Hear This: Your Campaign Needs Announcer-Read Ads. Here’s Why.

We get it. Host reads are a hit; brands and podcast audiences alike are sold on them. But what about announcer-read ads? We know the answer (hint: they’re super effective). But do you know what they are, why they’re different, and what they can do for your next podcast advertising campaign? 

A successful podcast campaign doesn’t start with an ad type. It starts with clear, measurable objectives. (We have a whole workbook about it.) The vehicle for driving toward these measurable goals is ads. And announcer-read ads are a great way to go. We’ve tested the creative, done the studies, and pulled the data to sell you on announcer-read ads. 

They’re Not as Different as You Think

If the term “announcer” conjures flashbacks to AM/FM ad breaks, a disruptive voice crashing in to ruin the whole vibe, rest assured, announcer-read ads are not that. We know that big, brash tones don’t work with digital audio, and especially not with podcast listeners. Announcer reads use an authentic, natural, relatable style that works well in the medium. The tone is much closer to a host-read ad but read by top voice over talent. 

They Make Campaigns More Flexible and Scalable

Host-read ads are great… for reaching a particular audience of a specific show. But why stop there? With announcer-read ads, you can reach a wider audience across a category or network, and with targeting options, brands can still focus on specific demographics, interests, behaviors, and more. Whether a campaign pairs announcer reads in a category with host reads on a specific show or uses them on their own across a podcast network, announcer reads provide opportunities for scale.

They Drive Measurable Results

At this point, you may be thinking, “But aren’t host reads the best type of ads to drive success in a podcast campaign?” While host-reads often generate favorable brand results through strong personal endorsements and trusted voices, announcer-read ads should not be overlooked. In fact, when compared directly against host-read ads in the same campaign, the results are impressive—often performing just as strongly in key metrics while offering a competitive advantage in driving additional scale with greater efficiency.  

An SXM Media and Signal Hill study1 testing ads across four distinct brands and verticals found that host-read ads and announcer-read ads drove significantly higher unaided recall compared to pre-produced spots for the same brands. And while host-reads outperformed announcer-reads at the top of the funnel, there was no statistical difference in lower funnel scores.

Double-digit Lifts Across the Funnel

A recent SiriusXM Podcast Network campaign for an emerging alcohol advertiser revealed that announcer-read ads drove double-digit lifts2 across the full marketing funnel.  

• +27 pts in Awareness

• +22 pts in Affinity/Favorability 

• +27 pts in Consideration

• +28 pts in Purchase Intent

• +16 pts in Message Association 

Boosting Brand Attributes and Purchase Intent

A campaign with announcer reads for a CPG advertiser generated double-digit lifts3 in purchase intent and brand attributes.

• +10 pts in Purchase Intent

• +14 pts in Brand-Specific Attribute #1 

• +13 pts in Brand-Specific Attribute #2

They Should Be a Part of Your Next Campaign

Now that we’ve proven announcer-read ads are the real deal, make the most out of your next podcast campaign by leveraging the SiriusXM Podcast Network of 63M listeners.4 We have the content, ownership, and relationships to connect your message with the right audience. Let’s talk.

Sources

1. Signal Hill Insights Study Oct 2021; Lifts shown are statistically significant at 90% confidence interval.

2. Nielsen PAE+ Brand Study Q2-Q3 2022, Lifts shown are statistically significant at 90% confidence interval.

3. Nielsen PAE+ Brand Study Q1 2022; Lifts shown are statistically significant at 95% confidence interval.

4. Q4 2022 Internal Metrics from Podcast User Logs. Monthly active listeners across Stitcher, NBC Podcasts, Audiochuck, and Podcast Network General