In 2025, local business investment in digital marketing is accelerating at an unprecedented pace. According to eMarketer, traditional linear TV advertising is expected to shrink by $4 billion between now and 2027. Meanwhile, Kagan forecasts a 3 percent decline in radio broadcast revenue this year.
Despite these challenges for terrestrial media, total ad spending is still projected to grow by 4.5 percent in 2025, largely fueled by a double-digit surge—at least 12 percent—in digital advertising. The takeaway? The path to revenue growth this year runs through digital expansion.
For broadcast professionals, this means evolving your sales strategy to align with where advertisers are putting their dollars. Q1 presents the perfect opportunity to conduct a thorough digital audit, ensuring your operation is positioned to capture a bigger share of this growing market.
As you prepare for digital success this year, here are five key areas to concentrate on:
- Ensure Every Salesperson is Proactively Discussing Digital Needs with Key Clients
This is non-negotiable. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking we fully understand our key clients’ marketing strategies. However, many advertisers still see our reps primarily as “broadcast” salespeople rather than comprehensive marketing partners. As a result, they may not openly share their digital needs or even realize we can provide digital solutions.
To bridge this gap, sales reps must consistently engage in strategic conversations that uncover opportunities beyond traditional media buys. Asking insightful, open-ended questions that get to the heart of their digital pain points, goals, and challenges positions our stations as full-service marketing partners. We then not only expand revenue potential but also deepen client relationships and reinforce our value to local businesses in an evolving media landscape.
- Establish Digital Goals for Each Salesperson and Develop a Custom Digital Plan for Every Key Client
Setting clear digital goals for each salesperson ensures they have a structured approach to integrating digital solutions into their book of business. As local advertisers continue shifting budgets toward digital, our sales teams must evolve alongside them—proactively bringing forward digital strategies that align with their clients’ growth.
Of course, some clients will push back with, “I already have a digital guy.” That’s where we need to reframe the conversation. Instead of competing with their existing digital agency, we should highlight how our stations offer unique, integrated digital programs that leverage the power of our brand equity, on-air personalities, and audience trust. Whether it’s through our owned-and-operated digital, social media campaigns, branded content, or streaming opportunities, we can provide solutions that complement—rather than replace—their current digital efforts.
3. Align Your Digital Offerings with Client Needs and Market Trends
To drive digital revenue growth, your station’s digital solutions must align with what advertisers are actively seeking. Across all market sizes, businesses are significantly increasing their investment in OTT/CTV (smart TV advertising), influencer marketing, and social media campaigns. If your sales reps aren’t fluent in these evolving digital strategies, you risk missing out on valuable opportunities.
Many of our most important advertisers trust us as a local, credible source for effective marketing advice. They’re aware of emerging digital tactics, but they may not fully understand how to implement them—or how these strategies fit into their broader advertising mix. This presents a key opportunity for our teams to educate, guide, and offer integrated solutions that combine traditional and digital media for maximum impact.
4. Ensure Your Rate Cards Reflect Current Market Conditions
Relying on outdated rate cards won’t cut it in today’s rapidly evolving marketing landscape. The advertising world has shifted dramatically, and local businesses now face an overwhelming number of choices when allocating their budgets.
Unlike two decades ago, when radio, TV, and print dominated local ad spending, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are now being aggressively targeted by digital-first competitors. It’s no longer just Google and Meta capturing local dollars—streaming giants like Hulu, Paramount+, and Spotify have made SMB advertising a core part of their growth strategy. These platforms offer highly targeted, data-driven campaigns that appeal to local businesses looking for measurable results.
5. Secure the Best Pricing from Your Digital Vendors
The digital advertising landscape is constantly evolving, and wholesale programmatic ad exchanges have seen pricing shifts. Media like OTT/CTV have recently experienced dramatic price drops, creating an opportunity for ad sellers to lower retail pricing while increasing profit margins.
To maximize revenue and maintain a competitive edge, it’s essential to regularly negotiate with your digital vendors to ensure you’re getting the most competitive rates. Many vendors have flexibility in pricing, especially as new technologies and buying strategies emerge.
Advertisers have more choices than ever, and if your station isn’t offering comprehensive, integrated digital solutions, they will find a competitor who does. The good news? As local broadcasters, you have a unique advantage—trusted brands, engaged audiences, and powerful long-time connections that digital-only platforms can’t replicate – and we’re located right down the street.
Chris Brunt is the Director of Digital Revenue and AI at Jacobs Media. The WBA Digital Hotline is a free service of the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association and is available to all members – contact Chris Brunt at Jacobs Media at chris@jacobsmedia.com with any digital questions you have.
