59% of US Teens Are on Our Platforms—Here's How to Connect

In a world oversaturated with screens, teens are craving their own space with unique auditory experiences—and we provide. From streaming audio, to podcasts, to live content, there are 12M teen listeners tuning into our platforms—that’s 59% of people ages 13-17 online in the US. Even better, SiriusXM Media allows advertisers to zero in on teens.

Many other media spaces reach teens but are unable to offer targeting solutions for advertisers. With us, brands can target teens safely and responsibly with Pandora and SoundCloud demo targeting and podcast show targeting.

Recently, we went through five data-backed teen audience trends to help brands understand this influential demographic. Now, let’s look at how you can connect with the millions of teens listening to digital audio on our platforms.

Develop Culturally Relevant Creative

Today’s teen population is more diverse than ever, and half of them say their race and ethnicity is important to defining their identity. Brands should consider using cultural cues in their creative, such as language, music, relevant themes and stories, and diverse voices. Our in-house audio creative agency, Studio Resonate, makes it easy to create personalized creative that meets the nuances and experiences of these diverse teens.

Why It Works

Culture is at the center of teens' lives. A culture-first approach will show them you know and understand them.

On Pandora

When a CPG brand designed for Black women developed a wash-day playlist on Pandora to highlight their product line and its benefits, they hit the right note. The campaign created a strong association between cultural and product themes, leaning into culturally relevant nuances and featuring relatable talent.

On SoundCloud

When a video streaming platform executed a 24-hour takeover on SoundCloud with a tie into Pride Month, it demonstrated their commitment to supporting both young and diverse communities. Connected with a reputable non-profit organization, the campaign celebrated pride while leveraging popular talent on SoundCloud.

Become a Part of the Music Teens Love

You can’t separate teenagers from the music they're into (or get them to turn down the volume). Ad-supported streaming audio lowers the barriers to access for young listeners while providing brands the opportunity to be a part of the experience. With Pandora, brands can tap into popular flagship stations and experiences designed for teens. And with SoundCloud, teens can be a part of the creator’s journey to stardom.

Why It Works

Teens are obsessed with music. Adding music to your strategy will ensure you capture their attention and engage them with one of their key interests.

On Pandora

Pandora has highly curated stations designed for teens. From Teen Pop to Teen Country, these stations reach a scalable teen audience ready to engage with your brand. Sponsored stations are a turnkey solution, allowing brands to capitalize on the popularity of Pandora's teen stations to reach engaged listeners with high-impact branding.

On SoundCloud

Over eight in ten 13- to 17-year-old SoundCloud listeners are known to share music on their mobile devices. Promoted tracks put your brand at the center of teen music discovery by spotlighting emerging artists. And custom branded visuals allow your brand to have a high-impact presence across SoundCloud’s mobile and desktop channels.

Let Their Voices Be Heard

Gen Z is a generation of creators and influencers. Teens love an opportunity to express their creativity and get rewarded for it. Create opportunities for teens to show off their skills and leverage the power of their social savvy to generate excitement around your campaign.

Why It Works

Content creation is in their DNA. Programs that challenge and reward them for their creativity will generate buzz and drive a strong association with your brand.

On SoundCloud

Creator contests support teens’ passion for music creation and generate engagement and excitement around your brand. And creator page takeovers offer teens the scale and technology to stream, monetize, and promote their tracks—and your brand can get directly in front of these teen creators.

Tap into the Fan-Creator Relationship

Teens feel a special connection with their favorite celebrities and cherish any opportunity to get closer to them. Create opportunities where they can break the parasocial relationship and see their favorite musicians and podcasts hosts in action. From host-read ads, to sponsored content, to live events, you can bring your brand closer to consumers by facilitating deep fan-creator relationships.

Why It Works

Teens crave authentic fan experiences. Getting them closer to their favorite talent and supporting the hosts and artists they love drives a strong, positive brand association.

On Pandora

When brands run host- and announcer-read ads on podcasts their brand messages reach listeners in authentic spaces. And fans not only appreciate the support for their favorite hosts and shows, but they also are inspired to take action—in fact, 93% do just that after hearing a podcast ad, including visiting websites and making purchases.

IRL

Custom activations like sponsored concerts, events, and episodes allow brands to make a lasting impression on audiences. Fans get the exclusive content and access they crave, while sponsors delight them with branded swag and hands-on product experiences as they form memories that will last a lifetime.

On SoundCloud

Partner with SoundCloud on “Comment Check,” an original social video series where artists read and react to fan comments from their music on SoundCloud’s platform in real time. Tap into teen music culture by celebrating artist fandoms on SoundCloud.

Reward Audience Engagement

Teens are a digital-first generation, and they expect brands to create immersive advertising experiences. Incorporating video ads into the audio listening experience drives multisensory engagement. Teens also want a more symbiotic relationship with advertisers. That means making your brand messages worth their time with entertaining content and perks.

Why It Works

Audio and video capture their attention, tapping into both drives your message home and generates engagement. And incorporating rewards creates a positive user experience.

On Pandora

Be the first thing teens see when they open our app by fully immersing this audience in your video messaging. Your creative is guaranteed to be watched all the way through with 100% SOV and vertical video options. And the video completion rate (VCR) is 83.8% for 13- to 17-year-olds.

Video Plus rewards audiences for their attention. Advertisers can offer teens perks like uninterrupted listening or exclusive content in exchange for watching their ad to completion. And the VCR is 97.5% for teens.

On SoundCloud

With one in four teens saying they belong to multiple groups and communities, SoundCloud Scenes positions brands at the forefront of what's next in music through a custom video series. Scenes showcases the viral music trends around the world through this award-winning documentary social series.

If you want to reach 59% of US teens online, SiriusXM Media is your way into their lives. We’re here to help you create the culture-forward, supportive, rewarding advertising messages that will resonate with young audiences. Let’s talk.