Rate Cards and Pricing
Setting up rate cards, pricing strategies, and seasonal adjustments for your inventory.
Overview#
Your rate card is the primary tool advertisers use to evaluate your inventory on Tap. A well-structured rate card communicates value clearly, reduces back-and-forth negotiations, and helps you close deals faster. This guide covers everything you need to know about creating, managing, and optimizing your pricing on the platform.
What Is a Rate Card on Tap?#
A rate card on Tap is a structured pricing sheet attached to your platform listing. It defines the cost of each ad format you offer, broken down by factors like daypart, duration, and season. Unlike a static PDF rate card, your Tap rate card is dynamic — it feeds directly into the advertiser's planning tools, enabling real-time quoting and automated proposal generation.
Key characteristics of Tap rate cards:
- Live pricing — Advertisers see your rates in real time when building media plans
- Negotiable — Rates serve as a starting point; final pricing is confirmed per campaign
- Flexible — You can update rates at any time without disrupting active campaigns
- Structured — Organized by format, daypart, and season for consistency
Your rate card is visible to advertisers browsing your platform, but it represents starting prices. You always retain final approval on pricing for every campaign proposal you receive.
Creating Your Rate Card#
Navigate to your platform settings
Open the Ad Server dashboard and go to Platforms. Select the platform you want to configure, then click Rate Card in the left sidebar.
Add your ad formats
Click Add Format to define each ad unit you sell. Common formats include:
- :15 spot — Fifteen-second radio or TV commercial
- :30 spot — Standard thirty-second spot
- :60 spot — Sixty-second long-form spot
- Live read — Host-read endorsement (podcast or radio)
- Sponsorship — Program or segment sponsorship
- Digital display — Banner or pre-roll ad unit
Set base rates for each format
Enter a base rate for each format. This is your standard rate before any daypart, seasonal, or volume adjustments. Consider your market position, audience size, and competitive landscape when setting base rates.
Configure daypart pricing
For broadcast formats, set pricing tiers by daypart. Tap supports standard daypart definitions — assign a loading percentage to each one to adjust pricing up or down from the base rate.
Add seasonal adjustments
Define seasonal loading percentages for periods of high or low demand. Common adjustments include higher rates during Q4 holiday season and lower rates during quieter months.
Set volume discount tiers
Optionally configure volume discounts to incentivize larger bookings. Define spend thresholds and the corresponding discount percentages.
Publish your rate card
Review all entries and click Publish. Your rates will be live immediately and visible to advertisers searching your market.
Setting Base Rates by Ad Format#
Base rates are the foundation of your pricing. Every other adjustment — daypart loading, seasonal factors, volume discounts — builds on top of these numbers. Set base rates that reflect your standard, run-of-schedule pricing.
Here is an example rate card structure for a mid-market radio station:
| Format | Duration | Base Rate | Peak Rate (Morning Drive) | Weekend Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Spot | :15 | $75 | $150 | $50 |
| Standard Spot | :30 | $125 | $250 | $85 |
| Standard Spot | :60 | $200 | $400 | $135 |
| Live Read | :30 | $300 | $500 | $200 |
| Live Read | :60 | $500 | $800 | $350 |
| Sponsorship | Segment | $750 | $1,200 | $500 |
| Sponsorship | Program | $2,000 | $3,500 | $1,400 |
When setting base rates, account for:
- Market size — Larger markets command higher rates
- Audience composition — Desirable demographics increase value
- Station ranking — Higher-rated stations can charge premiums
- Format scarcity — Limited inventory (e.g., morning drive) supports higher pricing
Configuring Daypart Pricing#
Daypart pricing lets you charge different rates depending on when an ad airs. This reflects the reality that audiences vary significantly throughout the day. On Tap, daypart pricing uses a loading percentage system that adjusts the base rate up or down.
How Loading Percentages Work#
A loading percentage modifies your base rate using an additive formula:
- 0 = Base rate (1.0x multiplier)
- 50 = Base rate + 50% (1.5x multiplier)
- 100 = Base rate + 100% (2.0x multiplier)
- -25 = Base rate - 25% (0.75x multiplier)
For example, a :30 spot with a base rate of $125 and a morning drive loading of 100 would price at $250.
Standard Dayparts#
Configure loading percentages for each daypart your platform uses:
- Morning Drive (6am-10am) — Typically the highest-value daypart for radio
- Midday (10am-3pm) — Moderate demand, solid reach
- Afternoon Drive (3pm-7pm) — Second-highest value for commuter audiences
- Evening (7pm-12am) — Variable value depending on format
- Overnight (12am-6am) — Lowest demand, often used for frequency-based buys
- Weekend — Separate pricing tier for Saturday and Sunday programming
Keep your daypart definitions consistent with industry standards for your media type. Advertisers expect familiar daypart structures when comparing options across publishers.
Seasonal Adjustments#
Demand for advertising inventory fluctuates throughout the year. Seasonal adjustments let you capture higher rates during peak periods and remain competitive during slower months.
Common Seasonal Patterns#
- Q4 (October-December) — Holiday advertising drives demand up. Loading of +25% to +75% is common.
- Q1 (January-February) — Post-holiday slowdown. Consider a -10% to -25% reduction to maintain fill rate.
- Q2 (April-June) — Moderate demand as brands ramp up for summer. Standard rates or slight premiums.
- Q3 (July-September) — Back-to-school and pre-holiday planning. Gradually increasing demand.
Setting Seasonal Rates on Tap#
Navigate to your rate card and open the Seasonal Adjustments panel. You can define adjustment periods by:
- Date range — Set a specific start and end date
- Recurring — Mark an adjustment as recurring annually
- Loading percentage — Set the adjustment amount
Seasonal adjustments stack with daypart loading. If your base rate is $125, morning drive loading is +100%, and the Q4 seasonal adjustment is +50%, the final rate would be:
$125 x (1 + 1.00) x (1 + 0.50) = $375
Volume Discounts and Package Deals#
Volume pricing encourages advertisers to commit to larger buys, improving your fill rate and revenue predictability.
Volume Discount Tiers#
Set spend thresholds that unlock progressively better rates:
- Tier 1 — $5,000+ monthly spend: 5% discount
- Tier 2 — $15,000+ monthly spend: 10% discount
- Tier 3 — $30,000+ monthly spend: 15% discount
- Custom — $50,000+: Negotiated rate
Package Deals#
Packages bundle multiple formats or dayparts into a single offering at a discounted price. Effective packages include:
- Full rotation — Mix of all dayparts at a blended rate
- Drive time bundle — Morning and afternoon drive spots together
- Multi-format — Spots plus sponsorship or live reads
- Cross-platform — Bundle inventory across multiple stations or channels if you manage more than one platform
To create a package, go to Rate Card > Packages > Create Package. Define the included formats, quantities, and the package price. Packages appear as a distinct option when advertisers build their media plans.
How Pricing Appears to Advertisers#
When advertisers search for inventory on Tap, your pricing is presented in several contexts:
Platform Listing#
Your listing page shows a summary of starting rates by format. This gives advertisers a quick sense of affordability before they dig deeper.
Media Planner#
When an advertiser adds your platform to their media plan, the planner calculates line-item pricing based on:
- The ad format selected
- The daypart chosen
- Any active seasonal adjustments
- The advertiser's total spend (for volume discounts)
Proposal#
After submitting a plan, the advertiser receives a proposal with itemized pricing. You can review and adjust any line item before confirming.
Competitive pricing is not just about being the cheapest. Focus on clearly communicating the value of your audience, your reach, and your unique positioning. Advertisers on Tap compare platforms on audience fit, not just cost per spot.
Best Practices for Pricing on Tap#
- Update regularly — Review and refresh your rate card at least quarterly to reflect market conditions
- Monitor fill rates — If inventory is consistently unsold, consider adjusting rates downward. If you are always sold out, you may be underpricing.
- Use packages strategically — Packages increase average deal size and help move less desirable inventory alongside premium slots
- Be responsive — When advertisers send proposals, respond quickly. Delays can cause advertisers to shift budget to other platforms.
- Leverage data — Use Tap's analytics to understand which formats and dayparts attract the most interest, and price accordingly