Westwood One Study: Podcast Ads Shine in Driving Call-​to-​Action Metrics

BY Kathy Crosett
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If your clients haven’t explored the topic of podcast advertising, they’re in the minority. At least 70% of marketers have considered, or have already shifted money into, podcast advertising. This relatively recent marketing format is quickly gaining ground. The latest research shows that marketers who employ unique creativity will generate the best ROI on their podcast ad investments.

The Power of Audio

Like the radio format, podcast advertising relies heavily on audio to attract attention and interest and to leave an impression on listeners. Westwood One has just completed a test with the Advertising Benchmark Index that “evaluates every type of brand creative across all media.” The test compared podcast, TV and online video ads for several brands across key marketing metrics: branding, messaging, reputation and call to action.

In most of these categories, podcast ads ranked as well as TV or online video ads. For example, brand scores for a personal grooming subscription service company ad heard on a podcast came in at 104. For TV ads, the comparable score was 103. 

Consumers also gave the nod to podcast ads when they indicated whether they’d talked about or considered purchasing a product. The personal grooming subscription service company came in top place with a ‘talk’ score of 139 after consumers heard the podcast ad. For a popular watch brand, TV and podcast ads were the same at 111.

The Key to Audio Success

Not all podcast ads do well. Analysts caution brands to state the benefits of the product or service quickly in these ads. Consumers will pay attention if your clients get right to the point about how what they’re offering is the best option. In addition, marketers must “make the brand the hero of the story.” This strategy aligns with the goal of most podcasts, which is to tell a story that the consumer wants to hear.

To learn more about who’s listening to podcasts, check out the AudienceSCAN profile available from AdMall at SalesFuel​.com.


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