Las Vegas area business owners are expected to spend $39 million on newspaper advertising in 2020. This will be 49% fewer dollars than were spent in 2019, according to a study by Borrell Associates, a company that analyzes local media expenditures across the country.

Of course, the pandemic is part of the reason advertising revenues have plummeted at Las Vegas newspapers. But, the more significant factor is the sustained erosion of readership.

For example, between October 2017 and March 2019, the Monday-Saturday circulation of the Las Vegas Review-Journal has decreased by 22%. The Sunday edition suffered a 17% decrease.

Among all advertising media available to small business owners, newspaper's ability to reach adult consumers now lags significantly behind Las Vegas radio, cable, broadcast TV, and social media.

Every week, 1,502,898 adult consumers tune-in to a Las Vegas radio station. That is way more than are reached by other media, including local television, newspaper, social media, or streaming audio sites like Pandora and Spotify.

A more significant number for thousands of Clark County small business owners who advertise on Las Vegas radio is how many of these listeners stick around when their commercials come on.

A 2011 Nielsen study discovered that, on average, 93% of listeners stayed with the radio station they are tuned-to when the commercials come on. That number amazed many advertisers at the time who believed that audiences were far more likely to defect when the music stopped.

A lot has changed since 2011. Nevada consumers have many more media options and can instantly connect to each  with a button-push, mouse-click, screen-tap, or voice command. With all of these choices, do radio audiences still stay tuned during commercial breaks?

The chaos created in Clark County by the onset of Coronavirus has been a disruptive force among consumers. 

Work routines, buying habits, family life, and media consumption have all been palpably affected. These are all factors that need to be considered by small business owners who continue to advertise their goods and services during the crisis.

Before the current chaos, advertising on Las Vegas radio, by any metric, was the best way a local small business could advertise.

For instance, pre-Coronavirus, 1.5 million adult consumers tuned-in to a Las Vegas radio station every week. This is significantly more than watched local TV, read a newspaper, accessed social media, or streamed audio from sites like Pandora and Spotify.

New research released from Nielsen indicates that amidst the current crisis, listening to local radio remains little changed. This is great news for those Nevada small business owners who are depending on advertising for their long-term survival.

Clark County consumers spent more than $45.6 billion with retailers last year. The National Retail Federation forecasts 4.1% more will be spent this year.

Who are the shoppers that will be spending all this money?

According to Nielsen, 43.4% of retail dollars are spent by Las Vegas area consumers over the age of 50. This may surprise many small business owners because older consumers comprise only 35% of the area's adult population.

These older consumers account for a substantial share of spending in almost every retail category. This includes furniture, cars, pet supplies, fast food, and electronics.

To earn a share of these massive dollars spent by these older consumers requires Las Vegas small business owners to advertise.

Retailers in Clark County rang-up $45,669,580,000 in retail sales last year, according to Nielsen. But wait. It's about to get better.

The National Retail Federation forecasts that in 2020, sales will increase by as much as 4.1%. This will create another $1.9 billion for local small business owners.  

“The economy is growing at a more modest pace, but the underlying economic fundamentals remain in place and are positive,” stated NRF chief economist Jack Kleinhenz. “Consumers remain upbeat and have the confidence to spend, and the steady wage growth that has come with the strong job market is fueling their spending. The state of the consumer is very healthy.

To claim a fair share of this enlarged pool of spending will require Las Vegas small business owners to advertise.

“Think you have a great product?” asks the U.S. Small Business Administration. “Unfortunately, no one’s going to know about it unless you advertise.”  

How quickly the millennials have grown up.

According to Nielsen, 71.5% of all Clark County parents with children under the age of 18 are millennials.  

From the time their kids are born until they reach they are 17, these young parents will, spend, on average, $233,000 per child. This does not include the cost of college.

Currently, there are 517,742 children under the age of 18 living in the Las Vegas area. That makes the local parenting economy worth upwards of $118 billion. These dollars are being spent, among other things, on diapers, daycare, transportation, toys, education, electronics, clothing, and health care.

For Clark County small business owners interested in competing for a substantial portion of this multi-billion dollar pool of parental cash, they must advertise to millennial moms and dads. By almost any measurement, advertising on Las Vegas radio is the best way to reach this audience.

March is the biggest single month for used car sales in Las Vegas. During these 31 days alone, local pre-owned vehicle dealers are expected to bring in $83 million in sales. This will represent 10% of their annual revenue.

By the end of May, these dealers owners will sell more than $230 million worth of pre-owned cars and trucks. This, undoubtedly, makes March-May 'used car season' in Las Vegas.

Although most Clark County used car dealers are small business owners, they do really big business. In all, over the next 12 months, more than 280,000 pre-owned vehicles will be driven off their lots.

To capture a larger share of the area's $830 million used car market requires pre-owned vehicle dealers to advertise. By any measure, the best way for these business owners to advertise is on Las Vegas radio.

As Valentine's Day sales begin to dwindle, that's when Clark County small business owners start thinking about Mom.

Mother's Day, which happens on the second Sunday of May, is second only to Christmas in terms of holiday spending. Last year, Las Vegas consumers spent more than $173-million celebrating the women in their lives. That number is expected to grow again in 2020.

To claim a significant share of this Mother's Day cash, local retailers and restaurants will need to advertise.  By almost every key metric, advertising on Las Vegas radio is the best choice.

Low unemployment, a boom in housing starts, and confident consumers are propelling robust sales for Las Vegas furniture stores.

In 2019, local consumers in Clark County spent $950,000,000 on furniture and home furnishing. This number is expected to grow.

Based on estimates developed by Furniture Today’s Strategic Insights team and Easy Analytic Software Inc. (EASI), the total furniture and bedding market is projected to expand by more than 22% by 2024.

If a Las Vegas small business owner who sells furniture, furnishings, or home decor would like to grab a larger share of this expanding market, then advertising is necessary.  By almost every key metric, advertising on local radio is a sound marketing investment.