Much like finding the perfect influencer or social channel for your brand, finding a natural podcast partner can be a powerful way to speak to your audience with accuracy and relevance. We’ll take you through demographics, ad types and how to monitor campaign results to drive the best outcomes. Read on to find out what makes podcast audio so impactful and how you can create ad content that fits seamlessly into your media plan, driving compelling results.
Firstly, you may be wondering if stepping into the podcast arena is the best idea. Of course, we say a strong YES, but don’t just take our word for it. Edison’s, The Infinite Dial 2022 tells us that since 2018 the percentage of Australians who listen to online audio monthly has grown by nearly 50% to 78%. Weekly podcast listeners subscribe to an average of eight podcasts, and listen to an average of seven podcast episodes, per week. Weekly podcast listeners spend an average of seven hours and six minutes per week listening to podcasts, up from five hours in 2021.
Further to this, 70% of podcast listeners have used ad-blockers in the past and are three-times more likely to pay for subscription services. This means traditional forms of marketing simply don’t reach them, making podcasting one of the fastest growing mediums marketers are scrambling to use.
With more than 750,000 active podcasts and counting, there are some amazing shows out there, attracting listeners by the millions and getting them hooked. If you’re an advertiser interested in tapping into this highly engaged audience, the choice, while exciting, may feel overwhelming. So, we’ve pulled together a list of helpful strategies for finding, vetting and advertising in a podcast that aligns with your brand.
Tips for Finding and Advertising in a Podcast
Podcast demographics and aligning your brand contextually
Podcast Size
Type of Ad
Monitor campaign performance
Test and Learn
1. Podcast demographics and aligning your brand contextually
At a very basic level, each individual podcast will have a sleuth of data about their listeners, which varies depending on the content being discussed. So, firstly you should know who you are trying to target, so you can align those demographics accordingly. For example, if you are trying to reach female grocery buyers aged 25-54 years, look for podcasts where these index highest.
Next, you also need to consider the context of each show and whether that aligns to your brand. Imagine listening to a comedy podcast and then being served an ad about life insurance. It’s jarring and sounds out of place. Don’t do that. Instead, have a think about where your content sounds appropriate. If you’re a homewares company wanting to advertise to a lifestyle minded audience, search for podcasts where your ads will resonate, for example, on The Byron Cooke Show.
Where possible, you should take into consideration both the show demographics AND the context in order to resonate with your audience in an engaging and thoughtful way as well as reducing wastage.
2. Podcast Size
When we talk about the size of a podcast, we’re referring to its unique audience or how many times a podcast is downloaded by unique IP addresses during a timeframe.
Have a think about how much money you have to spend in podcast advertising to determine your strategy. Very large shows that align contextually to the audience you’re trying to reach are great for achieving brand awareness at scale but only if you have enough money to ensure a higher share of voice.
If your budget is on the smaller side, you might want to consider frequency over audience size and choose a selection of smaller shows where you can ensure your message won’t be diluted too much and you’re not taking a gamble with your ROI.
3. Type of Ad
Statista research revealed that podcast listeners preferred ad type was “host-read” and that they described podcast ads that utilised this format as engaging, relevant, and memorable. 40 percent stated they went out of their way to support brands that advertised on their favorite podcasts. This is largely due to the relationship that grows between a podcast host and the audience - trust and a personal connection builds, increasing the authenticity of the ad.
You can listen to some examples of successful host-read ads here to get inspired.
The other option is a more generic brand message read by a producer. We call these “producer-reads” and they can still be very effective just as long as you’re being vigilant about the context in which they’ll be heard.
At Ranieri & Co, we find utilising a combination of both host and producer-reads can be highly effective when you’re looking for maximum impact at scale. No matter what ad type you choose, top-of-mind awareness for brands is nearly 70% among podcast listeners.
4. Monitor campaign performance
It goes without saying, you won’t really know if the podcast and host you have selected to align with is working if you’re not monitoring the campaign performance. Make sure you are using a measurement tool like Veritonic and you’re tracking money spent versus the money earned.
If you want to advertise across numerous podcasts that align with your brand, going with a network that can allow you scale as well as the ability to optimise will ensure your dollars will be spent where they are most effective.
5. Test and Learn
Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and try a variety of different options, so you can test the waters and get a nice feel for what the industry can offer. You don’t need a huge budget to get a feel for what kind of results you can get from the format, which can then be replicated at scale.
Now we’ve discussed the why, where and how of podcast partnerships, the only thing left is to start. Contact us anytime, it’s easier than ever to harness the power of this highly effective medium.
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