Podcast Advertising: A Guide to What’s Working
There are two ways to advertise on a podcast. The first involves the podcast host reading the ad copy. The second occurs when a programmatic ad is inserted into the program. There is some debate over which method works better, but Ad Age is putting the issue to rest.
They recommend that brands use both approaches. Here’s why.
Host-Read Ads
Host-read ads are believed to be a powerful advertising medium because of the credibility behind the podcast personality. The audience already likes and trusts the host, so when that person reads the ad copy, that trust and likeability transfer to the brand advertising as well.
The authenticity of the host-read ad also contributes to its success, as well as the organic nature of the advertisement’s delivery. Research backs this up: 45% of podcast audiences report believing that the podcast hosts use the products for which they advertise.
The drawback to host- read podcasts comes down to scale. It’s often too great for some advertisers. When contracting host-read ads, the advertiser ultimately gets their message before a nationwide (or worldwide) audience, generating wasted impressions while incurring a greater cost.
Programmatic Ads
Pre-produced ads are not to be tossed aside, however. This advertising method also offers benefits, including ease, buying efficiency, targeting capabilities, and the dynamic nature of placing an ad that is time-sensitive, making it a competitive alternative to the more costly host-read ad.
The key benefit of programmatic ads lies in their targeting abilities. Advertisers with a more localized or focused geographic footprint can benefit from targeting an audience within their target market. Further advertisers with a more niche customer base can leverage additional layers of data to target an audience that is more likely to become a customer.
Which One Should You Use?
In many cases, advertisers can get the most effective results by investing in both approaches. The only challenge that exists, which advertisers are trying to overcome, is contextual relevance. However, when programmatic ads can be inserted into a podcast in a way that’s relevant to the discussion, context relevance can be achieved. Then, pre-produced ads check all the boxes for effectiveness at a lower cost.
Getting Started with Podcast Advertising
Suppose you’re thinking about investing in podcast advertising. In that case, we can help you identify key opportunities within programs that fit your ideal demographic and then create effective host-read or programmatic ads to use within those podcasts. Give us a call.