Public media station crushes paid media ROI benchmarks

Federal funding cuts negatively impacted the public media sector, effectively eliminating their largest source of funding and putting the future of stations at risk. Michigan Public (MP) was no exception to these challenges. MP needed to broaden its reach to secure new donors, renew current supporters, and reactivate lapsed donors during this critical time.

The Situation

MP worked to fill the funding gap driven by the loss of federal dollars and maximize revenue during the Calendar Year-End. To make up for the lost funding, it was crucial that they expanded beyond their owned platforms and channels to reach relevant donors at scale across critical segments, including new, renewal, and lapsed donors.

The Work

AGP designed and activated a paid media campaign across Google Paid Search and PMAX, leveraging custom copy and creative featuring station personalities expressing the need for donor support during this critical time. AGP’s team worked closely with the client throughout the planning process to align strategy, copy, and video customizations, ensuring that the nuances of MP and its message to supporters were conveyed effectively. Paid media ran in conjunction with efforts across MP’s owned platforms, including the website, social media, and email.

The Results

• Return on ad spend was $7.82, nearly 11X times the industry benchmark for public media.
• Cost per donation was 88% less than the industry benchmark for Search.
• The paid media campaign drove revenue from critical donor segments:
  – 23% of revenue from new donors
  – 46% from renewing donors or donors adding a gift
  – 12% from lapsed donors
• Average gift was over $200