DIGITAL AUDIO ADVERTISING: A GREAT FORMAT TO STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD!

Of course, when thinking about digital audio, you immediately think about the podcast format, which has been growing over the past few years. But it also includes radio replay, smart radio, web radio and musical streaming (on platforms such as Spotify or Apple Music). This way of consuming content is now definitely anchored into web users’ daily lives. Indeed, 8 out of 10 listen to at least one audio support each day. That’s why digital audio advertising can represent a great opportunity for you, marketer, and your brand’s communication strategy.
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1 - WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT DIGITAL AUDIO FORMATS ON THE MARKET?

There are five digital audio supports you should know about.

1. Audio replay
   This format refers to programs broadcasted on the radio being replayed. The content is available on the Internet (in delayed streaming), or on a download platform (in podcast format).
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2. Smart radio
   This term refers to radio programs that can be customized by the user, according to diverse criteria, such as musical genres or artists.
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3. Podcasting
   Podcasting refers to the automatic download to non-linear audio programs, via syndication or live streaming.
   20% of Belgian say they have listened to a podcast in the last month, and 58% of listeners are less than 35 years old.
   This medium’s impact is huge. In fact, its memorization rate is considered 4.4 times higher than other digital formats. Moreover, 61% of the exposed population consider buying the product after hearing an ad in a podcast - which is 10% more than through other digital mediums.
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4. Webradio or digital radio
   This refers to a radio operated and broadcast through the Internet, which is simultaneously received by online users.
   Did you know that, for the first time in 2020, adults have spent more time listening to digital audio than traditional radio?
   Digital radio is also the format that has the highest impact of them all on consumers. 55% of users exposed through webradio recognize the ad, whereas this figure drops to 42% through traditional radio. Furthermore, the desire to research about the brand after being exposed to this kind of digital audio ad is multiplied by 1.5 against traditional radio.
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5. Audio streaming
   This format refers to on-demand online audio services, classified by tracks, artists, albums or playlists.
   Some of the most renowned audio streaming platforms include Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Google Play Music and the french Deezer.
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2 - WHO LISTENS TO THIS KIND OF CONTENT?

Consumers listening to digital audio formats, and exposed to digital audio ads, are mainly sedentary, and listen to this content on a mobile device.
On a socio-demographic level, active and urban men, aged 15 to 34, are over-represented.
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3 - WHO ARE THE MAIN PLAYERS OF THE DIGITAL AUDIO ADS MARKET?

Discover our digital audio advertising market’s (non-exhaustive) mapping:

4 - WHY INVEST IN DIGITAL AUDIO ADVERTISING?

1 - To spread your key-messages in a more intimate way
The first opportunity that lies in digital audio advertising is the fact that 82% of audio listening happens when the consumer is alone. This means this kind of digital ads can reach users in their most intimate moments.
Furthermore, 65% of digital audio is consumed while at home (against 55% of direct radio being listened to while driving). As a consequence, you can reach users in a favorable environment.

2 - To generate incremental traffic
First and foremost, digital audio ads fosters traffic generation and research for more information. 55% of listeners listen to this format while doing something else on the Internet (against 26% for traditional radio). What a great way to start taking in more information about your brand, right?
Moreover, it is proven that digital audio advertising triggers an active interest for the brand. In fact, 81% of consumers start an action (searching for information about the product, following the brand on Social Media…) after having listened to a sponsored podcast.

3 - To target the right users in real-time, and expand your audience.
With this kind of digital advertising, you get access to a lot of data, to optimize even more your reach and the relevance of your messaging:

• Data Unify by TF1 (exclusively offered by Gamned!): This targeting option represents 30 unique visitors in France, on a Premium network. There are more than 850 precise segments you can activate to generate relevant conversions (parenthood, beauty, food, high tech…).
• Data platforms and publishers, including logged data on streaming platforms. There are tons of targeting criteria, such as socio-demographic data, times of the day, artists or musical genre, geolocation, devices…
• Third party behavioral data you can activate with online ad networks and partners such as Nielsen, Adsquare or Google.
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4 - To take advantage of a growing market
Indeed, 86% of music listeners are using on-demand streaming, and 87% say they have listened to the radio in the last few months. To top it all off, the number of podcasts listeners around the globe has increased by 367%.

5 - To invest in other formats than display ads
In 2018, display advertising represented 10.4M€ and, in 2019, it grew to 13,8M€. This 32% increase shows this format is used more and more by brands, making it less cost-effective than digital audio advertising.

Discover what programmatic advertising is
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5 - CONCRETE USE CASES

Let’s imagine a recrutement brand.
‍This brand is looking for a good way to promote the fact that one of its clients is recruiting welders in a specific region, through an optimized digital ad. The advertiser chooses to launch an audio branding campaign, using the companion ad format.
The choice of device focuses on the very specific region he wants to target, selecting a few nearby cities, plus targets only one device (desktop), and a distribution platform (Spotify).
Its results are staggering: it reaches a 98% completion rate and a cost per 100% completed ad of 0.015€.‍

Now let’s focus on an advertiser in the humanitarian sector.
This non-profit wants to promote its brand through a participative concept.
The goal of this programmatic radio campaign is to promote the concept of humanity to a young audience, and boost the listeners’ participation, to co-create a project: write and create a track that raises awareness for a better world.
The 8 seconds digital audio ad was broadcasted on audio streaming apps (Spotify, Deezer and Soundcloud), to reach a young target-audience in a musical environment.
The results reach the advertiser’s viewability goals: a 93% completion rate, and a cost of full listening of 0.03 €.
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6 - WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT DIGITAL AUDIO ADVERTISING FORMATS AVAILABLE?

1. Audio ad format
   This format helps draw the user’s attention in moments when he or she doesn’t look at the screen. Furthermore, it’s an impactful communication format via 100% SOV.
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2. Video format
   The video advertising format is launched when the user is active on the platform.
   It is undeniable that the completion rate and visibility will be very high.
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3. Companion ad format
   This format reinforces the brand’s message thanks to highly visible and engaging mobile advertising visuals.
   Moreover, it maximises the ad’s reach, for competitive pricing and a good ROI.

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7 - SMART SPEAKERS: A TREND USERS LOVE IN 2021!

The hype around smart speakers (such as Amazon’s Alexa or the Google Home device) has been growing the past few years.
Here is a figure to prove it: mi-1, already 40% of Belgians wanted to buy a smart speaker. Note that 90% of those users wanted to do so to listen to music.

8 - NEED MORE INFO OR INSIGHTS?