5 Tips for Effective Digital Audio Advertising

In our previous blog post, we talked about what makes digital audio a hidden gem for marketers due to the format’s impact and personal connection with its audience. In this follow-up article we will share tactical strategies and best practices that advertisers should understand about digital audio advertising. 

Tip #1: The creative is key

Digital audio ads are heard, not seen, so expect the listener to have a web player or mobile app running in the background. Your creative should be able to effectively communicate your message without the use of visuals. Make sure the ad includes a call to action in your message, such as a short and easy to remember URL, so that listeners can look for more information. Adding audio to your campaign mix can increase website traffic and keyword searches for your products and services. You can also include a companion banner along with the audio ad, although most of the time listeners will have their screens in the background. 

Take into consideration that you have the listener’s individual attention in their personal comfort zone, while enjoying music or spoken word content, so keep your message concise, clear, attention grabbing, and refrain from being intrusive and annoying. You can rotate different creatives to see which works best and refine your campaign accordingly. Do not be afraid to be creative with the script and voices so your ad stands out. 

Successful audio campaigns help the listener to visualize the product or message in an exciting narrative within the context of the station or program. Be sure to not ‘rip’ or repurpose the audio from a video ad as it will not work as well as intended. Also, consider customizing your message according to the different languages, day parts, and geolocation. How about spicing up your audio ad by using jingles? You can invest in a sonic signature chime for your brand to be recognizable, and this same jingle can be used across other ad formats. 

Another tip, do not overcrowd the message with too many voices, instead use a clear and familiar voice at a consistent pace. 

And always take into consideration any local cultural sensitivities or advertising guidelines when writing your creative script remember in the audio space. There are no ad blockers and there is a low probability of the listener skipping the ad, so you can assume in most cases the ad would play in its entirety. 

If the publisher supports it, a companion banner with a clickthrough link can be accompanied along with the audio ad. If you plan to take advantage of this, 300x250 is the most common and recommended banner size. As a reference, a list of supported ad formats for Triton Digital’s exchange is available here. 

 Tip #2: Target the right stations and audiences 

Audio thrives in contextual targeting, so shortlist the right publishers, stations, and programs using formats/genres that will fit your campaign category. Music genres are linked to specific demographics, and podcast categories can target topics of interest.  

Besides that, you can apply geographic (state, city, post code), demographic (age/gender), and audience targeting. A sizable scale of inventory contains advertiser identifiers and is available for your DSP (Demand Side Platform) and DMP (Data management Platform) to leverage. Although targeting the right audience is the priority, you do not want to compromise on reach. When compared against other formats, audio may not seem to scale, but keep in mind that this is high quality inventory with engaged audiences. The audio consumption experience is intimate for the listener, and they are in their comfort zone and very immersed.  

Tip #3: Balance to the right frequency 

Research shows that a listener needs to be exposed to an audio ad at least four times before registering its effectiveness. Most listeners do not find audio ads as intrusive, especially if the ad is relevant to the type of station or podcast it airs on. Listeners are used to ads of 15 to 30 seconds. If you opt for 60 seconds or longer, keep in mind that the listener might find it tiring and less frequency can be beneficial. Find the sweet spot to get their attention and use different creatives to keep them engaged. Surprise, but do not bore or shock the listener. 

Tip #4: Re-think the attribution points 

Audio ads are great for increasing brand awareness, to push a specific or seasonal product promotion, request for a direct response, or to expect the engagement from the listener. 

Effectively planned audio ad campaigns can deliver significant reach and frequency, and you can also track completion rate or listen-through rate, website URL visits, QR or voucher code redemptions, increase in search keywords activity, brand uplift, and in cases where interactive audio ads are used, logged, and tracked responses. 

Tip #5: Take advantage of programmatic 

Real-time advertising through a Demand Side Platform (DSP) will provide buyers with intelligence and efficiency to optimize campaigns and to achieve a higher ROI on a fast-growing media like audio. This will provide better yield and the ability to layer audience data. 

Be sure to first discuss with the inventory supply partner whether the intended campaign should run through the open marketplace or through PMP deals, as different geo's will have their own characteristics. Shortlist the right publishers, stations, and podcasts that have the audience you are looking to target. 

A programmatic buy will also provide you with instant reporting, so you can recalibrate your campaign or refresh your creativity at any time. If you are already buying other formats through programmatic, it makes sense to add audio into the same campaign for ease of ad operations, scale, and transparency. 

Here is Triton Digital’s guide for programmatic buyers containing our marketplace’s publisher listing, integrated DSPs, case studies, ad specs, and all the information you need to get started with no minimum spend. 

Ready to launch 

Executing an engaging audio campaign that produces measurable results is not complicated if you follow the five simple tips above. You can quickly adapt your brand's message to the consumer's environment and weaponize this format to reach them throughout the day. With no ad blockers, low skip rates, and with high brand safety in the audio space (more on this in a future post), audio is the secret weapon you need in your marketing arsenal. 

Today in Triton Digital’s exchange, at least 70% of inventory originates from mobile devices. You can use the mobile audience available for targeting and factor that into your campaign planning, creative, targeting, and frequency, while taking advantage of programmatic buying.  

If you would like to take advantage of programmatic audio’s real-time advertising opportunities, the Market Operations team at Triton Digital is ready to assist you. Whether you are new to this format, or are looking to run a large-scale campaign, feel free to drop us a line at marketops@tritondigital.com with details on your campaign, audiences, and DSP. 

If you are a publisher that would like to monetize your audio content and commercialize your audiences, you can reach out to a Triton representative at solutions@tritondigital.com.