When you hear the term audio advertising, you may think, “Does anyone listen to the radio anymore?” Yes, some people still listen to the radio, but we are talking about online audio advertising.
Digital audio advertising is similar to radio ads, but these ads are heard on internet platforms, such as Spotify, Google Play, YouTube Music, Pandora, and other popular music streaming services. You can hear high-quality audio advertising examples on these every day to get an idea of what works.
Music streaming services have started taking over the audio world. Along with other audio streaming services like podcasts, these music services are a great way to reach your targeted audience. Plus, placing ads here can be cheaper than online display advertising.
Similar to radio, individuals can take advantage of free audio services as long as they are willing to listen to ads. Your audio advertisement will be integrated into podcast episodes or play between songs. It’s that simple!
If you have written or produced a radio ad, you could create something similar but make it sound less stuffy. Online audio ads, especially ones on audio streaming services, sound more natural because you are able to reach the audience you are actually targeting.
Digital audio advertisements can be placed on a variety of online platforms. And creating an advertisement for, say, Spotify is different than creating an advertisement for a podcast. Why? Spotify allows short allotted times and runs ads that are more similar to radio, whereas podcast advertisements may simply be read by the podcast host during an episode and are more native.
This may also surprise you. You wouldn’t think that this is an online audio platform, but AM/FM broadcasts are also included to some extent because most are now available online.
Online audio advertisements are different from traditional radio advertisements, but just how different are they? Do you pay for them the same way? Do you get to choose a certain time of day your ad is aired? How does it all work? Let’s compare and contrast to gain a better understanding of the two from a marketer’s perspective.
In 2017, Americans aged 13 and older were listening to 17 hours of online audio a week. In the past few years, online audio has surpassed radio as the primary audio platform, measured by the number of listeners. Listeners enjoy creating playlists and choosing the specific songs they want, and advertisers benefit from collecting data and being able to better reach their desired audience.
Anyone connected to the internet could be listening to online audio, including those with a mobile device, Bluetooth in their car, Alexa, Google Home, or a smart TV.
Plus, unlike with radio, your audiences are listening to online audio more often than on the way home from work. In fact, the top places podcasts are listened to are at home, in the car, and at work. You can catch listeners while they are out jogging, listening to Alexa in the kitchen, or at work. As individuals listen to more online audio, such as podcasts and music, you are able to reach them almost 24/7.
Some of the metrics for understanding the success of your online audio campaign are:
Online audio ads are a prime way to reach your customers when they aren’t looking at a screen. Plus, online audio ads can come across as more native or subtle, such as when a podcast host mentions your product. However, to truly determine their effectiveness, you’ll have to track your ad with data and metrics.
This is where Agility comes in. Agility is here to give you the tools to see just how effective your online audio advertisements are. And when all the metrics seem a little overwhelming, we are ready to help break the numbers down and tell you exactly what they are, or you can set up a programmatic audio advertising campaign and let us automatically buy ad slots for you!
The great thing about online audio ads is that there is data readily available to help you improve your campaign. Schedule a live demo with Agility today and let us give you an idea of just how effective your online audio ad can be.