Why Your Brand Needs Podcast Advertising in the Mix

Picture this: After crafting a message as part of an ad campaign, it reaches an audience that’s engaged, trusts your brand, and is interested in your offering. Sound too good to be true? Not in the world of podcast advertising, where 75% of listeners research a product after hearing an ad.

With almost 100M weekly listeners, a 47% growth in listeners over the last five years, podcast advertising has evolved from a nice-to-think-about idea to a must-have cornerstone in any modern media mix. The point of podcast advertising isn’t about reaching as many listeners as possible but reaching your perfect customer at the right time—with a message they actually want to hear and explore further. 

One thing we’re confident in: Adding podcast advertising to your strategy is a sure-fire way to boost any campaign and supercharge your overall marketing efforts. Let’s dive in. 

Benefit #1: Unparalleled Trust and Connection

Gaining (and keeping) consumer trust is an ever-evolving challenge. But then there’s podcast advertising, accompanied by the power of authentic connection. Consider the fourth wall officially broken. Listeners view podcast hosts more as a trusted friend than a creator or advertiser, looking to them for advice, entertainment, and hope. Hosts are further leaning into this connection by interacting with fans on social media or allowing them to call into the show. The numbers speak for themselves—over two in three listeners say they feel a personal connection to the host.

As the stress from social media and the daily news cycle grows, podcasts are becoming a safe haven—where listeners can satisfy their most niche interests or curiosities. Think of science lovers tuning into Ologies to hear about pet hippos and happiness research or pop culture enthusiasts turning on Vibe Check for an analysis on the latest celebrity gossip. The list goes on. Listeners aren’t just listening to a different show every week, they’re repeatedly coming back to their favorite ones—building a long-term relationship over months or even years. Over two in three listeners say they have a routine of listening to the same shows weekly.

You can lean even further into the podcast-listener connection with host-read ads—when a host reads your ad on the podcast of your choice, typically in a style that’s signature to them. With our leading portfolio, pick your voice: Alex Cooper, Stephanie Soo, Conan O’Brien, or any of the shows on our network. A benefit of host-read ads is that your audience is the most likely to perceive your message as a personal recommendation and it naturally becomes a part of the episode. 

Benefit #2: Unbeatable Audience Engagement

Speaking of hearing an ad, the general podcast audience is more likely to be ad-receptive in the first place. Unlike many other media formats where ad-skipping is the norm, podcast ads have a higher chance of being received positively—more than eight in 10 listeners are open to hearing any type of ad. And the icing on the cake? More than nine out of 10 listeners have taken an action after hearing one.

There are a few reasons why podcast advertising hits differently:

• Plugged in: Your message meets the audience when they’re quite literally all ears—in an engaged state of mind. 

• Higher relevance: Some listeners find podcast ads more relevant or interesting compared to ads on other media. 

• A better fit: Podcast ad spots tend to be seen as less disruptive and more fitting of the content organically. 

• An act of support: Many listeners understand that ads are one of the main income sources for creators and don’t mind hearing a relevant ad—knowing it supports new episodes of their favorite show. 

Benefit #3: Superior Targeting Capabilities

As you may know by now, your message is likely to be heard, but is it going to meet its ideal audience? Meet targeting at its best and brightest, which you can take full advantage of when you lean on podcast advertising. 

Let’s start with the basics: There’s a podcast for everyone. Whether you’re targeting book nerds, wine aficionados, or true crime lovers, we’ve got them all. However, show-level targeting is only the tip of the targeting iceberg. Other ways to reach your audience include but aren’t limited (and we mean it) to:

• Audience targeting: Demographics, geographic, and predictive audiences targeting 

• Contextual targeting: Brand suitability, category, and transcription targeting 

• Inventory targeting: Inventory source control, show anti-targeting, and ad break targeting 

As you can see, you have many options, from targeting specific shows or a specific audience profile to scale your campaign. Targeting is all about your dollars working smarter, not harder, and your ad reaching your most desired, ad-receptive listeners.

Benefit #4: Expanded Campaign Reach and Efficiency

There’s no question that podcasts have become a cultural phenomenon, and some of the top podcast hosts are finding themselves on top of the influencer food chain (Alex Cooper, anyone?). And public figures, from actors to professional athletes, are increasingly (and successfully) diving into podcasting. Luckily, podcasts don’t exist in a vacuum, and many fans interact with their favorite creators through multiple platforms—following them on social media, watching their stories, asking questions during Q&As, and tuning into new episodes of their podcasts. 

Such deep connectivity gives brands a wonderful opportunity to engage with audiences on multiple levels and build a cohesive story over time, increasing your campaign’s efficiency. What’s more, adding podcasts to the mix can open the doors to new audiences. Our internal data shows that adding the SiriusXM Podcast Network to your buy can help you achieve up to 150% incremental reach.

Get Started with SiriusXM Media

So here’s the gist: Podcast advertising should be at the forefront of your media mix if it isn’t already. Podcast ads help your brand find new audiences, build meaningful connections with them, and engage them to the max.

If you don’t know where to start, don’t fret, you’re in the right place already. With 59M monthly listeners, the SiriusXM Podcast Network reaches two in five podcast listeners in the US. No matter your audience’s preferred streaming platform, your brand can reach them through the voices of our celebrated hosts. And we have partnerships, solutions, and tools to ensure you get all the help you need. 

Ready to make your podcast campaign shine? Let’s chat. 

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