Pandemic boosts audio ads
One of the hottest media trends for 2021 is “screen-free media” and audio will benefit. “Voice and audio have gotten an unexpected boost from the pandemic,” advertising giant Carat says in its annual report on trends in advertising.
“In 2021 we expect there to be a significant increase in audio advertising as both brands and platforms realize its value and power,” the report says stressing that YouTube has announced audio-only advertising as an option to marketers for people using its site to listen – but not watch – content.
The intersection of streaming audio, podcasts, smart speakers and voice search and controls is stressed by Dan Calladine, Head of Media Futures, and Sean Healy, Chief Strategy Officer, who wrote the report.
“Digital audio is also growing fast, and targeting can be similar to digital video. Brands’ audio strategies are expanding from voice search and podcasting to advertising and audio identities.”
Technology is driving that evolution said Carat. It points out that both Pandora and Spotify have been experimenting with ads that allow a listener to interact by using voice controls.
“Digital audio is a growing area for advertising because of creativity like this, but also because it is getting easier to target more creatively,” said the Carat report. “There is also so much more content now with the boom in podcasting.”
Carat advices marketers to develop an audio strategy to not only place spots, but to ”literally adopt a distinctive voice and sound for their brands.”
It also said that brands need to find ways to reach their target audience with new advertising and content channels.
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