With the 2024 election just around the corner, political candidates are laser-focused on connecting with voters. Campaigns and interest groups are on track to spend more on advertising this election season than ever before.¹
U.S. presidential elections often come down to just a handful of swing states, placing tremendous importance on the voters who live in them.
To learn how best to connect with this crucial audience, we pulled back the curtain on their streaming habits. Everything viewers love about TV can be found on Roku, giving us a window into what they watch, where they watch it, and how they’re reached by ads.
Below, we offer four key insights for political campaigns hoping to stand out in the seven most important states this election: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
On average, swing state streamers are heavy cord-cutters – 67% of streamers across all seven states can’t be reached on traditional linear television.² This exceeds the percentage of cord-cutter households nationwide, estimated to be just over 50% as of 2023.³
But a handful of swing states boast an even higher share of cord-cutters. Three-quarters of streamers in Arizona can’t be captured on linear, with Nevada (71%) and Georgia (68%) not far behind.⁴ To reach viewers in these states, it’s crucial for advertisers to venture beyond traditional media and embrace streaming.
The streaming habits of swing state voters reveal preferences for a few specific types of content.
Streamers in Georgia and Pennsylvania spend 13% more time streaming news apps than the average Roku user.⁵
Several streaming platforms have been experimenting with live news, offering a nonlinear spin on the 24-hour cable news experience. Given all of this, and that news viewership typically spikes during election years,⁶ news apps and live news on streaming are ideal avenues for advertisers seeking to replace broadcast-level reach.
Latino and Spanish-speaking voters are being intensely courted by both major political parties, and this is especially true in states like Arizona and Nevada with large Spanish-speaking populations. In both states, streamers over-index with Spanish-language apps by 25%.⁷ Advertisers can make an impact with these voters by aligning with Spanish content.
Romance (and romantic comedy) is popular with streamers, leading the way as the most-watched genre in five of the seven swing states.⁸
Aligning with content on romance-centric apps like Hallmark TV can be a great way to connect with viewers in Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Arizona who are seeking out this genre.
Streaming advertisers face a big challenge in reaching viewers before they disappear into ad-free SVOD (subscription-video-on-demand) environments. Five of the seven swing states over-index on SVOD streaming hours, meaning those streamers are clicking into ad-free channels and are less likely to see video ads.⁹
Roku’s home screen provides a way to capture this hard-to-reach audience. Every streamer’s journey starts on the home screen, and advertisers can take advantage of this powerful real estate to engage viewers before they click into an SVOD channel.
Ad-supported (AVOD) streaming platforms are on the rise, and many of the leading streamers have reintroduced advertising-subsidized subscription tiers.
And swing state streamers regularly seek out free, ad-supported content. Viewers of The Roku Channel in every swing state spend an average of at least ten hours a month streaming The Roku Channel. Georgia leads the pack, at 14 hours per month, with viewers in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Michigan all averaging 13+ hours.¹⁰
Streamers in North Carolina and Georgia over-index with AVODs in general, meaning that even when they aren’t streaming the Roku Channel, they’re seeking out free content in exchange for being reachable.¹¹
“Roku’s audience looks a lot like the U.S. population, and as the leader in ad-supported reach, advertisers looking to connect with voters can make a difference on Roku,” said Erin Vieira, US sales head for political, advocacy, and government. “It doesn’t hurt that the majority of Roku streamers are registered to vote.”
With the spotlight on just a handful of states this election, campaigns need to meet voters where they are – and that’s on streaming, where they can reach beyond the scope of linear and align with voter-favorite content.
Are you an advertiser trying to reach the elusive streaming audience on behalf of candidates or interest groups this election? Contact us to learn how advanced streaming formats can decipher voter behavior to connect in crucial markets.
² Roku Audience Insider Data, 2024
⁴⁻⁵ Roku Audience Insider Data, 2024
⁷⁻¹¹ Roku Audience Insider Data, 2024