All you need to do is take a ride on the New York City subway to understand the tremendous potential ofprogrammatic audio. Headphones jammed in ears, the subway riders are some of the anticipated 180 million digital audio listeners of podcasts and radio in the US this year (200 million by 2019). With consumers listening on their commute and often while at work, marketers have more moments to reach their target audience.
It’s all about audiences
Unlike buying spots focused on artists and location, programmatic audio varies from traditional radio by being audience-driven. By pooling data, marketers can create data strategies from a centralized place.
Because you can apply the same layering in audio as you can with display or video, you can still create personalized targeting based on geography, demographics, contextual and more. In the future, targeting around mood will become likely.
It’s all ears
The unique thing about digital audio is that a consumer doesn’t need to be looking at their device to receive an ad. Plus, audio is fluid—users might listen to the same music-streaming service, for instance, on their commute in their car and in the office, providing more opportunities for continuity in advertising messages.
This increases the opportunities to engage with your audience while they are suffering through a frustrating commute home, getting ready for an evening out, cooking dinner or working out.
It’s brand-safe
A lack of transparency and viewability around other ad channels opens the door for audio to become a well-measured, brand-safe channel. There is not as much of the risk of user-generated content or ad misplacement like there is on social platforms. As part of the IAB’s openRTB 2.4 protocol, audio can be standardized across supply touchpoints, and also measured via completion rate.
It’s the right time to invest in audio. It’s “always on,” just like we are.