Audio streaming services are your chance to whisper into someone’s ear, quite literally. With Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music, you’re not just background noise—you’re the main act without fighting for screen space. But the big question for advertisers is: how do you make sure your message sings; and not sends the listeners to sleep?
What’s in it for advertisers
Audio is one of the few channels where your message has the listener’s full attention: no screens, no scrolls, no visual clutter. Listeners are often engaged—whether they’re driving, working out, or cooking, and that creates a powerful space for brands to speak directly to them.
Here’s why that matters:
- High reach, low cost:Inventory on platforms like Spotify and Amazon Music offer massive, global reach at a lower CPM than most video or display channels
- Personal and contextual: You can target based on music tastes, moods, and even activities like “chill” or “workout” playlists. That’s targeting you can’t always get with social or search.
- Unskippable attention: Unlike video, many audio advertisements are unskippable—giving you a full 15 or 30 seconds to get your message across.
- Better brand recall: Studies from Nielson shows that audio ads, especially podcast ads, lead to higher brand recall than visual-only formats.
As consumers spend more time listening, brands that figure out streaming audio advertising early will have a head start on one of the fastest-growing digital ad mediums.
Let’s break it down.
1. Start With the Right Platform Access
To advertise on major audio streaming services, you have two main options:
Option 1: Self-serve platforms
- Spotify Ad Studio: Great for small to medium advertisers. You can upload your own audio bite or use their free voiceover tools. Target by age, gender, location, music taste, and device.
- Amazon Ads: Access ad inventory on Amazon Music (ad-supported tier) via the Amazon DSP. You might require a bit more setup, but it works best for brands already using Amazon Ads.
Option 2: Audio Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs)
You can use a DSP, self-serve or expert-assisted, to run programmatic audio advertising. This gives you:
- Access to multiple audio publishers at once
- Better control over bidding, targeting, and measurement
- The ability to combine streaming audio advertising with display or video for full-funnel campaigns
2. Prepare the Right Audio Creative
An effective audio advertisement is short, clear, and designed for an audience that isn’t looking at a screen. Some best practices:
- Length: Stick to 15 or 30 seconds
- Tone: Match the tone to your message. Friendly, works, and so does serious, urgent, or emotional ones while conveying advocacy, offers, or cause-based ads.
- CTA: Say it clearly at the end (“Tap the banner to learn more,” or “Visit us online at…”
- Audio quality: Use at least 192 kbps, normalize volume to -14 dBFS
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Tip: If you’re using Amazon DSP, you can also include Alexa-enabled CTAs (“Alexa, add to cart”)—great for CPG and impulse purchases.
3. Add Companion Banners
Most audio streaming services allow companion visuals to appear while your ad plays. Don’t skip this step—it helps with click-through and brand recall.
- Specs vary, but common formats include 640×640 or 1024×1024 images
- Keep messaging consistent with your audio
- Use clear branding and a single CTA.
4. Target the Right Listeners
Audio platforms offer rich targeting options. Here’s how to use them effectively:
- Demographics: Age, gender, and location—just like other digital ads.
- Contextual: Target by genre or playlist type (e.g., workout, focus, travel).
- Device type: Want people on smart speakers? You can target Echo or Google Home users.
- Behavioral: On Spotify, use first-party data for interests and streaming behavior.
- Advanced move: With DSPs, you can also use your own CRM data or create lookalike audiences to sharpen reach.
5. Optimize and Measure What Matters
| Metric to measure | What it says | Where to track |
|---|---|---|
| Impressions and reach | How many people heard the ad | All major DSPs, Spotify Ad Studio, Amazon DSP |
| Click-through rate (CTR) | If a companion display is used | Spotify Ad Studio, Amazon DSP |
| Listen-through rate | Users who played the whole ad | Spotify Ad Studio, Amazon DSP |
| Lift metrics | Brand recall, consideration | Third-party tracking (e.g. Moat, Veritonic, Podsights) |
| Voice engagement | Alexa actions from audio CTAs | Amazon DSP |
| Podcast performance | Plays, engagement, retention on podcast placements | Apple Podcast Analytics, platforms like Megaphone, Acast |
| Cross-channel insights | Unified view with display, video, or CTV campaigns | DSP dashboards |
6. Expand Into Podcast Ads
If you’re already doing streaming audio advertising, podcasts are a natural next step. There are two ways to buy:
1) Direct host-read sponsorships: Higher trust, less scalable
2) Programmatic podcast ads via platforms like Megaphone or Acast: Scalable, dynamic
Podcasts offer longer storytelling time, and many listeners trust host recommendations more than traditional ads. DSPs often include podcast inventory as part of broader omnichannel buys.
Running ads on audio streaming services is more than uploading an MP3 and hoping for the best. It’s about smart targeting, well-crafted creative, and using the right tools—whether you’re using a demand-side platform for scale or a self-serve option for speed.
As more listeners shift from screens to sound, this channel is becoming a must-have—not just a nice-to-test. The brands that succeed are the ones treating audio with the same focus and sophistication as any other digital channel.
