A radio advertising package is more than a block of airtime. Most packages bundle airtime with some combination of ad production, scheduling across dayparts, digital add-ons, and performance reporting. What is actually included varies by station, so it is worth asking specifically rather than assuming every quote covers the same things.
Understanding what goes into a package helps you compare quotes accurately and avoid paying twice for something you thought was already covered. If you have not read our guide on how radio advertising cost is calculated, start there for the pricing side of this same question.
A package is airtime plus, typically, production, scheduling, digital add-ons, and reporting.
Not every station includes the same combination, so ask specifically what is bundled before comparing prices.
Rotation across dayparts matters more than a single big airing.
Reporting should tell you at minimum when your ad aired, and ideally how the campaign performed.
The right questions up front save you from comparing quotes that are not actually comparable.
Most packages are built from five components: airtime, production, scheduling and rotation, digital add-ons, and reporting.
This is the baseline: a set number of ad airings across an agreed schedule. Airtime is usually described in terms of weekly spot counts and the dayparts they run in, like morning drive or midday.
Someone has to write, voice, and produce your ad. Some packages include a set number of production hours or a finished spot at no extra charge. Others treat production as a separate line item. If you already have a produced ad, ask whether that changes your price.
A good package does not just place your ad randomly. It rotates your spot across dayparts and days of the week to reach different segments of the audience at different times, rather than hitting the same handful of listeners repeatedly.
Many stations now pair traditional airtime with streaming audio placements, website mentions, or social promotion. These add-ons can extend your reach beyond over-the-air listeners, particularly younger audiences who split their listening between AM/FM and streaming. See Radio and Digital Advertising: The Perfect Duo (https://blog.leighton.media/integrating-radio-advertising-digital-advertising) for more on how the two work together.
Ask what kind of reporting comes with your package. At minimum, you should know when your spots aired. Some packages also include audience estimates or campaign recaps so you can see how your schedule performed.
Related: What Advertising Agencies Do
Ask these five questions before you compare two proposals side by side.
Asking these questions up front does more for your budget than negotiating on price alone. It tells you whether you are comparing two similar packages or two very different ones with a similar sticker price. For the strategy side of tying a package into your broader plan, see Marketing Strategy: What Is Included?
Not always. Some packages bundle a set number of production hours; others price a finished ad separately. Always confirm before comparing two quotes side by side.
Buying airtime alone gets you spots in a schedule. A package usually adds production support, rotation strategy, and reporting on top of that airtime, which is why packages are often a better fit for a business without in-house marketing staff.
Most local stations, including Leighton Media, will work with you to build a schedule around your goals and budget rather than sell a fixed, one-size-fits-all bundle.
It depends on the station. Many now offer streaming audio or digital add-ons as part of an integrated package, which can be worth asking about if you want to reach listeners beyond traditional AM/FM.
Related: What advertising agencies do.
Ready to see what a package looks like for your business? Request a custom media plan and get a proposal built around your goals, not a generic bundle.