America Continues Reemergence From Pandemic: Nielsen AM/FM Radio Audiences Grow, COVID Concerns Drop, Vehicular Traffic Surges, And Consumer Spending Stays Strong
Brand new data from multiple studies continue to show positive momentum as America reemerges from the pandemic:
- Google search trends and consumer driving behavior from Geopath and Apple Maps have predicted AM/FM radio audience growth.
- Just-released Nielsen AM/FM radio listening data reveals the recovery of AM/FM radio listening continues.
- In their seventh installment of their consumer tracking study, Nielsen also finds that consumer spending is steady despite concerns about the Delta variant, more Americans are commuting outside the home, and children returning to in-person classes has spiked.
Here are the key takeaways:
Google Trends: COVID concerns drop
Google Trends are one of the most powerful and no cost methods of determining consumer interest. The act of searching on a term is hard evidence of consumer engagement and interest.
According to the 21-month Google Trend for COVID searches, in January/February 2020, there were few Google searches on the term COVID. In March 2020, Google searches for COVID exploded and then subsided in May 2020.
A second wave of COVID search volumes occurred in June 2020 and then fell off the rest of summer into September. In October 2020, a third wave of COVID search volumes reached their highest point and remained elevated until April 2021 when search activity began dropping.
In July 2021, concerns over the Delta variant pushed up search volumes again in a fourth wave, which peaked in August 2021. All through September and into October 2021, COVID search volumes have sharply fallen. As of early October 2021, COVID Google searches are down -56% from the peak of consumer interest with a 44 index.
Geopath: U.S. September 2021 miles traveled were +5% greater than September 2019
Geopath, the Nielsen of outdoor advertising industry, tracks vehicular miles traveled. Comparing monthly traffic volumes to the same month in 2019 illustrates changes in American travel due to COVID.
From March 2020 to March 2021, miles traveled lagged behind 2019. Since April 2021, miles traveled recovered and matched pre-COVID benchmarks. August volumes dipped -5% but in September 2021, miles traveled grew +5% versus September 2019.
Apple Maps: Driving search volumes surge past pre-COVID levels and public transit finally recovers
Since the onset of the pandemic, Apple Maps has depicted search volumes for driving, walking, and public transit trips for cities and many countries. These travel search volumes are indexed to the pre-COVID data of January 13, 2020. Click here to trend your city, state or country.
The April 2020 lockdown caused a sharp drop in Apple Maps driving searches. This drop was short lived. By June 2020, Apple Maps driving searches soared past pre-COVID levels into Fall 2020. The massive COVID upsurge of November 2020 through February 2021 reduced driving but still matched pre-COVID norms. In March 2021, driving search volumes exploded again and have remained elevated through the most recent month.
Public transit trips took much longer to recover. After 17 months, public transit regained pre-pandemic norms in July 2021.
Nielsen: AM/FM radio continues to be the soundtrack of American recovery as September listening reached a record high
Since the onset of the pandemic, Nielsen has reported listening in their PPM and diary markets benchmarked against pre-COVID.
The just-released 48 Portable People Meter markets reveal September 2021 AQH listening has recovered 94% of March 2020 volumes and was up +4% versus September 2020. AM/FM radio listening recovery mirrors the driving trend increases from both Geopath and Apple Maps.
Morning drive surge: Women 25-54 and teens post strongest ratings since the pandemic
The growth of back to work and kids back in school powered significant morning drive audience recovery. In the Portable People Meter markets, women 25-54 and teens had their strongest ratings performance since the pandemic.
Diary market audiences were not impacted by COVID as listening has been rock steady
The just-released June-July-August diary market audience data represents the 17th month of rock steady average quarter-hour listening levels. Outside the top 50 markets, Geopath has shown very strong miles traveled, reflected in Nielsen’s stable diary market listening trends.
Nielsen Consumer Study: Consumer spending is steady despite the Delta variant
In September 2021, Nielsen completed the seventh installment of the consumer tracking study, which surveyed 1,022 Americans 18+. The findings showed positive consumer outlook and spending.
86% of consumers say they are spending the same or more since the Delta variant emerged. Eight in ten say their households finances will remain unchanged or improve in the coming months. The net optimism outlook reveals 13% more Americans say their finances will improve (32%) versus worsen (19%).
The study also found that AM/FM radio listeners are +9% more likely to have participated in ten weekly activities out of the home. They are “ready to go” and vote with their wallets, more willing to sop in stores, attend events, work in an office, and travel.
70% of workers are now working outside the home
Nielsen’s consumer tracking study has shown continued recovery of the great American commute. Geopath and Apple Maps reveal U.S. miles traveled and car trips now exceed pre-pandemic volumes.
There was a sharp increase in children attending school in person in September 2021 and more children are being driven to school versus taking the bus
Those attending in-person classes jumped from 38% in June 2021 to 69% in September 2021. Versus a year ago, the proportion of kids being driven to school has increased from 50% to 59%. Fewer are taking the bus (44% in October 2020 versus 34% in September 2021). Nine in ten say AM/FM radio is on during the drive to school.
Key takeaways:
- Google search trends and consumer driving behavior from Geopath and Apple Maps have predicted AM/FM radio audience growth.
- Just-released Nielsen AM/FM radio listening data reveals the recovery of AM/FM radio listening continues.
- According to Nielsen’s consumer tracking study, consumer spending is steady despite concerns about the Delta variant, more Americans are commuting outside the home, and children returning to in-person classes has spiked.