The Perfect Podcast Ad Placement
Finding the ideal podcast ad placement for your brand can transform your campaign. Whether you aim to engage niche audiences through podcasts or reach a broader demographic on YouTube: selecting the right ad type and placement is crucial.
Let's explore the types of podcast ads available and how certain placements may perform better for your campaign.
Host-Read Ads: The Personal Touch
Host-read ads are the gold standard in podcast advertising. Addressing their audience directly, they typically integrate the brand's message into the content. This format's success comes from the authentic connection hosts have with their listeners.
Why They Work
- Personal Connection: Host-read ads leverage the trust between the host and their audience. Ads feel like a personal recommendation.
- Seamless Integration: Hosts often weave these ads into the episode content, so they feel natural within the listening experience.
- Ideal for Trust-Building: Host-read ads are effective for brands looking to build credibility and deepen their connection with listeners.
Listeners follow up on ads 4.4 times more when they feel a personal connection with the host. Host read ads are a powerful tool for trust-building.
Mid-Roll Ads: Capturing Attention Mid-Content
Mid-roll ads are inserted into the middle of an episode or video, creating a natural break. This placement capitalizes on the audience’s attention while they are fully engaged with the show least likely to tune out.
Mid-Roll Benefits
- Higher Engagement: Mid-roll ads can yield 20-30% higher conversion rates compared to pre-roll or post-roll ads.
- Greater Completion Rates: Mid-roll ads on YouTube achieve up to 28% higher completion rates. During this timeframe viewers are invested in the video’s narrative.
- Seamless Integration: These ads feel less like interruptions, blending naturally into the content.
Pre-Roll Ads: First Up
Pre-roll ads play before the main content of a podcast episode begins. Typically ranging from 5 to 30 seconds, they are the first thing listeners hear before the show starts.
Pre-Roll Benefits
- High Visibility: As the first point of contact, pre-roll ads have the potential to make a strong initial impression.
- Short and Direct: These ads need to be concise, with a compelling hook to capture listeners' attention before they start skipping.
- Ideal for Brand Awareness: Pre-roll ads work best for campaigns focused on brand visibility. They are suitable for promoting new products or services to a large audience.
Post Roll Ads: Reinforce the Message
Post-roll ads play after the main content concludes. These ads often serve as a final reminder for the audience after they’ve finished the episode or video.
Post-Roll Best Use
- Reinforcing Earlier Messages: Post-roll ads can serve as a gentle reminder for listeners or viewers about a promo code or special offer mentioned earlier in the content.
- Loyalty Campaigns: Post-roll ads are great for loyal fans who are likely to consume entire episodes. They can offer a cost-effective option to reach dedicated listeners or viewers.
- Cross Selling: Listeners that make it to the end of the show are typically the most engaged. Post-rolls provide a great opportunity to cross sell show content (i.e. subrscribe to our show) or show related merchandise.
Budget, Inventory, and Campaign Type Impacts
Choosing the right type of ad may be influenced by budget or inventory, but campaign goals should always be the driver. Together, these factors determine how and where an ad should be placed to achieve optimal results.
If ad placement is solely driven by budget or inventory without considering the campaign's objectives, the results may fall short.
Balancing Cost with Impact
High Budget Campaigns Best Choices
Mid-roll Ads, Host-Read Ads: Brands with larger budgets can invest in premium placements like mid-roll or host-read ads. These tend to come with a higher price tag due to their effectiveness. They reach a highly engaged audience and can drive strong conversions. Sounds Profitable research reports that mid-roll ads tend to have higher engagement rates. They reach listeners who are already immersed in the content, making them ideal for direct response campaigns.
Example: A brand launching a new product might opt for host-read ads on a popular podcast, leveraging the host’s influence to ensure the message is heard by listeners who trust their recommendations.
Mid-Range Budget Campaigns Best Choices:
Pre-Roll Ads, Host-Read Ads (on smaller podcasts): Pre-roll ads are generally more affordable than mid-roll ads and can be effective for creating initial brand awareness. They maintain around 60-70% listener retention, making them suitable for capturing attention early. Host-read ads on less popular podcasts can offer a balance between the personal touch of a host’s endorsement and lower costs.
Example: A regional brand wanting to raise awareness might use pre-roll ads on podcasts that match their target demographic, offering a quick introduction to the brand before the episode starts.
Low Budget Campaigns Best Choices
Post-Roll Ads: Post-roll ads can often be less expensive than pre-roll or mid-roll ads, making them a budget-friendly option for brands looking to get started with podcast advertising. They can serve as a reminder at the end of episodes, particularly for loyal listeners. According to research, they typically have a 30-50% completion rate, which is lower than other placements but sufficient for reinforcing brand messages with dedicated listeners.
Example: A non-profit organization might use post-roll ads to remind listeners to visit their website or donate, knowing that the message will reach the most loyal audience segment.
Availability: Where Are Ad Slots Open?
High-Demand Podcasts or Channels
Best Choices: Pre-Roll Ads, Post-Roll Ads: In high-demand podcasts, mid-roll or host-read slots may be sold out or priced at a premium. Pre-roll ads may offer a valuable alternative in securing a presence on a popular show. Sounds Profitable and Edison Research indicate that pre-roll ads benefit from high listener exposure rates due to their position at the start of episodes.
Example: A tech company might place pre-roll ads on a leading tech podcast when mid-roll slots are unavailable, knowing that they will still reach the podcast’s engaged audience.
Niche or Emerging Podcasts
Best Choices: Mid-Roll Ads, Host-Read Ads: In smaller or niche podcasts, there may be more flexibility in ad placement, allowing easier access to mid-roll or host-read ads. These slots are valuable because they can be purchased at a lower cost compared to high-demand shows but still offer strong engagement with a targeted audience. Smaller podcasts often have highly dedicated audiences, making host-read ads particularly effective for niche targeting.
Example: A boutique skincare brand might leverage host-read ads on a smaller beauty podcast, where the host can personally vouch for the product, driving more intimate and effective advertising.
Seasonal Availability
Best Choices: Post-Roll Ad: During peak advertising seasons (i.e. holidays or major product launch periods), pre-roll and mid-roll slots fill up quickly. Post-roll ads can maintain a brans's presence, even when other slots aren’t available.
Example: A travel agency might use post-roll ads during the holiday season to remind listeners about vacation packages, even if other ad slots have been taken by larger brands.
Campaign Type: Tailoring Ads to Your Marketing Goals
Brand Awareness
Best Choices: Pre-Roll Ads, Host-Read Ads: These ads are ideal for raising brand awareness as they reach every listener or viewer before the main content begins. They are perfect for introducing a new product or brand. Host-read ads also work great, especially if the goal is to establish credibility and familiarity. Host-read ads have a 71% listener recall rate, making them effective for brands that want to leave a lasting impression.
Example: A new app might use pre-roll ads to quickly introduce its core features, ensuring that every podcast listener hears the message before the episode starts.
Direct Response
Best Choices: Mid-Roll Ads, Host-Read Ads: Direct response campaigns aim to drive specific actions such as website visits, downloads, or promo code usage. Mid-roll ads reach an audience already engaged with the content, increasing the likelihood of conversions. Host-read ads can offer a personal touch, making listeners more likely to trust the call-to-action. According to Sounds Profitable, mid-roll ads can increase conversion rates by 20-30% compared to other placements.
Example: An e-commerce brand might use a host-read mid-roll ad to promote a limited-time discount, driving listeners to use a specific promo code during checkout.
Loyalty or Recap
Best Choices: Post-Roll Ads: Post-roll ads are effective for recap messages and listeners who listen to full episodes. They can remind loyal fans about ongoing promotions for show merchandise or reinforce promo links shared earlier. Post roll ads are heard by a show's most committed listeners, making them a good choice for loyalty messaging.
Example: A subscription box service endorsed by the host might use post-roll ads to remind existing users of new product additions or seasonal offerings, maintaining engagement without needing to capture new leads.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the Right Ad Placement Should Always Align with Your Campaign Goals
If your budget only allows for post-roll ads, but they won’t deliver the desired impact, it may not be the right time to invest. The best ad type and placement for your brand are those that effectively achieve your KPIs.
At ADOPTER Media, our buyers prioritize understanding your objectives before recommending a show or setting a budget. By truly grasping your campaign goals, we ensure our decisions optimize your advertising strategy for the best possible outcomes. Whether you're aiming to boost brand awareness or drive conversions with a strong call-to-action, we’ll help you find the ideal placement to meet your needs.
ADOPTER Media
We believe in data-driven results and are dedicated to helping everyone make better decisions and advance their work using a platform trusted by Fortune 500 companies and beloved regional brands alike. Have a question about podcast advertising or YouTube sponosrship? Connect with us and we will be happy to help!
