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. 

Three Surprising Findings about the Modern Audience

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We are thrilled to dive into The Future of Audience and Revenue study, from Futuri and SmithGeigerGroup.  Because of its incredibly wide-ranging nature, we want to take time to unpack some of the most eye-opening discoveries on our blog, and that quest begins today. 

 

As a reminder, this extensive study was Futuri’s most groundbreaking research yet and the result of polling more than 2,000 Americans and over 200 media executives about five key news verticals: radio, TV, social media, digital publishing and esports.

 

Now, as the study’s coverage begins to swirl from news outlets like Inside Radio, Radio World, and NAB Amplify, we want to break down the first of many industry-changing discoveries: ways the modern audience is changing. 

 

What is the “modern audience”?

When we say “modern,” we mean it. The Futuri Study looks at how media consumers were impacted during and after the COVID-19 pandemic permanently changed lives. Specifically, the surveys were conducted between late spring and mid-summer 2021. 

 

With that in mind, here are three of the most surprising discoveries about the modern audience group.

 

Three Surprising Finds from The Future of Audience and Revenue study about Modern Audience

Based on the survey, here are three surprising takeaways about the modern audience in relation to the current media landscape. 

 

It’s time to redefine our favorite media terms:

From conversations in our focus groups, we learned there is no more “TV” and no more “radio.” Instead, there is “video” and “audio” delivered on multiple platforms and consumed by different audiences every moment of the day. There is also all manner of written and visual content. Some platforms blur the lines. As media creation and consumption change, our perception of “media” must also change.

 

In other words, if your friend tells you he is watching TV, he might be: streaming on his Tablet, using YouTube on his phone, following a webinar on his desktop browser, or, of course, actually watching TV!

 

The new definition of TV is much broader than ever before. 

 

The Modern Audience is More Connected and Active than Ever Before

Not only are modern consumers changing the way they talk about media… they’re consuming a lot more of it!

 

As our study revealed, the demand for media content is at an all time high. In America, 41% of people consume more than 10 hours of video per week and 64% — almost two-thirds — consume more than 5 hours. That is a LOT of video! 

 

Here are a few ways how people’s media consumption habits changed between Q1 and Q2 of 2021 alone:

 

  • 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

 

With this many consumer habits on the rise, something else is on the rise, too…

The Modern Audience is ready to SPEND

The modern audience is willing to pay good money for good content! This is GREAT news for all of us. 

 

While our consumer habits might be leaning towards craving more content, the price we’re willing to pay is rising to match.

 

Americans are already spending between $37 and $51 per month on video and audio subscriptions depending on age, and in the case of more affluent HHI $100k+ consumers, this number has reached $66. 

 

Best of all? There’s still room for those numbers to climb as more unique offerings and platforms are created. 

 

If news outlets and content creators can tap into the honey hole of what consumers are craving, there’s an opportunity to create a new subscription-based income method that can revitalize a balance sheet. 

 

Where do we go from here?

If you were keeping a score of the pros and cons from this list, my hope is that you have no “cons” and three “pros.” 

 

While the modern audience is changing what it thinks of as media, it still craves quality content and is willing to open up its wallet to acquire it. 

 

Because of this, we shouldn’t fear “the end,” but look forward to a better future for our industry! 

 

And we’ve just scratched the surface of the breadth of research about the modern audience from this study. If you’re ready to learn more about this group–and how your company can learn and profit–then we encourage you to sign up for my free webinar on October 12. In it, we’ll be looking at how the findings of The Future of Audience and Revenue 2021 apply to three unique vertices: radio, television, and digital publishing. You can sign up for the time best aligned with your vertical. 

 

Remember, a change in the modern media’s audience and landscape doesn’t mean an end to profitability for your company. Instead, it means more profitability if you have the tools and knowledge to connect with your audience. Futuri Media is here to help. 

 

Come back for my next post when we discuss practical ways to adjust to the change in audience behavior. 

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 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. 

 

TopLine Navigating Change webinar image

On-Demand Webinar — Navigating Change: How Top Broadcast Sales Execs Are Succeeding

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It’s always been said that those who are highly adaptable during times of change are positioned for success, and that’s never been more true than today. We’ve been through so much change since the top of 2020, and that’s not likely to let up any time soon. So what are top leaders doing to navigate these changes successfully? In this 30-minute webinar, a panel of some of the best and most highly respected broadcast sales executives in the industry talk about the strategies and tactics they’ve used to adapt to changing times and what they see ahead.
11a ET session



 

2p ET session



 

Jim headhshot

Jim Tarantine Promoted to Product Manager, TopLine at Futuri

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Cleveland, Ohio, June 8, 2020 – Longtime media executive Jim Tarantine has been promoted to Product Manager, TopLine at Futuri. Tarantine will help set the strategy and product roadmap for TopLine, Futuri’s AI-driven sales research and insights platform that helps shorten sales cycles and advance every stage of the sales process.

Prior to joining Futuri in 2018, Tarantine spent 12 years at Arbitron / Nielsen Audio, working with radio groups and stations across Sales, Programming, Digital, and Corporate teams to help meet and exceed revenue and ratings goals.

“Jim’s research and analytics background has been instrumental in Futuri delivering maximum ROI for our partners, so it’s natural for him to lead the team at TopLine, which helps broadcast sales teams grow their revenue share and increase developmental business,” said Futuri CEO Daniel Anstandig. “TopLine helped deliver $125 million in revenue for our partners last year, and we’re eager to further grow that number with Jim at the helm.”

Person holding mobile phone

Futuri: Station Mobile App Usage Grows During COVID-19 Changes

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Consumer usage of station-specific mobile apps is on the rise since the onset of consumer behavior changes spurred by restrictions related to COVID-19. Futuri, a leading provider of mobile apps for broadcasters, has seen the following trends across Futuri’s station-specific mobile apps:

Average of +25% increase in sessions since the early April across a variety of market sizes and format types, with higher increases showing for brands who actively promote mobile on-air and on social.

The station’s stream is the top mobile app feature on all mobile apps, but non-stream features have seen consistent increases in usage. Top features that significantly contribute to increased engagement include:

Open Mic, which allows users to send audio messages from their phones directly to the studio.

Flash Contesting, which enables stations to run contesting through their mobile app instead of a traditional “Caller 9” execution. This also provides station data on listener engagement unavailable with call-in contests.

Breaking news (via mobile web integration), driven by push notifications

These increases come at a time when consumers have indicated an increased interest in their favorite station brands having their own mobile app In January’s Country Listeners National Survey Report 2020, a study conducted by Futuri Media and the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications which surveyed 1,400 people who identified country music as their favorite music format, 44% of AM/FM country radio listeners have their favorite stations’ app installed on their mobile device, a number that grows to 48% when looking at 18-34 AM/FM country listeners. While these stats are country format-specific, Futuri Mobile station app growth is consistent across a variety of formats.

“As consumer habits continue to change due to COVID-19 disruptions, audiences want new and different ways to engage with their favorite radio station brands,” said Futuri CEO Daniel Anstandig. “Content-rich station mobile apps are a critical complement to aggregator presence, giving listeners ways to stay connected with their favorite brands, personalities, and features beyond just streams, websites, and socials, and sales teams new ways to generate digital revenue.”

For more information on Futuri Mobile and growth trends, visit futurimedia.com/mobileapps.

major research study at crs 2020

Futuri Media and the University of Florida Present Major Research Study at CRS 2020.

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The final day of CRS 2020 featured the presentation Defending Your Audience Share: Exclusive Research Findings, the results of a major study conducted by Futuri Media and the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. 

The study was conducted in January 2020 and surveyed nearly 1,400 people who named country as their favorite music format out of a list of seven options. It also broke out those who listen to AM/FM country radio (both terrestrial and streaming), and those who listen to country music but not via AM/FM country radio. 

Presented by Daniel Anstandig, Futuri Media’s CEO, and Rob Harder, Director of Programming / Brand Manager for the University of Florida radio properties, the study aimed to answer three questions facing country radio today: 

  • How do we defend our country audience and revenue share? 
  • How should we extend our country content onto new platforms? 
  • How will we transcend our challenges as the country competition landscape changes?

Key findings from the study can be found at futurimedia.com/CRS2020. Among the findings: 

  • 76% of AM/FM country listeners would prefer more video content from their favorite country radio station. 
  • Country radio listeners are tuning in to nearly the same amount of AM/FM radio as in the past, but 23% plan to listen to more country radio streaming in the next three months.
  • Women 18-34 who listen to broadcast radio tend to be more active on social media than streaming listeners. Throughout the study, data shows that country stations should have a social strategy that targets country fans, especially younger females, with sticky and recyclable content. 
  • Country listeners who have listened to a podcast in the last month name music as their favorite podcast topic genre. This number is 30%; the next highest topic genre is news/politics at 11%. Country radio station are great at talking about music; this presents an excellent time-shifted and original podcast content opportunity. 
  • Quality station-specific mobile apps present a major engagement opportunity. Younger listeners are more likely to install them, and they’re an opportunity for more connected car listening. Of AM/FM country radio listener respondents, 44% have their favorite station’s mobile app installed on their mobile device, a number that jumps to 48% when looking at the 18-34 demo. And 26% of country fans listen to country music via a connected car platform and are highly likely to listen to country music connecting their mobile device to their vehicle.

For more key findings, including many related to driving revenue, visit futurimedia.com/CRS2020.

less than 3 minutes can kick off a successful 2020

How spending less than three minutes with TopLine today can kick off a successful 2020.

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Happy New Year! The thing about having an excellent bit of downtime over the holidays (and we hope you did!) is that it can be difficult to get back into gear after a break. 

Luckily, for sales professionals who have access to TopLine, it’s not so difficult. TopLine’s sales research and data visualization tools advance your sales process with the insights to tell a credible, data-driven story. TopLine’s suite of tools is there with you every step of the way, from helping secure the first appointment to delivering quick-turnaround, fully researched and designed client-specific presentations that make the best possible case for doing business with your brands.

For TopLine users, less than three minutes spent in the system can help sharpen their focus for 2020. Here’s how it works if you have TopLine: 

  • Review new Instant Positioning pieces: Spend 90 seconds checking out the list of all-new research pieces your TopLine team has created over the past few weeks (we’ve been busy!). From the pest control customer to the Tesla shopper, there are dozens of new pieces at your fingertips. 
  • Get insight into new prospects: Spend 30 seconds requesting Personality Prep and Digital Prep Reports for that big prospect you’re targeting for new business in 2020. Prep is power! 
  • Nurture those prospects from 2019: TopLine users can access all their research requests from a convenient dashboard. Spend one minute searching your dashboard for research requests from Q4 for business that may not have closed (yet!), and request any changes that will help you follow up on that business. 

Sound like something that would help advance your sales process, and make your life easier, too? We’d love to talk! Reach out to us today. 

⏳Three minutes is all it takes to kick off a successful 2020.

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Spend three minutes with TopLine today to kick off a successful 2020. Here’s how. 

Happy New Year! We hope you had a restful holiday break, and we’re excited to help you achieve your most successful year yet. 

It can be challenging to get back on track after a break, so we’ve laid out three things you can do in under three minutes today to help sharpen your focus for 2020.

  • Review new Instant Positioning pieces: Spend 90 seconds checking out the list of all-new research pieces your TopLine team has created over the past few weeks (we’ve been busy!). From the pest control customer to the Tesla shopper, there are dozens of new pieces at your fingertips. Find them in the Instant Positioning section.
  • Get insight into new prospects: Spend 30 seconds requesting Personality Prep and Digital Prep Reports for that big prospect you’re targeting for new business in 2020. Prep is power! Find them in the Appointment Prep Tools section.
  • Nurture those prospects from 2019: Spend one minute searching your dashboard for research requests from Q4 for business that may not have closed (yet!), and request any changes that will help you follow up on that business. Search your research library and request edits from your dashboard.

TopLine is here to help you advance every step of the sales process. Happy New Year!

topic pulse Nielsen

Nielsen Audio Study Confirms TopicPulse Has Measurable Results in Time Spent With Radio

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Nielsen Audio recently conducted a study that correlated ratings of TopicPulse users vs. average stations, and examined whether heavy users of TopicPulse correlated with even higher ratings. Key findings include:

  • Stations doing real-time show prep with TopicPulse have 2x higher cume and AQH share in both P18-49 and P25-54 demos compared to average PPM measured stations.
  • The more frequently TopicPulse stations use the system, the higher their average cume and AQH share. The ten heaviest users of TopicPulse, based on number of logins and minutes used, had +7.3% higher cume rating and +3% higher AQH share than average TopicPulse users.
  • Morning Drive users logged into TopicPulse during the show had 48% higher 6a-10a M-F AQH share than stations that only log in the night before.

The study also determined that morning shows using TopicPulse consistently performed better in AQH share compared to those not using TopicPulse, a finding that was consistent across multiple formats and demos.

Index of AQH Share on TopicPulse client stations vs. average non-TopicPulse client stations during Morning Drive

  • Rock / Classic Rock: 131% P18-49, 116% A25-54
  • Top 40 / AC: 115% P18-49, 100% A25-54
  • Country: 98% P18-49, 85% A25-54
  • Urban: 37% P18-49, 22% A25-54
  • N/T/S: 12% P18-49, 35% A25-54
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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.

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