Audience Data: Optimizing Your Buy to Reach The Right Listeners

Magna Media Trials in partnership with Sirius XM conducted a study to explore the value of using advanced data to reach digital audio users.  They compared the success of using first and third-party data against using demographics alone. 

The results were eye-opening to say the least, showing both 1st and 3rd party data providing a larger return on listener responsiveness and engagement versus targeting solely against demographics.

As Podcast News Daily summarized it, “First-party data delivered a 52% increase in aided ad recall while audiences bought using third-party data had a 42% increase in aided ad recall. That compared to a 34% increase for recall among music streamers targeted using traditional demographic parameters.”

“This data shows that if brands are only leveraging demographic audiences in their digital audio buys, they are not leveraging the full power of digital audio and are leaving some effectiveness and cost efficiencies on the table,” says Kara Manatt, Executive VP of Intelligence Solutions at Magna. (source: Podcast News Daily)

What does this mean for podcast ad buyers? 

Taking a comprehensive approach to ad buying is still the way to go. Demographic targeting can be beneficial depending on the goal of the campaign, however, 1st and 3rd party data matching is proving to show significant impact on response and direct engagement for less investment. 

Regardless, your marketing messaging needs to resonate with the target audience by following some of these strategic guidelines. 

• Know Your Audience:
  • Understand the demographics, interests, and preferences of your target audience to guide the tone, language, and content of your message.
• Align with Podcast Content:
  • This one is important! Ensure your message aligns with the theme and tone of the podcast. You want this to maintain a seamless listening experience for the audience.
• Tell a Compelling Story:
  • Like any advertising message- you need to give the listener the reason they need or want to hear it. Craft a narrative that engages them emotionally to make your message memorable and relatable.
• Keep it Concise:
  • Attention spans are very short these days! Your ad should be concise and to the point to avoid losing the audience’s attention.
• Incorporate Call-to-Action (CTA):
  • You need this to move the listener from inaction to action immediately. Encourage listeners to visit a website, use a promo code, or take another specific action right then.
• Test and Iterate:
  • Obviously you will want to experiment with different messages to see which one resonates and performs the best. A/B testing for a strategic period of time will offer up data you can then base decisions on for your next campaign. 

By combining these elements and working with the experienced podcast professionals at Podbean, you can create advertising messages that not only reach your target audience in the podcasting space but also resonate with them, leading to higher engagement and conversions. Reach out to the advertising experts at Podbean today to help you find your ideal listening audience!