Digital Audio Ads: 8 Best Practices for Successful Outcomes

Here’s a fun fact: Digital audio is one of the fastest-growing advertising media but still accounts for a fraction of most advertising budgets. Your competitors’ loss is your gain—that gap is the perfect opportunity to connect with engaged listeners in a spacious advertising environment.

Digital audio is an intimate medium that accompanies hundreds of millions of listeners throughout their daily activities. With almost eight in 10 Americans ages 12 and older listening to online audio monthly, this medium isn’t going anywhere and only continues to make its presence known. Whether your goal is to advertise on streaming, podcasts, or both, if you can harness the full power of digital audio ads, you can build a loyal audience that lasts. 

Here are some of the best practices to adopt when adding digital audio ads to your marketing strategy. 

Understand Your Target Audience

Without understanding your target audience, you risk your message screaming into the void. Getting to know your target users gets you on the fast track to standing out among other brands and creating long-term brand advocates. You might have one target audience or even multiple. If it’s the latter, then you’ll want to ditch the one-size-fits all approach and create personalized messages for each one. 

Whether you’re advertising on streaming or podcasts, start by getting the answers to the below questions: 

• What are their demographics, interests, and listening behaviors? For example, are they multicultural Gen Z-ers who love pop culture and binge-listening podcasts? 

• When and where do my listeners consume audio content? As an early morning pick-me-up, during a midday slump, or as a late evening relaxer? While commuting, working, or exercising?

• What devices do my listeners use? Speakers or headphones? Desktop smartphones?

To get these answers and more, use a mix of strategies. Leverage the current data you have on your existing loyal customers, distribute new surveys, and analyze your competitors. 

Investigate the Listening Context

Remember that your audience isn’t directly showing up for a conversation with your brand. If your listeners are showing up to a dinner party, you’re just a guest—albeit a guest who helped cater the meal with your ad dollars. In a past study, we found that more than 50% of leading campaigns contextualize the audio experience around time of day, genre, or activity. You need to understand the environment and the context of the party before you can be a part of the conversation.

What audio content is your message aligning with? Is your audience listening to true crime podcasts while cooking, or are they listening to rock music at the gym? Is your audience stressed in traffic or are they feeling relaxed at home? As you can see, context matters. 

But how do you zero in on the right context? We offer targeting solutions so you can align with the content your listeners are playing, their current moods, and their activities at this very moment. Pick from mood, activity, or transcription targeting to find the right audience at the right time, every time. 

Pick the Best Format

Your choice of ad format should align with your advertising medium, campaign goals, and audience preferences. Each format offers unique advantages for connecting with listeners.

Advertising on podcasts? 

• Host-read ads leverage the trusted relationships between hosts and listeners, offering authentic, conversational delivery.

• Announcer-read ads are performed by professional voice talent who pre-record your message and deliver it consistently across multiple shows.

Advertising on streaming? 

• Display ads can come in the form of push notifications, web skins, native ads, and more. This ad type only reaches listeners when they’re actively engaged with their streaming app. Our display ads offer 100% share of screen across all platforms. 

• Video ads on our streaming network are interaction-based and only reach listeners when they’re engaged with a streaming app with their phone unlocked. Our video ads offer 100% share of voice so your ad stands out. 

Brands that achieve the best results often combine a mix of formats to engage the listener across multiple environments and contexts. 

Timing Is Everything

How long is your script, and when will audiences hear it? The length and placement of your ad can significantly impact its effectiveness. Consider your campaign goals when choosing ad duration and positioning. 

How to choose the length of your streaming or podcast ad:

• Short-form ads: Ranging from 10- to 15-seconds, this ad type can be effective for driving purchase intent and positive associations. 

• Long-form ads: Ranging from 30- to 60-seconds, long-form ads drive ad recall and brand sentiment—with more room to tell a detailed story. 

How to choose the placement of your podcast ad: 

• Pre-roll ads: These are placed at the beginning of a show or after an intro from the host. This type is particularly effective for awareness campaigns and brands that are new to podcast advertising.

• Mid-roll ads: Just like the name, this type appears in the middle of an episode, reaching listeners when they’re most engaged. With room for a longer script than other placements, these ads have the highest correlation for web engagements and purchase conversions.

• Post-roll ads: This ad type plays to the most dedicated listeners, who are likely multi-tasking while listening, and influences their willingness to research further or take action.

Find the Right Frequency

Balancing ad exposure is crucial for maximizing impact while minimizing listener fatigue. Planning your ad frequency strategically helps maintain engagement. Consider your goals—are they upper or lower funnel? 

New products and brands, that are in need of increased familiarity and recall, can benefit from shorter campaign flights with much greater frequency. Meanwhile, established brands, that might be aiming for better purchase consideration and intent, often succeed with longer campaign flights and less frequency. 

You might even consider using multiple creative assets and variations to stay top of mind with your audience while minimizing ad repetition. 

Monitor and Adjust (and Adjust Again)

Once your digital audio ad is out in the universe, it’s all the more critical to monitor its performance. Continuous measurement and optimization are key to campaign success. Use data-driven insights to refine your approach, like measuring your campaigns against industry benchmarks or even your past performance. You might prioritize metrics like listen-through rate (LTR) or even the audio completion rate. 

Ad adjustments don’t have to be overwhelming. It can be as simple as tweaking your targeting and delivery over time—or testing different messages and creative approaches.

Consider Trends

Stay informed about audience behavior and technology developments while building for the future. Digital audio continues to evolve with new opportunities for advertisers. Not in the know? Here are the trends we have our eyes and ears on: 

• Digital audio listening continues to grow year over year

• Streaming audio is seeing more personalization and ad-supported audio growth 

• Adtech continues to evolve with the growth of programmatic audio and enhanced brand safety 

• The podcast space is diversifying and taking brand partnerships to new levels 

And keep in mind—don’t jump on a trend solely because it’s new. Investigate it further. Does it fit with your brand, campaign, and messaging? If so, go for it. 

Your Digital Audio Advertising Journey Starts Here and Now 

As the largest digital audio advertising ecosystem in North America, we offer comprehensive solutions that help brands connect with engaged listeners. 

Ready to get started? Let’s talk.

The More You Know About Digital Audio Advertising