Social and Radio Advertising: The Power Duo Driving More Customers

By Juan Jose (JJ) Ayala, Executive Director, Team Percepto

Many businesses pour their entire budget into social media ads. But new data from a mid-sized metropolitan market in Texas shows why pairing social with terrestrial radio creates stronger trust, better recall, and more foot traffic.

Why This Matters to Your Business

This research examines the combined impact of social media and terrestrial radio advertising for automotive dealerships in a mid-sized metropolitan market in Texas. The study, based on a survey of 139 local consumers, reveals that while social media promotions reach just over half of the audience, adding radio to the mix dramatically boosts trust and showroom visits. For local advertisers, the message is clear: do not put all your ad dollars in one basket. A balanced, multi-channel approach turns awareness into real-world action.

What We Wanted to Find Out

1. Evaluate the reach and recall of dealership promotions on social media.

2. Understand how terrestrial radio builds consumer trust and drives in-person visits.

3. Compare the strengths of each medium and identify synergies.

4. Provide strategies for integrating social and radio campaigns for higher ROI.

   
   

How We Got the Answers

The insights come from a structured survey of 139 respondents in a mid-sized metropolitan market in Texas, all identifying as Hispanic/Latino and aged 30–59. Questions measured ad recall on different platforms, trust in businesses based on channel exposure, and motivators for dealership visits. Data was segmented by gender, age, and income to identify the most responsive groups.

The Numbers That Tell the Story

• Social Media Reach: 52.5% recalled seeing a dealership promotion on social media in the last 3 months.

• Social Platform Preference: Facebook dominated with 60% usage among those exposed, followed by YouTube at 23%.

• Un-Aided Brand Recall: One dealership led with 21%, followed by a competitor at 12%.

• Radio Trust Lift: 43.2% said hearing a business on local radio increased their trust.

• Radio Visit Boost: Live broadcasts motivated 41.7% of listeners to visit a dealership.

Metric	Social Media Only	Social + Radio
Ad Recall	52.5% recall seeing ads	Higher recall through reinforcement
Trust Lift	Lower direct trust impact	43.2% increased trust
Visit Motivation	Not directly measured	41.7% visit motivation from live broadcasts
Brand Recall Strength	21% top dealership recall	Higher and more consistent brand recall

What This Means in the Real World

1. Reinforcing Trust: Radio builds credibility, which social alone often struggles to establish. A dealership ad heard on the radio primes the listener to pay more attention when they see it in their Facebook feed.

2. Closing the Loop: Social media captures scrolling attention, but radio drives active intent. A Facebook ad might spark curiosity, and a well-placed radio offer can seal the decision to visit.

3. Boosting Brand Recall: Businesses running both channels consistently saw higher name recognition than those relying solely on digital campaigns.

   
   

Tips to Make This Work for You

1. Use radio to deliver trust-building narratives and community presence.

2. Follow up radio messages with social media retargeting to reinforce the offer.

3. Integrate promo codes or exclusive URLs into radio spots for trackable ROI.

4. Align creative messaging across both platforms to create recognition loops.

5. Target Facebook for broad awareness and YouTube for video storytelling, while letting radio handle credibility and urgency.

6. Schedule radio spots during commute times when social media activity is lower, ensuring complementary coverage.

   
   

Common Pitfalls

1. All-in on Social: Ignoring radio misses a critical trust-building opportunity.

2. Message Mismatch: Inconsistent offers between channels confuse consumers.

3. No Tracking Mechanism: Without promo codes or call-tracking, it is harder to measure radio’s direct impact.

4. Platform Bias: Over-relying on one platform like Facebook risks missing audiences who prefer radio or other channels.

5. Timing Overlaps: Running social ads at the same peak times as radio spots can dilute the effectiveness of both.

   
   

Your Next Move

This study demonstrates the true value of well-executed consumer research. By surveying real buyers in a mid-sized metropolitan market in Texas, we were able to clarify lingering questions about the role of social media and terrestrial radio, confirm assumptions about trust-building and brand recall, and uncover powerful new insights into how these channels work best together. The results give marketers a clear, data-backed path forward, one that leverages each medium’s strengths to maximize reach, trust, and action. With this clarity, businesses can make smarter decisions, allocate budgets more effectively, and connect with consumers in ways that truly move the needle.

Social and Radio Advertising: Build Trust and Drive Visits

By Juan Jose (JJ) Ayala

Team Percepto, A Consumer and Business Research Insights Company, August 2025