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August 2024: Social Media Opportunities

The Finney Media Why Listen?® Survey surveyed almost 15,000 respondents from three different formats: Music stations, Music/Teaching stations, All-Teaching stations & programs.

We asked listeners about their use of stations and programs social media. Here’s how we asked the question: Which of the social media sites for the ministry that sent you this survey do you follow?

They could choose from the following:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter/X
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • None of these

Here are the results (percentage of respondents by format):

Hybrid Stations

1. None of these 65%
2. Facebook 28%
3. YouTube 11%
4. Instagram 7%
5. Twitter/X 2%
6. Pinterest 1%

All-Teaching Stations and Programs

1. None of these 67%
2. Facebook 23%
3. YouTube 17%
4. Instagram 5%
5. Twitter/X 3%
6. Pinterest 1%

Headlines

  1. “None of these” was selected by about two-thirds of respondents. There is room to grow your online relationship with your listener!
  2. Prioritize! Facebook first. YouTube second. Depending on your capacity, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest may not be worth your focus.
  3. Remember that you’re a radio station or program first. We observe radio friends so focused on their social media efforts that their main product – what’s coming out of the speakers – suffers. Make your on-air product the priority.

The Finney Media Why Listen?® Survey surveyed almost 15,000 respondents from three different formats: Music stations, Music and Teaching stations and Teaching stations and programs. The findings are fascinating!

We presented listeners about twenty different reasons they might listen to their Christian radio station. This month, we show you the Top Five Main Reasons listeners listen, split into Women Under 55, Men Under 55, Women 55+ and Men 55+. The numbers are the percentage of respondents who indicated that’s a Main Reason they listen.

Women Under 55 Women 55+ Men Under 55 Men 55+
1. You like worshipful Christian music 93% 95% 90% 90%
2. It helps you worship God throughout the day 93% 93% 87% 83%
3. You want to be encouraged 85% 85% 76% 71%
4. It helps you grow spiritually 77% 78% 71% 70%
5. It’s safe for you and your family to listen to 76% 63% 71% 57%

We’ve highlighted in bold the Main Reasons above 80 percent. If you were to try to isolate the most motivating reasons for listening among these superfans, it would come down to worshipful encouragement. This is food for thought as you and your team discuss just how spiritually focused and encouraging your music selection and the breaks you’re doing between songs should be.

Coming next month from the Why Listen? Survey: The Top Five Reasons Listeners Tune Out or Leave.

The 2023 Finney Media Why Listen?® Survey had almost 15,000 respondents – over 1 million data points – from three different formats, including: Music stations, Music/Teaching stations, All-Teaching stations and programs.

We asked about topics you might talk about on your stations and programs and how interested your listener is in those topics. The list below is focused on the 6,000+ respondents who came from Hybrid stations (Music + Teaching) and almost 4,000 respondents from All-Teaching stations and programs. These are the percentages who indicated they are “very interested”:

Hybrid Stations

1. A word from Scripture and how it might apply to your life today 88%
2. Bible studies on topics such as prophecy, spiritual gifts, marriage, etc. 69%
3. A series on an entire book of the Bible 61%
4. Three ways to improve your marriage or other relationships 44%
5. Regular news updates 28%

 

All-Teaching Stations and Programs

1. A word from Scripture and how it might apply to your life today 91%
2. Bible studies on topics such as prophecy, spiritual gifts, marriage, etc. 76%
3. A series on an entire book of the Bible 74%
4. Three ways to improve your marriage or other relationships 40%
5. Regular news updates 33%

 

SPIRITUAL ENCOURAGEMENT AND GROWTH

In whatever form  we ask, our Christian radio listener is attracted to spiritual encouragement and growth. Notice how far ahead “A Word from Scripture and how it might apply to your life today” shows up.

In fact, most of the topics above lean in a spiritual direction.

What topics score lowest?

For Hybrid respondents, second to last is “weather forecasts” at 19 percent “very interested”. Dead last is “the latest news from Hollywood” at two percent “very interested”. Run quickly from this!

For All-Teaching respondents, second to last is “Ideas for free, fun activities with your family next weekend” at 14 percent “very interested.” And, as you might expect, “the latest news from Hollywood” is last at two percent “very interested.” As with Hybrid, we recommend leaving that off your Christian station or program. Your listener doesn’t want it, nor expect it.

The 2023 Finney Media Why Listen?® Survey had  almost 15,000 respondents – over 1 million data points – from three different formats, including: Music stations, Music/Teaching stations, All-Teaching stations and programs.

We asked about topics you might talk about on your stations and how interested your listener is in those topics. The list below is focused on the almost 5,000 respondents who came from Christian Music stations. These are the percentages who indicated they are “very interested”:

1. A word from Scripture and how it might apply to your life today 81%
2. Information on a local Christian concert 51%
3. Bible studies on topics such as prophecy, spiritual gifts, marriage, etc. 42%
4. A series on an entire book of the Bible 37%
5.  Ideas for free, fun activities with your family next weekend 35%

SPIRITUAL ENCOURAGEMENT!

In whatever form  we ask, our Christian radio listener is attracted to spiritual encouragement. Notice how far ahead of every other answer “A Word from Scripture and how it might apply to your life today” shows up.

In fact, most of the topics above lean in a spiritual direction.

What topics score lowest?

Second to last is “the latest decisions of politicians” at nine percent “very interested”. Dead last is “the latest news from Hollywood” at one percent “very interested”. Run from this topic!

Coming in September:  The Top Five Main Reasons CCM Listeners Listen

Ready for a surprise from the Finney Media Why Listen® Survey?

Teaching listeners are much more likely to have heard a Christian podcast during the past week than listeners to all-music stations. 

Here’s how we asked the question:

In the last week or so, how many times have you listened online to podcasts (online programming available for you to listen anytime) from any Christian radio ministry?

The percentage of respondents who have heard at least one Christian podcast in the past week:

Among listeners to all-music stations   39%
Among listeners to music + teaching stations  57%
Among listeners to all-teaching stations and programs  67%

A couple of points for your consideration and discussion:

  • Right now, teaching listeners appear more interested in, more adept at, and more involved in hearing online Christian audio content.
  • This may provide an area of opportunity for you. Your ministry has expertise in spoken word programming already. Is it time to grow your online presence? Your listener is likely already there!

Our next Webin8, our eight-minute webinar, is happening this month with our podcast expert Rick Hall. He’ll share five tips for growing your podcast audience. It will be available for you and your team June 25th at Noon CT/1 p.m. ET.

And it’s free! SIGN UP to get access today.

Every year, Finney Media Research tests library songs from CCM artists with listeners across the United States.

We thought it would be profitable for you to see the Top Five Testing Songs from our recent research plus the next five songs. If you’re playing them, terrific! If you’re not, perhaps it’s time for a discussion about playing them.

Top Five Testing Songs

1. MercyMe – Greater 2014
2. Hillsong Worship – Who You Say I Am 2018
3. Phil Wickham – House of the Lord 2021
4. Chris Tomlin – Whom Shall I Fear 2012
5. Casting Crowns – Nobody 2018

and, the next five:

6. Matt Redman – 10,000 Reasons 2012
7. Lauren Daigle – You Say 2018
8. Newsboys – We Believe 2013
9. Cody Carnes – Ain’t Nobody 2022
10. Phil Wickham – This Is Amazing Grace 2013

A noteworthy fact before we say more on this list: For the first time since the movie came out, I Can Only Imagine is not among the Top 10 testing songs. But take a deep breath and don’t pull it off the air. It’s at no. 15.  

The most notable thing on this list is the surge in testing on worship songs. Hillsong Worship at no. 2. Tomlin at no. 4. Redman at no. 6. Carnes at no. 9. Wickham at no. 10. Our listeners love worship songs and, if anything, the scores are climbing.

Coming in August: The Top Five Testing Topics.

“. . . continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”   2 Timothy 3:14-17 ESV

One of the many encouraging findings from the 2023 Finney Media Why Listen®  survey  is the percentage of respondents who were invited by Teaching/Music Stations and All-Teaching Stations/Programs who said a Main Reason they listen is:

It helps you understand the Bible better.

Among Teaching/Music Station respondents – 71%

Among All-Teaching Station/Program respondents – 85%

That’s a double positive:

  • Not only does this finding line up with the mission of these channels – virtually all of them have “reaching people with Biblical Truth” missions.
  • It means that if you do this consistently, you’re likely to have these respondents come back more often – they’re less likely to listen elsewhere and stop listening to your channel.

It’s as if these respondents are telling us:

  • More Bible understanding, fewer commercials and things that sound like commercials.
  • More Bible understanding, less sports.
  • More Bible understanding, less pop culture.
  • More Bible understanding, less hard news.

Listen to your station or program, put yourself in your listener’s busy, hurting, chaotic, noisy environment shoes, and ask yourself if you’re helping her understand the Bible and God enough.

One more minute every hour of Bible understanding and one less minute of something else will help him or her take a step toward God today.

Every year, Finney Media Research tests library songs from CCM artists with listeners across the United States. Listeners decide this ranking from research we’ve gathered across North America.

In March, we showed you the Top Five Female Artists (READ HERE). In April, the Top Five Male Artists (READ HERE). In May, the Top Five Groups (READ HERE).

Now, we reveal the Top Five CCM Artists – Male, Female and Group – from our recent research. Also included, the second five, all CCM, all in one list:

  1. Chris Tomlin
  2. Casting Crowns
  3. MercyMe
  4. Jeremy Camp
  5. Lauren Daigle
  6. Zach Williams
  7. Big Daddy Weave
  8. Elevation Worship
  9. Matthew West
  10. Crowder

To make this list, you must have 1.) a lot of songs that 2.) test well. That’s Chris Tomlin. His older material tests well. His newer material tests well. Each of our Top four artists have great testing materials that spans twenty years.

Lauren Daigle continues to bring out great testing song after great testing song. Same with Zach Williams. Both have been making great CCM songs for less than ten years.

And we see the strength of Worship music testing with Elevation Worship at no. 8.

Are you playing these artists enough?

…and why it matters

. . . he who marries . . . does right, but he who does not marry . . . does better. 1 Corinthians 7:38

In the most recent Finney Media Why Listen® Survey, less than half of respondents are married for the first time. Forty-seven percent among respondents to all three radio formats Teaching, Teaching/Talk and All Music.

Among respondents from all-Teaching stations and programs, the percentages of first-time marrieds are even lower: 42 percent with more respondents widowed, divorced or re-married.

Here’s the truth about Christian radio listeners: about half are not currently married for the first time.

How should affect your on air approach?

Be careful that you don’t sound condescending to those who are not married for the first time. If you’re married for the first time it’s easy to slip into that on-air attitude. But, try to put yourself in the shoes of friends who aren’t there.

Every year, Finney Media Research tests library songs from CCM artists with listeners across the USA. Listeners decide this ranking through  the research we’ve gathered.

In March, we showed you the Top Five Female Artists (READ). In April, the Top Five Male Artists (READ). Now, we reveal the Top Five CCM Groups from our recent research. If you’re playing them, terrific! If you’re not, perhaps it’s time for a discussion about playing them.

Top Five CCM Groups

1. Casting Crowns
2. MercyMe
3. Big Daddy Weave
4. Elevation Worship
5. For King & Country

Casting Crowns and MercyMe are almost tied for our top spot. They have over 20 years of chart success and they continue to connect even whilesongs from more than 10 years ago  test well. Big Daddy Weave, with their long history, and lots of great testing songs, pulls in at no. 3. Worship songs and artists continue to test strongly, and you see that with our no. 4 group Elevation Worship. For King & Country cracks our Top Five for the first time!

Coming in June: We bring it all together. The Top Five Artists – Male, Female and Groups – all in one full list.

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