Spotwise Intelligence

Track Radio Ad Spend in Real-Time

Q: How does Spotwise estimate radio ad spend?

Spotwise analyses three primary signals to estimate advertiser spend: ad frequency (how often a brand's ads are detected), ad duration (spot length, which directly correlates to airtime cost), and station and daypart placement. These signals are combined to produce directionally accurate spend estimates that are highly actionable for sales purposes.

Q: How accurate are the spend estimates?

Spotwise's spend estimates are designed to be directionally accurate — sufficient to rank advertisers by relative spend, identify budget trends, and support confident sales conversations. They are derived from detected ad activity data rather than financial reporting, and should be treated as market intelligence rather than audited financial figures.

Q: Can I track a specific competitor station's advertiser portfolio?

Yes. Spotwise allows you to monitor specific competitor stations and view all advertisers running spots on those stations — along with their estimated spend levels and trends. This gives you a comprehensive view of any competitor station's advertiser base, directly informing your prospecting strategy.

Q: Can I receive alerts when a brand significantly increases its radio spend?

Yes. Spotwise allows you to configure real-time alerts for significant changes in advertiser spend patterns. You can set thresholds based on ad frequency changes, new station appearances, or spend trend breakouts.

Q: How far back does Spotwise's spend history go?

Spend history depth depends on how long each station has been monitored within Spotwise. Once a station is added to your monitoring configuration, Spotwise begins building a continuous historical record of all detected ad activity and derived spend data.

Q: Can spend tracking help with client retention as well as new business?

Absolutely. One of the most valuable use cases for Spotwise budget tracking is client retention. When an existing client starts increasing spend on competitor stations, Spotwise flags it immediately — allowing your team to intervene proactively before the relationship or revenue is at risk.

Q: Is there a free trial?

Yes. Spotwise offers a 7-day free trial with no credit card required. Budget tracking data is available from day one based on your configured monitoring stations.

Your most valuable sales conversations begin with data. Spotwise tells you exactly how much advertisers are spending on radio — which stations they are using, how their budgets are trending, and when they are about to increase or reduce spend. Transform that intelligence into timely, targeted outreach that closes deals before your competitors pick up the phone.

Real-time visibility into advertiser spend across your market
Track spend trends — identify budget increases before competitors do
Spot budget seasonality and plan proactive outreach campaigns
7-day free trial — no credit card required

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500+Stations monitoredNational & regional

<30sDetection speedBroadcast to log

90 daysHistory retainedFully searchable

How It Works

What Is Radio Ad Spend Tracking?

Radio ad spend tracking is the monitoring and analysis of advertising budgets invested in radio broadcasting — measured at the brand level, station level, market level, and over time. Knowing how much a brand is spending on radio, and where, is one of the most powerful pieces of intelligence a radio sales team can hold.

Historically, ad spend data was available only through expensive industry reports from research firms, often months out of date and aggregated at a level too broad to be actionable. Sales teams had little choice but to make assumptions and pitch blind.

Spotwise changes that. By analysing the frequency, duration, and distribution of every ad detected on monitored stations, Spotwise constructs a real-time picture of each advertiser's radio investment — updated continuously as new data arrives.

Step 1 — Continuous Ad Detection

Spotwise monitors every station in your configuration 24/7, capturing every ad with a precise timestamp, duration, and brand attribution. This raw data is the foundation of all spend intelligence.

Step 2 — Spend Estimation Engine

Each detected ad is analysed against three spend signals: frequency (how often the brand is on air), duration (spot length, which correlates to cost), and station and daypart (each carrying different rate implications). These signals are combined to produce directionally accurate spend estimates.

Step 3 — Trend Calculation & Anomaly Detection

Spend estimates are tracked over time, building trend lines for every active advertiser. Significant changes — spend spikes, sudden drops, new station expansions — are flagged automatically as sales signals.

Step 4 — Dashboard Delivery & Alerts

Spend intelligence is surfaced in your Spotwise dashboard with trend visualisations, ranked advertiser lists, and configurable alerts. Your sales team always knows which advertisers are most active and most likely to be receptive to a pitch.

Capabilities

Radio Budget Tracking Features That Drive Smarter Sales Decisions

Advertiser Spend Dashboard

View a ranked list of every active advertiser across your monitored stations, sorted by estimated spend volume. Identify your biggest prospects at a glance and prioritise your outreach based on actual budget signals — not assumptions or gut feel.

Spend Trend Analysis

Track how any advertiser's radio budget evolves over time. Spotwise surfaces spend trend lines — brands with increasing activity are flagged as hot prospects actively growing their radio investment; brands with declining spend are flagged as retention risks or win-back opportunities.

Seasonal Spend Alerts

Spotwise learns the seasonal patterns of each advertiser in your market. Brands that ramp up spend around predictable periods receive predictive alerts in advance — allowing your sales team to initiate conversations before the buying cycle begins, not after budgets are already allocated.

Competitive Market Share View

Understand how your station's client base compares to competitor stations in terms of advertiser spend. Identify categories where you are underrepresented and target brands that are demonstrably comfortable with radio investment but have not yet bought space on your station.

Why It Matters

Why Radio Budget Tracking Transforms Your Sales Performance

Enter Every Sales Conversation with Proof, Not Guesswork

When you can tell a prospect you can see they are actively investing in radio advertising across specific stations at a certain frequency, the conversation changes immediately. You are not a salesperson asking for a meeting — you are an informed partner with market intelligence.

Time Your Outreach Perfectly

The best time to sell radio advertising to a brand is when they are actively spending — or about to start. Spotwise's spend trend data tells you precisely when a brand is ramping up its radio activity, giving you a warm, timely reason to reach out rather than a cold pitch that lands at the wrong point in their budget cycle.

Identify Win-Back Opportunities Before Revenue Is Lost

When a current client's spend on your station declines while their activity on competitor stations increases, Spotwise flags it immediately. Your sales team can intervene proactively — with a retention offer, new format proposal, or audience data — rather than discovering the churn on an end-of-quarter revenue report.

Build a Data-Driven Sales Pipeline

Stop building prospect lists based on which brands you happen to notice advertising. Spotwise gives you a continuously updated, ranked list of the biggest radio ad spenders in your market — ordered by budget, growth trajectory, and strategic fit.

Built For

Who Is Radio Budget Tracking For?

Radio budget tracking with Spotwise serves every team that benefits from knowing how advertising money flows through your market — from sales reps to commercial directors.

Sales Teams Prioritising Their Pipelines

Use spend data to rank your prospects by budget size and growth trajectory. Focus energy on the highest-value opportunities and time your outreach to match advertiser budget cycles.

Commercial Directors Setting Revenue Strategy

Use market-level spend data to set realistic revenue targets, identify category growth opportunities, and track how your station's share of voice compares to the competitive landscape.

Account Managers Focused on Client Retention

Monitor client spend patterns in real time. Early detection of budget reduction or competitive defection gives your team the chance to intervene before revenue is lost.

Get Started

See the Budget Intelligence Your Competitors Don't Have

Spotwise gives your sales team real-time spend data, contact details, and automated outreach — all in one platform. Start your free trial and see your market's advertising activity live.

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

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