Forrester Study on In-stream Audio Advertising

How many of us actually PAY for Pandora?
I know I don’t. I am happy to get all my channels for free in exchange for short ads here and there. As long as the ads are relevant to me, I won’t worry a bit.
This article from Mobile Marketer Daily made me think this could definitely be an untapped market for many of our clients…until I talked to our experts, Digital Project Managers Denise Bulgin and Amanda Wagner. Turns out they already plan and implement campaigns across many mobile listening platforms.
Denise says this type of interactive media is something she regularly recommends to her clients. “I encourage many of my clients to give in-stream audio a try.  Brand recall and engagement with in-stream ads typically preform better than traditional audio campaigns.  It gives advertisers the ability to reduce waste by targeting their specific audience with measurable results for an economical price.”
So what kind of campaigns does this medium make sense for? Amanda says that branding is best. “In-stream audio advertising is ideal for branding campaigns. Whether a listener is tuned in on their mobile device or desktop, they generally just have the music playing in the background and are not actively looking at that screen.  They’re less likely to see the complimentary banner ad that is showing. They’re even less likely to click or take an immediate action.”

What about the targeting? I asked Amanda how she’d explain to a client the value of ads on Pandora or TuneIn Radio. With so many options for online listening, she believes there’s a lot of opportunity. “I’d tell them this is a great opportunity to reach your target audience with your brand message via their mobile device or computer.  You have a prospect’s complete attention for 15 or 30 seconds – clutter free!  Combined with great targeting abilities, in-stream audio advertising not only offers clutter-free ad space, but you can also ensure that you are reaching your exact audience and won’t have wasted impressions.”
Our digital specialist Taylor Chatterton has run in-stream audio ads for Pandora for several of our clients. She says there’s no doubting the effectiveness and value. “This hybrid of radio and online display is hard to beat. Pandora is less expensive and more efficient than traditional radio, with the more interaction than you get with standard banner campaign, particularly with mobile. It’s a great addition to any campaign.”
In-steam audio is a fantastic opportunity, and it’s becoming easier and easier to do. Give us a shout if you’d like to learn more! One of our digital team members will help.