Digital Revenue for Radio Stations: Which Tactics Drive the Most Sales?

What Are Advertisers Buying — and Planning to Buy — in 2026?

Local radio buyers continue to expand their digital portfolios, with performance-driven tactics leading the way. Recent benchmarking shows that the most commonly purchased digital tactics among local advertisers include:

• Social media advertising

• Search engine marketing (SEM)

• Targeted display

• OTT/CTV

• Streaming audio

• Email marketing

• Mobile in-app advertising

Social media remains the most widely purchased digital tactic, followed closely by SEM and display advertising. However, CTV and streaming audio continue to gain share as viewing and listening behaviors shift.

Where Are Advertisers Increasing Spending in 2026?

Advertisers are not just maintaining digital budgets — they’re reallocating and expanding.

Recent buyer insights show that a majority of local advertisers plan to increase spending in:

• Social media advertising

• SEM

• Targeted display

• OTT/CTV

Notably, radio-affiliated advertisers are significantly more likely to increase OTT/CTV investment compared to businesses that do not buy radio. As political campaigns ramp up, CTV in particular is expected to see stronger incremental growth due to targeting precision and streaming viewership trends.

Which Digital Tactics Are Driving the Most Revenue for Stations?

The tactics generating the strongest digital revenue for stations heading into 2026 include:

• Targeted display

• SEM

• Social media advertising

• OTT/CTV

• Streaming audio

• Email marketing

This aligns closely with how advertisers are allocating budgets: performance-based channels are winning.

For stations, this means digital revenue growth will depend on bundling complementary tactics and presenting integrated strategies rather than selling in silos.

What This Means for Digital Sales in 2026

Benchmarking data suggests radio stations are projected to generate over $2 billion annually in digital revenue, with growth tied to bundled campaigns and political spending cycles.

Advertisers are spending more — and they are also open to testing new tactics when properly positioned.

Your opportunity lies in combining:

• Market expertise

• Political cycle awareness

• Cross-platform bundling

• Performance reporting

Putting Together the Pieces to Fuel Digital Revenue

The benchmarking report predicts that radio stations will generate $2.1 billion in digital sales. Advertisers are spending more and are also ready to buy something new. You can use this data, your market knowledge and your customers’ goals to provide a digital strategy that drives performance and revenue.

Here are some tips.

Social Media Advertising: Still Essential in 2026

Social media remains a top purchase for local advertisers — and a core tactic for political campaigns.

While businesses can self-serve social ads, effective execution requires platform expertise, targeting strategy, and creative testing. Simply boosting posts or running broad campaigns is no longer enough.

To capture more of this spending:

1. Start with audience definition and business objectives

2. Build multi-channel social plans tied to full-funnel goals

3. Integrate social with display, streaming, and CTV

4. Provide ongoing optimization and reporting

Political campaigns especially rely on social for persuasion and fundraising, but they expect compliance expertise and platform knowledge.

Selling social as a standalone product limits revenue potential. Selling it as part of a digital bundle drives stronger performance and retention.

Redefining Your SEM Strategy for 2026

SEM remains one of the most reliable performance tactics for local businesses and political advertisers alike.

While margins can be tighter, SEM often runs continuously — making it a stable revenue stream.

Effective SEM packages should include:

• Strategic keyword selection

• Multiple ad copy variations

• Conversion-focused optimization

• Ongoing performance monitoring

Political campaigns frequently use SEM for issue-based searches, candidate name defense, and fundraising landing pages. Stations that can provide conversion-focused optimization gain credibility and repeat business.

OTT/CTV: A Major Growth Engine in 2026

OTT/CTV continues to be one of the fastest-growing digital tactics — and in 2026, it will play an even larger role in political and commercial advertising.

Streaming now accounts for more than half of total TV viewing time, making CTV critical for:

• Reaching cord-cutters

• Targeting by ZIP code, DMA, household demographics, and behaviors

• Reinforcing broadcast TV messaging

• Delivering measurable completion rates

Political campaigns increasingly use CTV for:

• Targeted persuasion in competitive districts

• Fundraising awareness

• Voter mobilization messaging

One barrier remains creative production. However, cost-effective video solutions and repurposing existing assets can help advertisers overcome hesitation.

Unlike traditional TV, OTT/CTV offers trackable metrics — which appeals strongly to both political buyers and local businesses focused on ROI.