Can Audiomob’s in-game audio ads help artists reach more listeners?

For at least a century, audio consumption has been an integral part of our everyday lives. From radio segments to our favorite streaming outlets, we are in constant contact with different variations of audio — whether it’s in the form of a song, a catchy jingle, or an audio ad featured in the latest mobile gaming experience.

The audio ad format presents an ideal way for both brands and developers to connect with broader audiences (at the start of this year, the worldwide digital audio advertising expenditure stood at around $7.65 billion USD). Programmatic audio advertising allows brands to reach segmented audiences at the most optimal time — while they’re more emotionally engaged with whichever medium they’re interacting with.

Gaming, in particular, isn’t just one of the easiest mediums for audio ads to reach consumers — it’s also pushed the music industry to reach new heights. Since the 90s, music artists with licensed music in games have seen their revenue streams skyrocket — kickstarting a trend that continues to help record labels increase artist awareness. By following this model, can Audiomob’s in-game audio ad format help artists reach more listeners and better connect with their audiences? Let’s take a closer look.

The effectiveness of audio ads as an advertising medium

As the internet continues to advance through more progressive technologies, consumers are continuously finding ways to access audio content in its various forms — such as music streaming platforms (Spotify and Apple Music), podcasts, video game soundtracks and, more recently, video game streaming services (such as Twitch).

Advertisers have long understood the potential that audio has to connect with audiences on an emotional level. A recent study suggests that 96% of brands that link audio with their brand identity are more likely to be remembered and searched by their audiences. It’s no surprise that the expected growth in digital audio ad spending share is huge — it’s been projected to reach up to 37.9% of total digital audio revenues by 2025.

Music and video games have also seen years of intertwinement. From popular game soundtracks (such as those found in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater or the Grand Theft Auto series) to digital concerts in Fortnite, video games have become an essential part of marketing plans for both artists and developers. When players are engaged with a game or a storyline that they love, they’re more likely to form a strong emotional attachment to what they’re connecting with — and music certainly helps facilitate this connection.

Audiomob’s in-game advertising format, which allows audio ads to be inserted into mobile game environments without interrupting the player experience, aptly follows this trend. Just like how Grand Theft Auto players can embark on a thrilling joyride to the tune of a fun, upbeat track playing in the background, audio ads allow audiences to not only be reached while their emotions are heightened, but also through a non-intrusive approach.

How is our audio ad format more engaging than other models?

Audiomob’s format is simple — with an easy-to-install Unity plugin, users can programmatically insert audio ads into mobile games without hassle. Given that 5 out of 10 people are estimated to be mobile gamers, gaming audiences are a logical target. However, why might listeners be easier to target while they’re gaming?

In a study we conducted with YouGov, we determined that 61% of mobile gamers aged 18 to 24 were likely to listen to music while playing. According to the BBC, consumer engagement also reaches 18% when listening to branded audio — also with emotional intensity reaching up to 40%. When coupling this data with the fact that players’ emotional intensity increases during enjoyable activities like gaming, it makes sense that in-game audio ads offer massive potential for artists to achieve greater outreach.

It’s also fitting that the gaming and music industries have developed a symbiotic relationship in more recent years. A great example is Twitch, which became a key destination for artists to perform over live streams when concerts and live acts were put on hold during the pandemic. A survey conducted in mid-2021 revealed that as little as 1 in 3 US-based music listeners now discover music through the popular live-streaming platform.?

Some of the gaming industry’s biggest players have even weighed in on the important link between the two spaces — Geeta Matthews, Head of Music Strategy and Content at Twitch, recently commented on the vital connection between gaming and music audiences: “Gaming and music are intrinsically linked, and much of the culture and fan behavior of our gaming community has resonated and found success with our music community.”

The non-intrusive format of Audiomob’s in-game audio ads also makes them more digestible and malleable for listeners. Unlike interstitial-styled ads that disrupt the user experience (and that aren’t effective with the world’s largest gaming demographics), audio ads are reachable in a way that refrains from disrupting gameplay — ultimately putting the player experience first.

Audio ads are also easy to make, increasing their scalability

What makes the audio ad model even more scalable is the fact that it offers a simple and affordable way for ads to be created. Audio ads generally have low creative requirements and come in simple formats — perks that allow for campaigns to be delivered much faster, all while still being as effective as other forms of digital advertising.?

Audiomob’s Unity plugin seamlessly integrates ads into mobile games, allowing for ad campaigns to be turned around in just 48 hours — a huge contrast when compared to video ads, which can take up to a week to show results. Quicker launch times mean quicker results for music campaigns and promotions that may need to meet tight turnaround times.

Audio ads have higher click-through rates

When compared to other types of in-game advertising, studies show that audio ads also bring higher click-through rates. According to IAB, two-thirds of podcast listeners give the audio their full attention — while Spotify Research also found that after listening to a podcast episode, 81% of listeners researched what they heard.

Earlier this year, Audiomob partnered with veteran rapper Nas to help him promote his new album King’s Disease II. By inserting Audiomob’s audio ads into a series of mobile games with a track sample, he was able to successfully capture the attention of game players before linking them to a small audio-enhanced banner that would directly link them to the full LP.?

Following his campaign with Audiomob, Nas saw his album reach the number-one spot on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart. Thanks to his custom audio ads, he also saw his CTR increase by 1275% when compared to traditional in-game options.

Moreover, artists can receive additional information on the users that click through on their audio ad banners. This provides them with greater visibility and insight into which demographics are best for targeting — such as how many clicks and impressions may have come from a particular region.

Conclusion

With data supporting the benefits of non-intrusive, in-game advertising and the reasons for heightened engagement through gameplay, audio ads clearly have the potential to give artists and labels high reach within a lucrative market of gamers. Mobile gaming shows no sign of slowing down — and neither does digital audio consumption.

In light of his successful campaign, Nas’ marketing team has remarked on the “seamless” guidance Audiomob’s audio ad format provided into the mobile gaming landscape — allowing them to attain an “expansive reach and an exciting opportunity to connect with even more fans.” With in-game audio ads being an effective, affordable, and engaging marketing tool, we hope more artists recognize their potential to reach more listeners on a wider scale.