Audio Companion Ads: Augmenting Your Brand’s Audio Messages

Thanks to programmatic audio, publishers, and advertisers now have additional avenues to reach their audiences, even when gazing at a screen isn't an option. As a new concept, programmatic audio inventory is gaining traction and becoming more popular. Users are more likely to stay online 24 hours a day, seven days a week after the Internet of Things (IoT) and the COVID-19 lockdown.

The fact that people are always connected to the internet has opened up new opportunities for marketers to collect important data and information at every consumer touchpoint and use it to target the right audience at the right time. Even though some people still don't know about all the possibilities that constant connectivity opens up, audio advertising is on the rise because it keeps people from getting tired of screens and getting too much of what they see.

In addition to all of the programmatic audio ad formats, audio companion ads have the potential to increase the efficacy of your brand messages even further. A companion audio ad can amplify the impact of your business message and encourage more user interaction. Advertisers and publishers alike have a lot to gain from audio companion ads because most people prefer to listen to podcasts or music while working out, playing sports, or traveling. Even better, advertisers and publishers can use this audio programmatic format to make money from their apps, which is expected to lead to a rise in media consumption.

Using programmatic audio, VDO.AI can streamline the purchasing and selling of digital audio ads and also leverage new forms for advertising experiences that are engaging, targeted, and efficient. In order to ensure that the correct message reaches the right person at the right time, we personalize the audio creative for each listener.

The Rise of Programmatic Audio Ads

A few years back, Google made an official announcement to launch a programmatic audio advertising platform, wherein Spotify generated revenues of almost 94% reportedly after the implementation of the audio ad format. The acquisition of ad tech platform AdsWizz by Pandora, the newly-formed programmatic audio collaboration of SoundCloud with iHeartradio, the merger of Panoply with Tunein are some of the substantial precedents which proves the effectiveness of programmatic audio ads worldwide.?

According to the IAB advertising report published in 2019, the revenue from programmatic audio ads reached $2.7 billion. Statista has predicted that audio ad spending will account for $8,594 by the end of 2024.

As the online ecosystem provides favorable conditions to interact and engage with the audience, brands leave no stone unturned to use it to their advantage. Programmatic audio formats do not just boost brand awareness; they also draw attention to targeted actions.?

Audio Companion Ads: What Are They?

Audio companion advertising, also known as companion display advertisements, are clickable companion static banners with a business logo and/or a call-to-action displayed alongside playable audio content. Brands may leverage audio companion ads to drive traffic to a specific URL in a distraction-free environment and create a personalized ad experience. Companion audio ad is a common type of programmatic audio advertising that is placed on audio content such as digital radio, podcasts, and music streaming services. It automates the ad selling and placement process by utilizing algorithmic buying technology.

Even though they don't have the same material as a typical audio ad, companion audio ads fall under this category because they run at the same time as the regular ads. All in all, the audio track is used to advertise them in the audio unit with the playing ad content.

With the use of audio companion banners, a brand's audio advertising can be bolstered. With the use of audio companion banners, a brand's audio advertising can be bolstered. Brands can make a strong visual connection between the brand message and the audience, which encourages customers to interact with the brand outside of the clickable ad.

Spotify, for example, plays audio companion advertising every 30 minutes to free customers. In order to allow the user to interact with the ad at a later time, certain ads remain visible after the music has finished playing. Users don't have to do anything, and these ads don't interrupt the playlist from playing as it did prior to the ad.

Audio Companion Banners: How Do They Work?

Display ads or illustrations that appear in conjunction with audio content are known as "companion audio ads." Ads like this typically have clickable links that take viewers to the brand's website, where they can learn more about the audio ad that goes along with it. Such programmatic audio ads depend on what the publishers can do with their players, so they may not be shown in all cases.

You should always make sure that your audio display ads have intriguing elements that match well with your audio messaging because audio display ads make it easier for people to understand your audio ad content or message. Add a logo or a "call to action" button to your audio companion ad to make it more powerful.

Audio Companion Banner Ads: How Effective Are They ?

Leveraging audio companion ads in your programmatic audio? strategy brings a myriad of benefits to your business.

Enhances the brand's message

In order to keep your brand's message relevant, you can use companion audio ads to help spread it. Users are more likely to feel a personal connection to a business when they see and hear engaging visuals combined with powerful audio and imagery.

It's simple to keep tabs on

Audio companion ads, like video ads, aid in the measurement of audio content's effectiveness. The following metrics can be used to evaluate the success of an advertising campaign:

• Ad impressions: Ad tagging can let you keep track of campaigns across music streaming applications and audio podcasts.
• Monitor campaign's performance: Companion advertising can be used to monitor the campaign's performance.
• Downloads: It is also possible to keep track of the overall number of programmes that have been downloaded.

Drives user engagement

Users are more likely to convert when audio ads play in the background while they are browsing the web. As opposed to searching for the brand or product online mentioned in the audio ad, clicking on the banner ad in the audio content is considerably simpler. Audio ads, such as companion audio ads, have a 24 percent higher engagement rate, according to Nielsen Media Lab. The Midroll Media Report says that 60% of podcast listeners who heard an audio ad made a purchase after hearing it.

Effective when video ads fail

Is there a way to get in touch with customers while they're driving, jogging, or listening to their favorite podcasts? With audio, you may make an impact on your target audience even if you don't have any visual contact. A good audio ad can help the marketer get their message across when all that's available to them is the audience's ears.

Useful Tips to Create Audio Companion Banners

By using these helpful tips and tricks, you can make great audio ads to go with your audio-based marketing messages.

• Companion banner ads are optimized for the ad format in which they will appear. To get the best results, it's important to have display options in different sizes that work on both desktop and mobile screens.
• Include a CTA, preferably one that is visible, to reinforce the audio ad's message. It will strengthen your brand's messaging and motivate users to take more action.
• Ensure that the brand logo is included in the audio advertisement.
• The banner should be eye-catching and connect naturally to the audio content.
• The relationship between the banner ad and the audio content should be complementary. The visual component should complement the audio content.
• Keep the audio companion ad simple so that the user will keep listening to the audio.

How Crucial is the Companion Audio Ad's CTR?

Although CTR is a good indicator of user engagement in companion audio ads, it is not the only metric that can be used to measure the performance of an audio campaign. However, impression is what actually matters in audio advertisements.

According to a Nielsen Media Lab study in 2017, audio companion advertising outperformed display banners in ad recall by 24%. The more channels your audio ad is placed on, the greater the likelihood that it will have a positive impact on consumer perceptions of your brand as a whole and provide you with a significant boost. Clicks do, in fact, provide an immediate indicator of consumers' level of engagement. Also, because audio listeners tend to do more than one thing at a time, they are more likely to buy later on another platform after being exposed to their products through advertising.

The Future of Audio Companion Ads in Audio Messaging

Listening to audio content, such as podcasts, is growing in popularity at an exponential rate.

An IAB and PriceWaterhouseCoopers analysis found that programmatic audio ads like podcast companion ads generated $220 million in revenue in 2017, an 85 percent increase over the previous year's data.

The primary advantage of audio advertising is that it does not rely on screens to convey your business message. It lets advertisers and publishers expand their advertising strategies in a way that is easy to understand and fills in gaps in the customer journey.

In order to attract ad revenues in dollars from businesses who are looking for ways to connect with the listening audience, brands, publishers, and content creators must continue to develop and innovate. They might use the audio age and technology to connect with customers and make money in a whole new way. Customization has given us more alternatives to tailor our messages and deliver them in a way that our audiences will like and appreciate.

VDO.AI is a global ad tech company that offers creative and profitable programmatic advertising solutions to publishers and advertisers who want their audio companion ads to give users a seamless experience.