Each week, according to Nielsen, more than 322,122 adult consumers tune-in to a Fayetteville, North Carolina radio station. This is significantly more than watch local TV or cable. More than stream video channels like Netflix or Hulu. More than read local newspapers. More than use Facebook or Instagram. More than listen to online audio services like Pandora and Spotify.

But almost everyone knows (including many who advertise on Fayetteville radio) that consumers only listen to local radio stations during the day. Right? Wrong!

According to Nielsen, 42% of local consumers listen to Fayetteville radio stations each week between 7:00pm and 12:00am. This is a larger audience than Pandora, Spotify, and Instagram combined reach during an entire week.

For Fayetteville small business owners, radio's immense nighttime audience offers a unique value proposition.

Fayetteville small business owners are learning that 're-opening' may not be an appropriate word for the challenges they face as the Coronavirus crisis winds down.  A better term might be 're-introducing'.

Since the Governor of North Carolina shuttered the state on March 30, to slow the spread of COVID-19, Fayetteville area consumers have discovered new ways to buy the goods and services they need.  It's now the burden of local business owners to lure these customers back. The first step is re-introduction.

In 1939, WFNC signed-on as the first radio station serving Fayetteville. Since then, local business owners have used radio advertising to introduce themselves successfully to new customers. Radio has also helped these businesses survive recessions, depressions, world wars, hurricanes, and floods. By any metric, advertising on local radio remains the most effective tactic a small business owner can use post-pandemic, as well.

Is advertising on Fayetteville radio just a day job for local small business owners?  

Thousands of North Carolina companies depend on radio advertising to market their goods and services. But most of these business owners choose to buy commercials only between 6:00 am and 7:00 pm.  Is this a good idea? Maybe not.  Here are the facts.

During the course of last week, for instance, 288,946 adult consumers tuned-in to their favorite Fayetteville radio stations. This is significantly higher than the number that tuned-in to a local TV station, read a local newspaper, or logged on to Spotify and Pandora.

But radio listeners do not roll-up their ears just because the sunsets. According to Nielsen, 50% of people who listen to the radio during daylight hours, also tune in at night.

To put this in perspective, more people listen to Fayetteville radio at night than listen to satellite radio, Pandora, and Spotify combined.

You've done the research. You now know that by every measure, radio advertising is the most effective way for your Fayetteville small business to market its goods and services.

You have learned, for instance, 288,946 consumers regularly tune-in to their favorite Fayetteville radio stations.  That's more than 90% of all adults.

You've also learned that, on average, adults spend almost two hours per day listening to Fayetteville radio.

If you dug deep enough, then you know radio advertising delivers, on average, a $10 lift in sales for every $1 invested. This is a remarkable ROI for any Fayetteville small business owner.

What you may not have figured out, however, is what is the best time of day to advertise on Fayetteville radio?