Host-Read Ads vs Prerecorded Ads: Which Is Better for Your Campaign

If you’re finally ready to dive into digital audio and podcast advertising, but you’re not quite sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place. One of the first decisions you’ll need to make when creating a podcast ad is if you want prerecorded or host-read ads. They’re both great ad types, depending on your advertising goals, and, for many advertisers, running a mixture of the two is the way to go.

Let’s compare the pros and cons of both so you can pick the perfect message delivery for your brand.

What Are Host-Read Podcast Ads?

Host-read ads are exactly what they sound like: Ads read by the host of the show your brand chooses to advertise on. If you purchase host-read podcast ads on Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, the world-famous comedian would be the one to read your ad. And if you advertise on Smartless, you can expect Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, or Will Arnett to deliver a punchy, humorous reads for listeners. When the hosts read your messaging, your ads become a part of the episode, a natural fit with the content of the show, and it often includes the host’s own review or spin on the product.

That means your brand messages are delivered by your audience’s favorite creators. And in many cases, the hosts try the product or service first, making your ad fee more like a personal recommendation.

Pro: Listeners Actually Like Hearing Hosts Read Podcast Ads

In our Podsurvey Podcast User Study, we found that 42% of podcast listeners say podcast hosts provide a deep sense of connection that traditional media personalities lack. And three in four listeners prefer ads voiced by the host of the podcast. It makes sense when you factor in that 45% of listeners say they are more likely to buy products that the podcast host endorses.

So what does this mean for your advertising? It means you can harness the listener’s relationship with the host. Like 70% of listeners who say they value the transparency and authenticity of their favorite podcasts hosts.

Pro: Podcast Creators Command Loyalty

Not everyone can afford a Conan O’Brien, Jason Bateman, or Ashley Flowers. But you don’t have to break the bank chasing celebrity host reads. Podcasts have audiences of all sizes and backgrounds, from cooks, to sports fans, to underwater welders. And each of those hosts has a fiercely loyal audience. Even to the smallest audiences, the host is a para-social celebrity. The intimate nature of audio, especially audio piped straight into the listeners ears, creates a strong host-listener bond, leading to real action. In fact, 75% of listeners reported researching a product mentioned on their favorite show, and more than half reported making a purchase after hearing a host-read ad.

Pro: Hosts Generate Higher Brand Recall

Host-read podcast ads result in a +10 higher unaided recall compared to pre-produced and announcer-read podcast ads. When compared with other major media ad types like television, radio, and social media, podcast ads drove more attentive seconds per thousand impressions, with host-read podcast ads at the top among them.

Pro: Host-Read Podcast Ads Can be Pretty Easy to Implement

With the right advertising partner, creating effective host-read ads is straightforward. The key is leveraging the host's authentic voice and natural connection with their audience.

Con: Host-Read Podcast Ads Are More Expensive

Host-read ads are the Cadillac of the podcast advertising world. They are typically the most effective, and that comes with a higher price tag. But that doesn’t mean they’re out of reach. While host-read podcast ads are more expensive than announcer-read ads, most podcast ads may still be less expensive than traditional media (and even social and digital), depending on your campaign and strategy.

Con: Hosts offer fewer dynamic options

Host-read podcast ads may be baked in, which means less flexibility for updating messaging or targeting compared to pre-recorded options since they often become permanent fixtures of the episodes in which they air. Dynamic announcer-read or prerecorded ads, on the other hand, can be re-edited and served in real time.

What Are Pre-Recorded Podcast Ads?

Podcast advertisers don’t mince words when they set industry lingo. Prerecorded ads are recorded in advance and inserted into the show's final edit as opposed to being read “on air” by a host. Since they’re produced in advance, advertisers can control the final recording and even partner with creative agencies to create something more creative.  

Pro: Brands Have Full Creative Control

Responsible podcast advertising partners match brands with appropriate hosts based on subject matter, tone, and content. Prerecorded ads mean you have full control over the messaging, production quality, and creative process, whether you work internally or with a creative agency. 

Pro: Dynamic Delivery Elevates the Messaging

Dynamic ad insertion gives brands the ability to hone their messages down to the individual listener, even for campaigns at scale. Using listener-provided data, like location, listening preference, show transcripts, and more, SiriusXM Media can develop ad segments perfectly suited to each part of your audience. It’s like building a map of your listeners, each slightly different than the other.

Pro: Prerecorded Ads Offer Affordable Placements

Depending on the production budget, prerecorded ads can be less expensive and more turnkey than host-read podcast ads. Entry-level placement campaigns can start as low as $250 on AudioGO, making prerecorded ads an accessible option for businesses of all sizes.

Con: Prerecorded Ads May Not Fit Seamlessly

By their very nature, host-read ads fit within the sonic continuity, narrative structure, and vibe of the podcast. Pre-recorded ads, at their best may still not feel as integrated into the content. Luckily, there is a middle ground. Announcer-read ads are produced specifically for the podcast space and are very similar to host reads. And podcast listeners have reported feeling a sense of loyalty to the brands that support their favorite shows. 

Con: Creative Collaboration Can Be a Big Lift

While prerecorded podcast ads cost less to place, they don’t always cost less to make—considering that even the smallest prerecorded ad budgets may still need to include voiceover talent, music licensing, and editing. And that’s just the financial side of things. A well made audio ad requires a great deal of creative effort and collaboration.

But you don’t have to be a creative genius to make good ads. SiriusXM Media has an in-house creative agency, Studio Resonate, that has expert creative and insights to make ads that hit. You can also work with them through the AdMaker tool.

Mix and Match for Incremental Reach

Podcast advertising works great with the rest of your media campaigns. When combined with SiriusXM and streaming audio, podcasts can increase incremental reach by 100%.

Media placements on CTV and social media require the existence of a screen, but podcasts go with listeners as they shop, work, exercise, cook, and do chores. By coordinating your media campaign, you can deliver awareness messages through broad media campaigns, and then reinforce that exposure through affordable targeted podcast ads throughout the day. 

Are you ready to boost your media campaign with targeted exposure and loyal audiences? Let’s talk.

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