Improve Your CTV Advertising by Adding Podcast Advertising to the Mix

With all of the media and publishing platforms available to advertisers, it’s hard to know how to choose the right one for your marketing goals.

But what if we told you that you don’t have to choose? At least, you shouldn’t if you want to achieve true incremental reach. Expanding your campaigns across media and platforms will ensure you connect with the right listeners throughout their day, rather than hammering them with 10 ads during the one hour they spend watching the news on a connected TV (CTV) screen or listening to the radio.

After all, would you rather get a few funny texts from a friend throughout the day, or get four calls back-to-back from the friend who always needs something?

While CTV advertising is still on the rise, combining it with other rising media, like audio advertising, can create exponential exposure.

What Is Connected TV Advertising?

To start, CTV is any device that plays streaming television services, such as subscription on-demand services like Disney+ and Netflix or streaming cable packages like YouTube TV. And those ads you see before the movie starts to play or during those “commercial breaks?” That’s CTV advertising.

Why CTV Advertising Alone Won't Cut It for Your Media Mix

Many brands consider this to be one of the most advantageous media strategies—since the average household subscribes to more than five video streaming services, CTV gives advertisers a way to reach the growing audience of cord-cutters and streaming-first householders.

However, there are gaps that CTV leaves behind in a media mix. Fragmentation, lack of addressability, and decreased attention, to name a few big ones.

The solution? Digital audio.

Digital audio fills those gaps left behind in your media mix to help you achieve broader reach, with maximum impact and better chances at a solid return on investment. And as one of the fastest-growing audio channels out there, combining podcasts, in particular, with your CTV media investment, leads to a more comprehensive, well-rounded strategy that leaves no stone (or, in this case, audience) unturned.

4 Reasons Why Podcast Advertising Is the Perfect Supplement to CTV

1. Podcast Advertising Reaches Audiences During Screen-Free Moments

As much as we decry the amount of screen time each day, it still is a fraction of our time—and increasingly filled with negative interactions (hello doom-scrolling and a seemingly endless barrage of bad news). So, what is your audience doing in the meantime? Digital audio.

Podcasts, in particular, get quite a bit of love. More than half of podcast listeners listen for five or more hours per week. The ample time spent makes sense when you consider that their favorite audio influencers and creators are the ones they spend time with while living their lives.

2. Podcasts Drive Better Ad Recall

Getting your ad in front of the right listener is only half the battle. If you want to consider your campaign a true success, brand recall is one crucial KPI you can’t overlook. And if you opt to go all-in on CTV, this metric could suffer.

Why? Well, according to a recent study we did with Nielsen, podcasts achieved higher unaided recall than CTV for ad exposure. One retail brand achieved a +16pt increase, while a CPG brand achieved +13pts.

3. Diversifying Your Media Mix Reduces the Impact of CTV Fragmentation

Since the average household subscribes to 5.5 video streaming services (with 47% subscription churn rates), CTV audiences are all over the place. Podcast advertising can help bridge that fragmentation gap by giving your audience consistent exposure across platforms. With more than 59 million listeners , we can help you target nearly any audience overlap for incremental reach.

4. Podcast Advertising Fosters Receptivity—And Action

Audio as a whole is considered to be more positive and authentic than other media channels. But podcasting, in particular, offers a unique, intimate experience that fosters a deep sense of trust, buy-in, and receptivity from listeners.

Unlike CTV's traditional ad formats, podcast hosts create authentic connections with listeners, making them more likely to listen up and actually act on the messages they hear. Case in point: Studies show that 33% of podcast listeners are more likely to buy products that a podcast host endorses.

What Is Podcast Advertising?

Podcast advertising is one of the fastest-growing audiences for brands. There are currently 135 million monthly podcast listeners—up 47% in the last five years. And advertisers are capitalizing on all of that exposure. Typically, podcast ads are placed at the beginning (pre-roll), middle (mid-roll), and end (post-roll) of each podcast. Brands can submit pre-recorded ads, have a podcast host tell their personal experience with the brand, or have an announcer ad inserted into the show.

At this point you're probably wondering: How do you make a good podcast campaign? We've got those answers for you, too.

4 Tips for Building a Podcast Advertising Strategy That Complements CTV

1. Leverage Dynamic Ad Insertion

Use Dynamic ad insertion (DAI) technology to ensure your podcast ads remain relevant and timely, complementing your CTV messaging with real-time adaptability based on listener data. DAI serves the right messages to your audience at the right time based on hundreds of combinations of data points.

2. Align Content Across Channels

Advertising on live sports CTV programming? Complement it with sports analysis podcasts, narrowing your audience by sport, league, network, host, vibe, or team. When you choose podcasts that align with your CTV advertising content themes and target audience interests, you create a cohesive cross-channel experience that reinforces your brand message.

3. Utilize Cross-Platform Measurement

Implement comprehensive analytics across both podcast and CTV advertising to measure combined impact. Partners like Kantar Milward Brown, Lucid, Upwave, and Signal Hill can help track lifts in brand recall, awareness, and message association, as well as consideration, and intent. And partners like ArtsAI, Claritas, LeadsRX, InMarket, and Foursquare can help track lower-funnel activities like web and app e-commerce and offline visitation.

4. Incorporate Interactive Elements

A large chunk of podcast listening happens on smartphones, so leverage interactive audio ads that can connect with your CTV campaign's call-to-action. This will make it easier for audiences to engage with your brand across platforms.