Marketers are increasingly turning to podcast advertising as a game-changing strategy to boost brand awareness and engagement among dedicated and focused audiences. According to Edison Research’s annual Infinite Dial survey, over 100 million Americans now listen to at least one podcast a week—more listeners than ever before. In fact, time spent listening to podcasts has grown by 450% since 2014. Among regular listeners, on average, 8.3 podcasts are listened to weekly. If the vast reach of podcasts wasn’t enough to appeal to marketers, over half of 35–54-year-olds—a demographic known for high discretionary income and robust consumer spending—listened to podcasts in the last month, making it a perfect tool for those brands looking to drive results through audio advertising.
A Highly Engaged and Attentive Audience
Podcast advertising is unique in that, when people tune into their favorite podcasts, they aren’t just passively consuming the content. They are highly engaged and attentive. For comparison, television and online video platforms often struggle with multitasking audiences. Podcast listeners, on the other hand, tend to focus solely on the content, enhancing ad recall rates. And 80% of listeners consume most or all of an episode, ensuring your ad is heard. Podcast advertising allows marketers the unique ability to target these highly engaged audiences.
Trust and Credibility
Listeners trust the host of their favorite podcasts and align with their values and recommendations, resulting in ad receptiveness. In fact, 46% of weekly podcast listeners have purchased a product or service as a result of hearing an ad on a podcast. With some podcasts, marketers have the option of host-endorsed ads. When a trusted podcast host endorses a product, it’s not perceived as an interruption. The ad often takes on the feel of the podcast itself, continuing to drive attention. And it’s seen more like a trusted recommendation from a friend, giving the ad credibility.
Precise Targeting
With traditional audio, marketers cast a wide net and hope to reach target audiences based on music genre, but podcast advertising allows for marketers to really dial in on exactly who they are trying to reach, even those with niche interests. This precision targeting is facilitated by advanced analytics tools provided by podcast platforms, which allow advertisers to track listener demographics, behavior and engagement in real-time. There is a podcast out there for everyone, from expert advice on raising swine to celebrity gossip, to sports news and true crime.
Measurable Results
Data is so important to digital advertising, and podcast advertising offers measurability as well. From vast reach to easily trackable conversions through promo codes and UTM tracking, podcast performance can be tracked beyond the impression. Industry benchmarks suggest that podcast ads can yield an average engagement rate of 5-7%, with some high-affinity podcasts reaching even higher numbers.
Harnessing the Power of Podcast Advertising
Podcast listenership continues to rise year after year, and it’s predicted to continue to see growth. The vast listenership of this medium, combined with the unique ability to reach niche audiences, makes podcast advertising the perfect tool for driving brand awareness and building customer trust. But it’s important to not only choose the right podcasts that align with your target audience and brand values. It’s also imperative to craft compelling messages that capture attention quickly and resonate through the power of audio storytelling.
If you’d like help bringing the power of podcast advertising into your marketing ecosystem, contact the paid media experts at Jigsaw today. Your highly engaged, receptive audiences are waiting.
