Getting Started With Pandora

Launching a digital audio campaign with Pandora is easy. Whether you’re trying to grow brand awareness or drive lower-funnel metrics, our dedicated team is here to understand your goals and make sure you nail your next campaign. To help you get started, here’s a cheat sheet for some of our most frequently asked questions. 

Oh, and there’s a playbook to help you get started with both Pandora and the SiriusXM Streaming Network.

FAQs for Advertising on Pandora

Q: How much does it cost to advertise on Pandora? 

A: We can accommodate budgets of all sizes. And you can buy your way. We offer direct I/O and programmatic options. We also offer a convenient online ad mangagement solution with AudioGO, where budgets are flexible.

Q: What’s the biggest difference between buying digital audio vs. radio?

A: Streaming audio is structured on a per impression basis—a 1:1 relationship with the listener. Our listeners are logged in 100% of the time, so we know precisely who is being targeted and receiving ads.

To illustrate: Let’s say you want to reach women 18-34 who live in Palm Beach, Florida. Using digital audio, you can buy that exact audience and feel confident that no impressions (or $$) are being wasted. Using traditional radio, it’s more of a guessing game. You might need to buy multiple stations in the Miami DMA or MSA or select radio formats that are geared for your target audience. You would inevitably be paying for listeners outside of your target area and audience.

Another difference? Audience time with digital options (like streaming audio) is replacing time they used to spend with AM/FM radio. While time with terrestrial radio has declined -28% since 2015, it’s up +26% for digital audio.

Q: Can I reach my local audience on Pandora + SoundCloud? 

A: Yes. We have 93M monthly unique visitors, which means we can deliver local audiences at scale. In fact, we are #1 in 204 U.S. markets. We have precision targeting capabilities and can reach your most likely customers segmented by age, gender, geo, and much more, including mood and activity targeting.

Got questions about a specific market? No problem, we’ve got you covered. We can tell you how many people you’ll reach in your desired DMA, MSA, or county. For more targeting talk, peruse our targeting options or read through our Media Kit.

Q: How do I know the right product/s for my brand? 

A: Our in-house experts will craft a custom proposal with recommendations based on your objectives and unique business needs. 

Our most popular product is in fact our Streaming Everywhere product, a cross-platform solution in which your :10, :15, or :30 creative spot runs within music or podcast content. And you can amplify your campaigns with visual ad formats across mobile, web, Connected Home, and Connected Vehicle. 

The ability to reach customers across all devices allows you to connect with your audience in meaningful moments throughout the day: in-car, at home, with friends, and more. You can also visually engage your audiences with our display and video ad solutions. Download our media kit here for the latest products and offerings.

Q: Do I need to have an audio spot to advertise on Pandora + SoundCloud? 

A: No audio ads? We’ve got you. Creative services are available for our advertising partners. Studio Resonate, our in-house audio creative agency, can develop an audio spot customized for your brand and tailor-made to meet your objectives.

Q: I have a radio spot already produced, should I use that? 

A: You can definitely use pre-existing audio spots—but remember, a digital audio environment can be a different environment than that of radio (think: 1:1 vs. one to many). Make sure your spot has the appropriate tone and volume for those settings. Check out these best practices for the digital audio environment.

Q: Are there any opportunities to engage with Pandora listeners outside of the app? 

A: Absolutely. Our Pandora brand goes way beyond what you see digitally. We have a slate of branded concerts and fan engagement events, with opportunities for sponsorships to engage our listeners in-person. Check out how our partners engaged with fans at our latest Music Row Happy Hour

Q: Do I get any post-campaign reporting? 

A: Yes, you do. Unlike radio, we will provide you with a comprehensive reporting package that includes impressions, reach, and frequency at the end of the campaign so you know exactly how your campaign performed. 

Q: Are Pandora campaigns measurable?

Yes, Pandora campaigns are both effective and measurable. We work with multiple third-party partners to ensure your getting accurate and fair measurements of your campaign across all KPIs, including creative testing, brand lift studies, location analysis, conversions, sales lift, multitouch attribution, and media mix modeling

Ready to get started? Let's talk.