Spotify advertising, is it worth it?

A word in your ear.

Have you heard the latest about digital audio advertising? It’s starting to make a lot of noise. No pun intended. Okay, maybe a little intended.

Why is it taking off? Well, two things. First, more Australians are enjoying digital audio than ever before. Second, there are a lot of exciting new innovations in the digital audio advertising space.

Why digital audio is pitch perfect.

Before we take a deep dive into digital audio advertising, let’s take a moment to appreciate digital audio itself. It offers the perfect on-the-go escapism – it’s where consumers go when they want to listen to music or hear human voices talking about interesting things.

There’s audio content to suit every human activity, from working out to studying, cleaning up, commuting, dancing like a maniac in your living room and everything in between.

Consumers love audio for good reason. Sound is closely associated with memory and the ability to connect emotionally. It also creates a sense of intimacy, whether through music or speech. Indeed, one of the attractions to podcasts is that they feel sort of like a one-on-one relationship.

What is digital audio advertising?

This is the delivery of ads in audio format on music and podcast streaming platforms. It’s a way for brands to reach people when visual advertising isn’t an option.

Digital audio advertising is different to radio advertising – it’s savvier and more specific. Let’s look at some examples.

Spotify advertising.

Spotify is Australia’s most popular music and podcast streaming platform, with over 8 million subscribers in 2020. Spotify is also wildly popular in other markets like the US and Europe.

Not only is Spotify a global leader in the audio streaming space, but it’s also reinvigorating the audio advertising landscape.

“All Ears On You” is a recent Spotify advertising campaign, and it’s making advertisers, creators and publishers prick up their ears. Precise targeting tools along with audio-first formats are part of the package.

Businesses and brands can now reach their target audiences more easily, whether mainstream or niche. Plus, the ads sink in more. Research carried out by Sonic Science indicates that Spotify listeners have high levels of engagement with ad content as they move seamlessly from their personalised music and podcast selections to advertising breaks.

A Spotify advertising agency, like True for example, is fully up to speed with all of the platform’s exciting new advertising tools – and with all the other latest developments in programmatic channels for digital audio advertising.

Podcast advertising.

To date, podcast ads have generally been read out by the hosts themselves in their familiar, trusted voices. They talk about the merits of a product or service and then get back to the show.

This might seem like a very primitive approach to advertising – and it is – but it works. Reports show that audiences are very receptive to host-read ads, and it’s a fantastic way of achieving brand awareness.

That doesn’t mean that host-read ads are the be-all and end-all of podcasting advertising, though. Far from it. There’s a lot more advertisers can do with the podcast format, including sponsored stories, branded podcasts and using smart speakers.

As a quick example, NARS Cosmetics in the UK partnered with Spotify in an exciting voice commerce project. Audiences could place orders for product samples and organise delivery via smart speakers after hearing the ad on Spotify during certain podcasts and music streams.

How your brand benefits from a podcast and Spotify advertising agency.

Screenless solutions for advertisers are on the rise. There’s a vast sea of podcasts and music channels to tap into. If you want to pump the volume on your audio advertising, get in touch with a True strategist.

With our digital smarts and creative talents, we’ll see how we can best reach your audience’s ears AND your marketing ambitions.