Insights into Action: 5 Next Steps for Radio from the RAB – Borrell Digital Benchmarking Report

Author: Avery Berggen, Marketing Manager, Marketron

Digital Is Now Radio’s Growth Engine: What the 2026 RAB – Borrell Benchmark Means for Local Media

For more than a decade, RAB’s Annual Digital Benchmarking Report, produced by Borrell Associates Inc., has helped radio leaders understand how local advertising is changing and what it takes to stay competitive.

This year’s findings confirm what many broadcasters are already seeing.

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Dental Anxiety Is Real—And It’s a Marketing Opportunity for Local Practices

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

The tooth fairy… from a young age. Many of us are told that you will receive a “reward” when you lose a tooth. So, why as adults, do so many of us dread dental visits?

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Audio Advertising Gets Some Fine Tuning

New measurement tools in audio give marketers a better sense of their ROI

Contributor: Matthew Schwartz, director of editorial and content development, ANA

Video didn’t kill the radio advertising star. Neither did social media, online gaming, nor Netflix. The rise of digital platforms has been a veritable boon for audio advertising, which encompasses ads on streaming music services, podcasts, and traditional AM/FM and digital radio stations. Despite the dizzying number of media channels — or maybe because of them — radio continues to provide advertisers with effective reach at lower cost per thousand than linear or streaming programming.

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Telecom Marketing on Radio: What’s Working Best

Contributor: Rick Kestenbaum, general manager, AnalyticOwl

The telecom industry is what keeps us all connected—whether we’re texting a friend, streaming a movie or hopping on a video call for work. It’s come a long way from landlines and dial-up internet to lightning-fast mobile networks and fiber-optic cables. These days, telecom companies are at the heart of the digital world, powering everything from smart homes to cloud computing.

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Radio Pumps Up Marketing Effectiveness

Audio advertising can boost audience engagement from the top of the funnel to the bottom

Author: Tammy Greenberg SVP Business Development, RAB

The pressure is on almost every marketer. A whopping 95 percent of marketing leaders say their teams are under more pressure than ever to prove marketing’s value, according to “CMSWire’s 2025 State of the CMO Report.” Equally worrisome, the report, based on the responses from 515 marketing leaders, found that 69 percent of marketers feel the gravity of responsibility to deliver quantifiable ROI, up from 59 percent in 2023. Using audio media platforms to amplify brand-building efforts — and drive full-funnel results — could be the solution to relieve the pressure.

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Radio Builds Business for Home Improvement Retailers

Author: Victor Texcucano, Content Coordinator, RAB

Home improvement never stops. Whether it’s to place your home on the real estate market or just to simply boost curb appeal, consumers are always on the hunt for inspiration, tools and materials to get the job done.

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Holiday Shopping Creates Big Opportunities for Local Media Advertising

Contributor: Mallory Bouslog, senior account executive, Marketron

Despite fourth quarter signaling the end of the year, it is also actually a huge advertising opportunity for the year. Retail and other industries see bumps in spending, making it critical to promote their business to rake in holiday shopping sales.

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Driving Demand: How Radio Moves the Needle with RV Enthusiasts

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

As the weather begins to change in some parts of the U.S., people across the country are reminiscing about their vacations, road trips and travels. That doesn’t mean that those events are over.

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Radio Drives Website Traffic for Restaurants

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

During the pandemic, many businesses and industries had to learn to (dare I say) pivot, in order to keep their doors open and succeed. The restaurant industry not only pivoted but experienced a seismic shift in all aspects of business. From food to staffing, from menu items and customer service – the need to change was critical.

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Radio has a Place at the Marketing Table for Furniture Retailers

Author: Nick Arias, Research & Insights Assistant, RAB

“Home is where the heart is.” There is no better feeling than the comfort of your own home, and some of that comfort can be attributed to the furnishings in your home.

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It’s Time Marketers Hear the Truth About Audio

Misconceptions about audio could leave brands missing out on a valuable medium

Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB

Audio consumption has seen significant growth in recent years due to an expanding landscape. With consumers turning to audio for the convenience that it provides – allowing them to multitask – and the plethora of content to suit all moods and needs, it may be no surprise that WARC reports audio has grown significantly faster than media consumption overall, across demographics. However, there is a significant gap in the investments marketers allocate to audio versus other media. WARC projected that, by 2024, audio would account for 24.5 percent of all ad-supported media consumption but only 8.4 percent of ad investments. The disparity between engagement with audio and investment in audio is profound.

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Cause Marketing on Radio: What’s Working Best

Contributor: Rick Kestenbaum, general manager, AnalyticOwl

Connecting with individuals via media can be difficult. You need to engage with them personally and emotionally. It is a challenge that charitable organizations often struggle with trying to deliver their message to a mass audience.

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Local Furniture Stores: Why Radio is Your Best Bet

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

I think we would all agree that there is no place like home. Travel destinations often refer to the comforts of home, but there’s something about sleeping in your own bed, sitting in your own chair and kicking your feet up at home that makes a difference.

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Insights into Action: 5 Next Steps for Radio from the Borrell-RAB Digital Radio Sales Report

Contributor: Beth Osborne, director, marketing and content, Marketron

For 13 years, the Borrell-RAB digital benchmarking report on radio digital sales has been a valuable resource for the industry. The insights of local media buyers and station management allow us to look backward and forward on the opportunity for radio to be a leader in local digital ad sales.

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Humans Matter

Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP Business Development/RAB

In the age of AI, audio’s ability to forge deeply personal and trusted relationships with listeners is an opportunity for brands.

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Radio Builds Home Improvement Businesses

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

If you are a homeowner, you are most certainly familiar with the “honey-do” list. (If you are not a homeowner, it is a list of maintenance tasks that need to be done around the home.) Somehow, these lists never seem to end – the moment you cross one task off, another quickly takes its place.

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It’s Good Judgement to Use Radio for Legal Services

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

Buying a home, estate planning or getting a divorce. These are just some of our rites of passage that we may experience as adults, but they are also times when we find ourselves in need of legal services.

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Electronic Retailers Have the Goods This Holiday Season

Author: Victor Texcucano, Content Coordinator, RAB

Electronic retailers are one of the more popular places where consumers shop for gifts for loved ones. Whether it’s a new tablet for the kids, a new laptop for a college student or a brand-new 80” 4K TV for the living room, electronic retailers sell many high-ticket goods valued by all consumers.

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Plumbing and HVAC Ads on Radio: What’s Working Best

Contributor: Rick Kestenbaum, general manager, AnalyticOwl

According to the National Association of Realtors, the average age of a home in the U.S. is 39 years. That creates constant opportunity for plumbing and HVAC companies. Radio has proven to be an excellent way to not only promote emergency services, but also to get listeners thinking about profitable replacements, upgrades and renovations.

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Radio Accelerates Website Traffic for Auto

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

What a difference a few years make. We have all seen it and experienced it. Although different, business is back from the impact of the pandemic. Shelves are full and automotive dealer lots are full. Automotive has gone from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market.

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