In today’s digital age, we get to listen to various forms of content, all provided for by streaming apps, news programs, talk shows, and even audiobooks, to name a few. This just goes to show that there’s an abundance of things we can listen to, and we won’t be running out of them anytime soon.

Many people don’t know that they unknowingly listen to audio pieces that can be considered unimportant, such as audio advertisements. Audio advertisements are commonly heard on the radio, but who listens to the radio nowadays when you’re not in a car? As a solution, even audio advertisers started to use other listening mediums to get the word out regarding their brand.

What is there to know about when it comes to digital audio advertising? Here’s a quick guide for you:

Understanding the Digital Audio Landscape

Audio consumption can be defined into two broad categories: active and passive. There are many ways that people can listen to whatever type of audio content they want. For new mediums, though, it became a hit to specific age groups such as Millennials and Gen Z because it allowed them to multitask. They do it by listening to audio content while cleaning, cooking, or doing other similar activities.

The Types of Digital Audio

Digital audio is the second most consumed type of media. In the US alone, 204 million people spend their time listening to digital audio media. It also encompasses various content, such as streaming apps (music or otherwise), live audio talk shows, sports audio shows, radio, and even podcasts. 

With a lot of these digital audio mediums on the horizon, advertisers are following because there’s a considerable sum of profit that can be obtained there.  As stated earlier, radio is the original medium for digital audio advertisers. This is because radio stations provide actual rates that allow advertisers to allocate their budgets appropriately. 

For music streaming apps such as Spotify, users will have no choice but to listen to audio ads unless they pay for a premium service. Here’s an overview of each:

#1: Online AM/FM Radio

Radio is conventionally heard on a physical radio. However, like most things, even radio has shifted towards a more digital approach. This comes in the form of online AM/FM radio streams.

Radio may sound like a thing of the past, but it’s still a surefire way to reach prospective customers because most radio listeners are captive audiences. They can always switch radio stations, but the outcome is always the same: they can’t escape audio ads.

#2: Audio Streaming Apps

Many audio streaming apps are currently available. Their business models are essentially the same with a few slight differences from each other:

Spotify

Spotify is considered the leader in today’s audio streaming market, as it caters to both consumers and creators. Creators go to Spotify to upload their audio content, be it songs or podcasts. Consumers choose Spotify because their customer service is considered exceptional. For this reason alone, advertisers flock to the scene. 

Pandora

Pandora is an older service since it was launched in 2000. The platform currently faces extreme competition, but the good thing is that it has adapted to changes in the industry.

Pandora offers different kinds of services for advertisers. One prominent example is that they have interactive voice ads which users can engage by answering. This allows advertisers to target specific audiences through their devices.

Amazon Music

Amazon Music was first launched in 2007, but the platform’s moves toward audio advertising only started in 2019.

Amazon Echo users received an ad-supported version of Amazon Music regardless of whether they have a Prime or Amazon Music Unlimited subscription. Much like Spotify, this allowed them to listen to audio content with ad breaks in-between.

Conclusion

There are many ways to advertise your brand, but you shouldn’t overlook digital audio advertising. Many people willingly listen to audio content despite the dominance of video, so there’s always a chance that they grow interested in whatever you’re selling if your ads reach them.

For digital audio advertising, you have to make sure that all bases are covered for success,  such as the platform and the right advertising package. Promoly makes sure that all your audio ads are well-heard of in any medium that you choose through our comprehensive content promotion platform. Consult with us today to learn more!