Year End Update
December 2024
From Chet Osadchey, President / General Manager
More LOCAL news with…607 News Now!
We are proud of the continued growth of our online news site www.607NewsNow.com. What was originally launched as CortacaToday has now migrated to the larger 607 coverage platform. Using the power of the WHCU radio news team, we can now extend all local and regional news stories daily online. www.607NewsNow.com gives us the ability to guide radio listeners online to access news articles anytime and anywhere. In addition, we have expanded coverage in areas such as local events, people, and entertainment! With aggressive promotion from our ten (10) radio stations, we have built in promotion that drives impressions. Overall users and readers continue to grow weekly. We have very creative and unique advertising options on the site and encourage all local businesses to speak with their Media Advisor about implementing a 2025 advertising plan.
Football- Bills back in the playoffs!
The Buffalo Bills will be the #2 seed in the AFC playoffs this year after winning the AFC East division title for the 5th consecutive year. The Bills are one of the hottest teams in the NFL- selling out every game and setting record ratings for radio and TV viewing. Our playoff advertising is 95% sold out, but if your business can use a lift by associating with one of the most beloved brands in New York- call us. If you are interested in being a sponsor for the Buffalo Bills and New York Giants on radio in our region for 2025…get your advertising commitment in now, space is limited!
Audio Imaging!
Audio imaging has historically been cost prohibitive for many local and regional businesses to invest in. Jingles were extremely labor and cost heavy, therefore custom music and imaging has been a media asset that was something only big brands and chains could afford to both purchase and use in regular advertising. And imaging WORKS. The results of custom imaging allowed for great business recall, creating memorable ads that generate sales. The landscape of audio has changed with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). Today, a local business can create an audio image for a mere fraction of the price paid just a year ago, and the advantages for a local business are significant. Today’s local advertiser can modify and update ad copy and content whereas the big box stores and national brands cannot pivot to respond to nuances in every local market. We are seeing the largest increase in audio imaging, jingles, and audio logo use ever by our local businesses. Most importantly…these media elements grow sales and share of mind FAST. Want a custom jingle or audio image for your business or want to hear what your business could sound like? Just contact your CRG Media Advisor or call us at 607-257-6400.
Cayuga Marketplace: cash-free opportunity.
2024 was a record year for our e-commerce site: wwwCayugamarketplace.com. This is a cash-free way for local businesses to generate new customers, make sales- AND receive the full value in advertising. Over 325 local businesses are now using Cayuga Marketplace to fund their radio advertising campaigns.
Cayuga Marketplace offers are limited in number so demand stays high. And a business receives their FULL value of their offer back in radio ads…we sell the offer! If your business would like to explore how Cayuga Marketplace can grow your business- feel free to contact your local media advisor or call 607-257-6400.
Ad Sync- improve the recall of your radio advertising:
The Cayuga Media Group now offers a simple text ad on to your radio advertising. Ad Sync displays your business name and short text message that is now compatible with about 80% of all vehicle displays- and growing. These text display ads run simultaneously to your audio ad. Ad recall is increased by about 60% according to Quu- the company that offers the service. As auto in dash display continues to evolve- expect the reach number to increase. Today’s HD radios can even display your company logo to enhance the impression. We carry Ad Sync on our largest music stations (WQNY/Country, WYXL/AC, WIII/Rock, WFIZ/Top 40), as the service also displays song title and artist. Adding Ad Sync to a campaign is simple and very cost-effective.
Transit Ads!
Transit ads on TCAT buses continue to be a very powerful visual advertising opportunity for local businesses. Because most businesses purchase long-term campaigns, available ad space is quite limited. We are excited about the addition of about a half-dozen new buses joining the fleet in 2025 about mid-year. Don’t wait! Book your ads now.
Recruitment:
Helping our area businesses get fully staffed continues to be an important goal in 2025. Once again, we are scheduling our quarterly job fairs in advance to allow for proper planning. Each of our events averaged about 30 participating employers/companies and hundreds of candidates. We are excited to announce the complete locations and dates in the next couple of weeks. We also will be introducing some exciting new features to draw additional qualified candidates- stay tuned!
How is your Google?
As our Media Advisors continue to take on greater roles with local business advertising, we see the need to always assess how we are effectively driving our radio audiences to your business. Remember, Radio ALWAYS leads to a search…and about 90% of those searches are running through Google. If your spot is not secure on page one, your advertising is driving sales to your competition. The good news is that working together with you- we can point that search to your business and drive calls, clicks, and visits to secure customers. Why us? Let us show you.
What’s Hot for 2025?
- Banking: Finance, Crypto, Mortgages, Investing- including collectibles and assets.
- Housing: Rentals, Apartments, Senior Living, Airbnb, Vrbo etc. For this region, we are seeing “supply” outpacing “demand”, and the inventory is getting filled by those who ADVERTISE.
- Real Estate: Including Real Estate Agencies, teams, and individual agents. From Big agencies to small individual realtors, this space is competitive and once again, advertisers outplace all others.
- Remodeling including roofing, HVAC, and plumbing. Known before needed is critical in this space and being “first” to call generates sales.
- Health and Wellness: Including fitness and cosmetic medicine. Fueled in part by GLP-1 drugs for weight loss.
- Restaurants. These businesses must now fully emerge from Covid, so staffing is critical. If inflation on food prices decline, this category will soar. Especially fast-food chains that can offer value pricing.
- Law: Including personal injury, estate planning and wealth transition, divorce, and business guidance. We are seeing a large regional expansion of successful advertisers here that will seek to modify preferences in the local landscape.
Year-end thoughts:
Radio continues to be a necessary advertising tool for local businesses. The fact that radio is FREE, LOCAL, and TRUSTED has made the medium incredibly resilient in today’s competitive arena for impressions. In a space dominated by Google, Meta(Facebook/Instagram), TikTok, Apple, and others…allowing your LOCAL business to compete cost effectively with a locally focused media partner is a massive advantage that we offer.
We work to show our local clients how radio is the ideal advertising asset to create the ATTENTION needed for any business to attract and secure customers. In the car, at work, or at home, radio is a wonderful companion for people. It offers entertainment, information, and is incredibly relevant to the community of our listeners. Your business is a part of that COMMUNITY.
Our job continues to be to help our local businesses understand how to move consumers through the purchase funnel of attention down to purchase and repeat to reap the value of lifetime customers. The Cayuga Media Group has built and implemented these elements over many years, and we are proud to offer these to our local businesses.
Finally, we cannot do our work without our valued listeners, our local clients, and our wonderfully talented and committed professionals here at The Cayuga Media Group. Thank you all. We look forward to helping you in 2025!
