Your mobile app can be more than just a stream player—it can be an in-car game-changer for engagement and new revenue possibilities. Today, I’m challenging you to try three new things that could boost listener engagement and add value, specifically through Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
As the temperatures rise, so does travel. Your listeners are commuting more, heading out on road trips, or just driving with the windows down and the radio up. That makes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto prime real estate for listener engagement. But are you really using these platforms to their full potential?
Before we begin, if your station’s mobile app does not include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, you have half an app.  Your station must appear on these two platforms, and it can only do so if you have a mobile app on an iPhone or Android phone with that capability added.  Also, your app must have a proper pass-through to show your “now-playing” metadata from your on-air machine, including title and artist.  Most of the time, they are fed through your streaming provider to the mobile app.
Enter the Mobile App Engagement Challenge
By the end of summer, try at least three new things that can enhance the listener experience or bring added value to your station—and track how they perform.
1. Update your “Now Playing” metadata with something other than song titles.
Think of your station as a digital billboard that appears right on the dashboard.  Examples include…
  • “This short break brought to you by {client name}.” Include commercial business names, slogans/and phone numbers.
  • Making the default message the studio sponsor.
  • Rotate promotional messages like contesting calls to action.
You might have to insert additional elements within your playlist to make these happen.
2. Use custom artwork in the stream metadata.
These show up in CarPlay and Android Auto as the visual component (most often, album artwork) of what’s playing.
  • Highlight your current contest with the next time to win as the title and artist.
  • Display client logos/messages as their commercials play.
  • Display featured sponsor logo and short message within the image.
3. Run a mobile-exclusive promotion or contest.
Promote it via push notifications and highlight it in your metadata so that it appears on dashboards. Make it something that rewards listeners who engage with your app while they’re on the move.  For example, run a promo that says, “When you see our {station mascot} appear in your Apple CarPlay or Android Auto device, be caller #10 to win {sponsored prize}.”  
These are small tweaks, but they can have a significant impact. The placement of elements within Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is locked down, so you can’t move things around or add banner ads. However, the in-car “Now Playing” information is yours to influence through your stream settings and metadata. You’d be surprised what’s possible when you get a little creative.
Why Take This Challenge?
This isn’t just about novelty—it’s about strategy:
  • You’re tapping into high-attention moments when listeners are focused and engaged.
  • You’re giving sponsors visibility in new, meaningful ways.
  • You’re gaining some mobile upsells. Adding client messages to the dashboard can demand a premium fee.
  • You’re turning your mobile app into an active part of your content strategy, not just a passive stream tool.
  • And most importantly, you’re experimenting—because the stations that grow are the ones that test, measure, and refine.
So, take the challenge. Track your success. If something doesn’t work, that’s okay—you learned something. If it does? You just found a new way to drive value, engagement, and maybe even revenue.  Either way, I’d love to hear about it.
I recently posed this challenge to my “Better Radio Websites” podcast audience and received some amazing responses.