process, helps you close more deals, and increases conversion rates – – all while shortening the sales cycle. 

If you’re interested in learning more about how TopLine can help you and your team,  reach out to us at Futuri today.

Image announcing major update to Futuri's POST podcasting system, published US patent, and new Nielsen study

Futuri Podcasting System POST Launches Major Update and Announces Published US Patent, as New Nielsen Data Shows Unique Impact of POST Technology on Time Spent with Audio

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Futuri Podcasting System POST Launches Major Update and Announces Published US Patent, as New Nielsen Data Shows Unique Impact of POST Technology on Time Spent with Audio

Cleveland, Ohio, November 9, 2021 — Futuri, the leading provider of AI-driven audience engagement and sales intelligence solutions for broadcasters, today announced a major update to its patented and patent-pending POST podcasting system. POST is relied on by thousands of top-performing audio creators to quickly and efficiently capture, edit, package, and distribute PPM-encoded broadcast content, as well as original podcasts, on multiple audio and video platforms. 

The POST update includes:

  • A new in-app audio editor. This powerful, yet simple-to-use, editor is designed to save production time, speed up distribution of timely content, and enable audio brands to quickly make simple edits to their on-demand broadcast content to keep people listening longer.
  • Customizable widgets: A new suite of customizable widgets makes it easy to apply station brand standards to their embedded audio. 
  • Improved ad insertion capabilities: POST’s ad marker and mid-roll capabilities have gotten an upgrade, making it easier for stations to monetize their on-demand broadcast and original podcast audio.
  • Much more, including streamlined publishing to third-party destinations; enhanced chapter markers and analytics; and new features that make it easier to switch to POST from another podcast provider (paired with Futuri’s white-glove US-based support).

The update comes as Futuri today released a new white paper, Growing Audience with On-Demand Broadcast Audio. It includes new data from a nationwide study on On-Demand Broadcast Audio (ODBA), also known as time-shifted audio, across all PPM markets, conducted by Nielsen, which reviewed millions of occasions of minute-level data. The white paper examines the current state of On-Demand Broadcast Audio and reveals POST’s unique ability to maximize ROI on broadcast content by quickly, efficiently editing and parsing content, packaging with metadata, and publishing this audio. Key findings include:

  • Challenging the perception that podcasts and on-demand content are only consumed “on the go,” Nielsen found that 63% of all ODBA listening is at-home (37% OOH). Three of the top five formats are music formats, with CHR and AC over-indexing on the at-home number — 77% and 79%, respectively.
  • Stations using POST are over 5x more likely than non-POST stations to have on-demand PPM broadcast audio minutes captured by Nielsen, showcasing the unique results delivered by POST’s patented system. 
  • Average minutes per on-demand broadcast audio listening session for stations using POST is nearly 30% higher than stations not using POST.
  • Demographics: The breakdown of on-demand broadcast audio published through POST is 50.2% Female vs. 49.8% Male, compared to 39% Female / 61% Male for content published by non-POST stations. 

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has recently issued a U.S. Patent for POST. The patent adds to Futuri’s diverse portfolio of technology patents, protecting a broad range of methods released to POST, which automatically captures, parses, and publishes on-demand audio and video content to a multitude of social channels and audio, video, and podcast platforms. More specifically, this patent is one of several U.S. and foreign patents and pending patent applications added to our other Intellectual Property which is held by Futuri and that grants Futuri and its licensees, exclusive rights to this unique audio technology. Futuri’s CEO, Daniel Anstandig, and Director, Research & Development, Craig Bowman, are named as inventors on the patent.

“Futuri has invested a significant amount in R&D related to podcasting, on-demand audio, and broadcast automation workflows and integration,” said Futuri CEO Daniel Anstandig. “The issuance of this patent, combined with research from Nielsen that validates the unique results of POST, represents a milestone for Futuri and our many innovative broadcast partners, who have used this and our other technologies to drive ratings and revenue since Futuri’s launch in 2009. We’re dedicated to creating easy-to-use, high ROI platforms that deliver innovative and proprietary high value for our partners, and we are proud to extend our proprietary position to them.” 

The Growing Audience with On-Demand Broadcast Audio white paper is available for download at FuturiMedia.com/Podcast21, where people can also register for one of two review webinars, hosted by Futuri’s Jim Tarantine and Zena Burns, on Thursday, November 11. 

 

About Futuri 

Futuri is the leading provider of cloud-based audience engagement and sales intelligence software for the enterprise. Brands rely on Futuri solutions to make their content more relevant, accessible, engaging, and results-driven. Founded in 2009,  Futuri holds 12 published or pending patents in 151 countries. Named to the Inc. 5000 List of America’s fastest-growing private companies for eight consecutive years, Futuri is the only audience engagement platform that includes solutions for sales, marketing, and content teams. 

eSports: Opportunities that are No Game

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Following the launch of TopicPulse SportsEdge, a version of our real-time, AI-powered story discovery and social content system customized for eSports, betting, VR, and fantasy content, we’re digging back into our recent study on The Future of Audience and Revenue from Futuri and the SmithGeiger Group to look at eSports and how they present a major opportunity for your company.

 

In particular, today we want to continue unpacking this study by looking at a prime opportunity for media companies to leverage the recent uptick in eSports activity in order to be more successful. 

 

Three Opportunities for Your Business with eSports

 

eSports is a Blue Ocean

 

Right now, eSports is a blue ocean space in the media industry: it’s unexplored and full of promise (with less competition). Our study uncovered astounding growth and viewership statistics you can learn more about right here, and all the numbers tell the same story: eSports is primed to experience explosive growth.

 

This means it’s time to claim your space in this ocean as soon as possible. If you’re a first mover into the eSports world, you have a chance to reap significant rewards. 

 

Why keep fighting all the old competition in the same old places, when you can go be an early player in the eSports media game?

 

Marketing Potential

 

The opportunities for marketing products in eSports media are not only numerous, but they also present ways to advertise brands in ways that can’t be done in other forms of media. 

 

For example, we’re all familiar with advertising with product placement. eSports takes this idea one step further by allowing the product to be placed inside a game, much like Epic does with Fortnite. 

 

Also, streamers can be great for marketing, too. They’re being watched closely by a niche market of young people for hours on end, and their “followers” develop trusting relationships with them. Products they use or recommend to their audience are instantly vaulted into consideration for the audience’s shopping concerns. 

 

Advertising Potential

 

eSports also has what it takes to be a strong force for advertising your company’s products. 

 

You already know how the strong connection between streamers and audiences can be used to market your company’s brand. Taking this one step further, specific products or offerings can be advertised through eSports. 

 

There are a few great examples of this. For one, Star Wars released an exclusive look at The Rise of Skywalker within Fortnite.  Another example is how Riot Games made Valorant only playable by popular streams prior to its release. This was a great way to advertise the upcoming game—future players were introduced to it by the streamers they so admire. 

 

Not only is the advertising potential strong with eSports, it also offers great ROAS potential compared to more traditional outlets, which we’d be happy to explain further. 

 

Don’t Save and Quit

 

There’s too much potential with eSports for you to just save your game progress and walk away. Instead, you need to plug in and get into this action for yourself!

 

If you’re ready to make that leap, visit TopicPulseSportsEdge.com.

 

And if any of this, keep your eyes on the Futuri blog and LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more insight about sports betting, fantasy, e-sports and VR coming very soon!

How Sports Betting Could Be a Safe Bet for Your Business

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We’re back today with some more insight into what  The Future of Audience and Revenue study from Futuri and SmithGeiger Group uncovered about maximizing your audience for increased revenue. 

 

So far we’ve talked about the ways in which the modern audience has changed, and how your organization can adjust to meet their evolving expectations.If you want to see real results, you’ll need to be prepared to take some risks. 

 

Those risks often mean exploring new markets, and on that note, here’s some advice that you have certainly never heard from your financial advisors: it might be time to go all-in on betting. 

 

We’re not talking about hitting the horse track or pinning it all on a prizefighter. What we are talking about is giving your audience what they want. And the answer to what they want is simple – they want to place some bets. 

 

Weighing the Odds

 

The Futuri x SmithGeiger study found that 72% of its over 2,000 participants that were between the ages of 16 and 74 are still tuning in for the big game, whether they’re watching at their favorite dive bar with friends or at home from the comfort of their own couch. 

 

Once again, locally produced content reigns supreme. 69% of the aforementioned 16-to-74-year-olds keep up with sporting events by accessing a local news site, and 71% tracking results through their preferred source’s app. 

 

Now, consider how those numbers jump for esports and gaming. In 2020, Forbes reported that the gaming industry generated over $120 billion in revenue as opposed to football, which generated only $11 billion. But whether they’re following the score by sitting in front of the big screen, visiting the local news provider’s website, or going straight to the app, the study found that over 90% of respondents are “tuning in.” 

Baseball might be America’s favorite pastime, but for media companies, the game has changed. Some people want to watch baseball. Some people want to watch competitive Farming Simulator. How can you reach them all?

 

Go All-In

With the legalization of sports betting in 2018, betting on sports has become an attractive enterprise. The Futuri x SmithGeiger study discovered that roughly 62% of respondents are willing to bet on sporting events. 

 

The best way to meet their needs, then, is to produce content that caters to that desire. And the easiest way to do this is, once again, to reach them at a local level. 

 

Additionally, 42% of respondents expressed interest in seeing odds and betting lines presented on their local news programs, which is another potential strategic move for your company. 

 

In short, the possibilities are endless. Whether you’re broadcasting expert predictions or hosting radio contests, the “fun” part of betting is feeling like you’re part of the action. The savvy media company needs to be committed to making that desired content readily available to their audience. 

 

What’s the Next Step?

 

If embracing new content seems like a daunting task, remember that you’re not alone. 

 

Futuri’s got your back. 

 

We’re prepared to make your sports betting transition easier if that’s a route you choose to pursue. Our solutions like TopicPulse are set to drive your content to the forefront of your audience’s search. Will you be ready for them?

 

Have more questions? A good place to start would be taking a look a the results of the Futuri x SmithGeiger study to use. I’ll introduce you to some of the tools that can help you grow your content, audience, and revenue. You can learn more about the whitepaper and study right here.

Some Key Findings from The Future of Audience and Revenue 2021

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Futuri Media recently concluded our most insightful nationwide media study to date: The Future of Audience and Revenue 2021 study, with SmithGeigerGroup.

 

In preparation to make these industry-shaking discoveries public, let’s discuss a few of the key findings from the study as a preview, of sorts. While this is only the tip of the iceberg, my hope is that it serves as a conversation starter moving into the release of the study. 

 

On Tuesday, October 12, CEO Daniel Anstandig will present a series of webinars with takeaways and action steps for using the information from our SmithGeiger study to grow your content, audience, and revenue. Hopefully, you can register for a spot for this exclusive event. 

 

The Purpose of The Future of Audience and Revenue 2021

When we got the ball rolling for one of the most innovative media studies ever recorded, there were three big questions that were common threads through all the uncertainty we identified in the current media and audience landscape:

 

  1. How Americans perceive, consume, and pay for media content today, particularly now that we’ve been experiencing pandemic-related disruptions for more than a year and a half.
  2. How media executives perceive the sector and its ability to meet future challenges.
  3. How media executives can leverage technology to impact content, audience, and revenue growth

 

We were resoundingly successful at not only answering those questions, but implementing the answers into action steps that can be used to unlock revenue growth and enhance ROI. This helped lead to our key findings. 

Key Findings from The Future of Audience and Revenue 2021

Futuri Media analyzed the results from SmithGeigerGroup’s work to break the findings down into VERY specific industry-level takeaways — many of which we’ll discuss during the October 12 webinars. 

 

But, for the sake of this blog, let’s discuss a few higher-level findings that apply to all industries.

Social media is the greatest opportunity for content, audience, and revenue growth.

No longer can we identify ‘alternative’ news sources because those we used to consider as such have all become mainstream. Mainstream to the point, even, that many people are consuming more news on social media than the “traditional channels” of old — eye-opening numbers that will be revealed in the whitepaper. But fear not. This is an opportunity, not a challenge. If we can embracing and master new platforms and channels, it’s a huge opportunity to reach new markets and user profiles with the content that they want while using the medium they choose to consume it.

Investment in social and digital platforms is essential for growth. 

Piggy-backing off the first point is this: while social media and digital platforms are an opportunity, they’re also a necessity. To keep up with the industry, we much make the required changes in company culture, strategy, systems, technology, and personnel in order to meet the opportunities of the new normal. It will take hard work and considerable investment, but those investments will unlock more revenue potential down the line. 

 

The Modern Audience Can’t Get Enough

If the pandemic’s impact on the industry needed to be reduced down to one thought, it’s this: people want more. More news. More entertainment. More social media. Overall, the demand for media has never been more robust. Today, 41% of Americans are consuming more than 10 hours of video per week, and 64% consume more than 5 hours. Between Q1 and Q2 2021 alone, we were astounded to discover that:

 

  • 57% watched streamed content more often.
  • 51% watched TV more often.
  • 48% used social media more often.
  • 30% listened to local AM/FM radio stations more often.

 

In other words, while the industry is changing, there’s never been a better time to be a part of it. The tree of opportunity is ripe for the picking. 

 

And the number one finding…

Our biggest key takeaway — one that significantly impacts every vertical of the industry — is something I’m too excited about to share in a blog post. I’ll be revealing that industry-shaking discovery and much more in the October 12 webinars, so we hope to see everybody there!

 

You can register for your spot right here. 

Some Key Findings from The Future of Audience and Revenue 2021

/in , , , , /by

Futuri Media recently concluded our most insightful nationwide media study to date: The Future of Audience and Revenue 2021 study, with SmithGeigerGroup.

 

In preparation to make these industry-shaking discoveries public, let’s discuss a few of the key findings from the study as a preview, of sorts. While this is only the tip of the iceberg, my hope is that it serves as a conversation starter moving into the release of the study. 

 

On Tuesday, October 12, CEO Daniel Anstandig will present a series of webinars with takeaways and action steps for using the information from our SmithGeiger study to grow your content, audience, and revenue. Hopefully, you can register for a spot for this exclusive event. 

 

The Purpose of The Future of Audience and Revenue 2021

When we got the ball rolling for one of the most innovative media studies ever recorded, there were three big questions that were common threads through all the uncertainty we identified in the current media and audience landscape:

 

  1. How Americans perceive, consume, and pay for media content today, particularly now that we’ve been experiencing pandemic-related disruptions for more than a year-and-a-half.
  2. How media executives perceive the sector and its ability to meet future challenges.
  3. How media executives can leverage technology to impact content, audience, and revenue growth

 

We were resoundingly successful at not only answering those questions but implementing the answers into action steps that can be used to unlock revenue growth and enhance ROI. This helped lead to our key findings. 

Key Findings from The Future of Audience and Revenue 2021

Futuri Media analyzed the results from SmithGeigerGroup’s work to break the findings down into VERY specific industry-level takeaways — many of which we’ll discuss during the October 12 webinars. 

 

But, for the sake of this blog, let’s discuss a few higher-level findings that apply to all industries.

Social media is the greatest opportunity for content, audience, and revenue growth.

No longer can we identify ‘alternative’ news sources because those we used to consider as such have all become mainstream. Mainstream to the point, even, that many people are consuming more news on social media than the “traditional channels” of old — eye-opening numbers that will be revealed in the whitepaper. But fear not. This is an opportunity, not a challenge. If we can embracing and master new platforms and channels, it’s a huge opportunity to reach new markets and user profiles with the content that they want while using the medium they choose to consume it.

Investment in social and digital platforms is essential for growth. 

Piggy-backing off the first point is this: while social media and digital platforms are an opportunity, they’re also a necessity. To keep up with the industry, we much make the required changes in company culture, strategy, systems, technology, and personnel in order to meet the opportunities of the new normal. It will take hard work and considerable investment, but those investments will unlock more revenue potential down the line. 

 

The Modern Audience Can’t Get Enough

If the pandemic’s impact on the industry needed to be reduced down to one thought, it’s this: people want more. More news. More entertainment. More social media. Overall, the demand for media has never been more robust. Today, 41% of Americans are consuming more than 10 hours of video per week, and 64% consume more than 5 hours. Between Q1 and Q2 2021 alone, we were astounded to discover that:

 

  • 57% watched streamed content more often.
  • 51% watched TV more often.
  • 48% used social media more often.
  • 30% listened to local AM/FM radio stations more often.

 

In other words, while the industry is changing, there’s never been a better time to be a part of it. The tree of opportunity is ripe for the picking. 

 

And the number one finding…

Our biggest key takeaway — one that significantly impacts every vertical of the industry — is something we’re too excited about to share in a blog post. We’ll be revealing that industry-shaking discovery and much more in the October 12 webinars, so we hope to see everybody there!

 

You can register for your spot right here. 

 

Image describing getting the Futuri SmithGeiger Future of Audience and Revenue Study

The Future of Audience and Revenue 2021: Get the White Paper from the Futuri x SmithGeiger Study

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Futuri, the leading provider of AI-driven audience engagement and sales intelligence solutions for media, recently announced a selection of key findings from our Future of Audience and Revenue Study with SmithGeiger, which revealed tectonic shifts in how Americans perceive, consume and pay for media content, as well as media executives’ predictions for the sector and confidence in their ability to meet emerging challenges.

Now, a white paper with detailed findings from the most wide-ranging study of its kind is available for download. This is a must-read document for anyone in broadcasting or digital publishing who has an interest in growing content, growing audience, and growing revenue.

In Future of Audience and Revenue Study: Trends, Evolutions, and Opportunities with the Modern Audience, you’ll learn:

  • How media consumption and even definitions have evolved for more than 2,000 consumers surveyed in recent months. (Spoiler alert: COVID rapidly accelerated the pace of change.)
  • What nearly 200 media executives think are the most important challenges facing the industry—and how well-equipped they feel they and their teams are to address them.
  • What you can start doing TODAY to have your brands grow audience, grow revenue, and embrace the future.
 On October 12, Futuri CEO Daniel Anstandig will present a series of webinars reviewing the study’s takeaways, as well as action steps for using the study’s information to grow your content, audience, and revenue.

Download the white paper and register for Anstandig’s webinars by clicking here. 

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Futuri is the leading provider of cloud-based audience engagement software for the enterprise. Brands rely on Futuri to make their content more relevant, accessible, engaging, and results-driven. Founded in 2009, Futuri holds 12 published or pending patents in 151 countries. Named to the Inc. 5000 List of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies for seven consecutive years, Futuri is the only audience engagement platform that includes solutions for sales, marketing, and content teams.