Creating an audio marketing strategy can be a powerful way to connect with your target audience. Audio marketing can feel like a quiet, under-the-radar marketing strategy that consumers engage with without even knowing it.
You might be listening to a podcast or radio show driving down the road, exposed to audio-based campaigns without realizing it.
In this article, we’re talking about digital audio advertising and why your business needs it.
We’ll cover:
- What is audio marketing, and how do digital audio ads work
- 5+ steps to create and execute your audio marketing strategy
- How effective audio marketing is, and
- If it’s really worth it
Let’s get into it!
What Is Audio Marketing?
Audio marketing is a content marketing channel that uses audio to share the marketing message with consumers:
- Podcasts
- Music streaming apps
- Smart speakers, and
- Traditional radio.
You’ll create audio content that is informative, educational, engaging, entertaining, and/or inspiring, which can take the form of:
- Podcasts
- Radio ads
- Music streaming ads, and
- Voice-activated ads.
With the growing popularity of audio content, incorporating an audio marketing strategy into your overall marketing plan is a smart way to reach more of your target audience.
Other interesting stats:
- By 2026, it’s estimated that 193 million people will listen to audio on their smartphones every month.
- In 2023, digital audio ad and subscription revenue is projected to climb 13.9, estimated to pass 24 billion by 2026
- U.S. ad spending is expected to pass 7 billion dollars in spending
- Digital audio adoption is highest among younger generations, 16 to 24-year-olds.
How can businesses use this to grow their company?
Use audio channels, including podcasting, to reach their target customer using the power of audio content.
Audio content is effective for marketing for a few reasons:
- Audience connection: Audio has the power to connect with an audience on an emotional level.
- Storytelling: Telling stories can produce a memorable, lasting experience for listeners.
- Brand awareness: The opportunity to build brand awareness and increase awareness exists.
- Sales driver: Audio is an excellent channel to capture new customers and drive sales.
To create an effective marketing strategy, it is important to understand your target audience and their preferences.
You should also consider the type of audio content that will resonate with your audience, the platforms that they are most likely to use, and the metrics that you will use to measure the success of your campaign.
Here’s our 6-step plan for creating your own audio marketing strategy.
5+ Steps For Creating Your Audio Marketing Strategy
Ready to create your audio marketing strategy? Here’s the step-by-step guide to follow.
Identify Your Target Audience
Creating your audio marketing strategy starts with your audience. Identify your target market and think about the people you want to reach with your marketing.
- What are their interests?
- What are their behaviors and needs?
- How do they consume audio content?
Understanding your target audience is a critical first step in creating your audio marketing strategy.
Hone In On Audience Interests
The next step in the process is to hone in on your audience’s interests.
- What are the topics and themes that are most important to them?
- What types of content do they enjoy consuming?
Understanding your audience’s interests will help you create audio content that resonates with them and keeps them engaged.
Define The Audio Channels They Listen To
In addition to understanding your audience’s interests, it’s important to know the audio channels they listen to:
- Podcasts
- Radio
- Streaming services like Spotify and others.
Whether you want to start a Spotify podcast or invest in radio ads, by understanding where your audience is consuming audio content, you can ensure that your marketing efforts are targeted and effective.
How do you uncover where your audience is consuming audio content?
There are many ways you can learn where your audience consumes their audio content:
- Conduct audience surveys
- Review customer feedback
- Analyze website analytics
- Monitor social media interactions
- Review industry reports and studies
- Explore multiple audio channels to see which one performs best.
What tools can you use to conduct audience research?
Tools like Google Analytics, Survey Monkey, Facebook, Instagram, and other resources can be used to perform research.
Google Analytics is excellent for drilling down and looking at the metrics on your website. Look at user behavior to uncover patterns related to audio content engagement.
For example, you can look at heatmaps to see where your audience clicks on your site, how they interact with your content, and if they socially share or not. Hotjar is an excellent tool for heatmapping that you can check out.
Survey Monkey and social networks like Facebook, Instagram, and other social channels are excellent for conducting polls. You can poll your audience to ask them the burning questions you want to know:
- Where do they consume audio content?
- What are their favorite podcasts, audio channels, etc.?
- Would they enjoy consuming your content over audio?
Identify When And Where They Listen
Another important consideration when creating an audio marketing strategy is to identify when and where your audience is listening to audio content.
Do they listen during their daily commute, while working out, or while cooking dinner?
Understanding your audience’s routine can help you create an audio content strategy that fits seamlessly into their schedule.
Create Your Audio Marketing Plan
Next, you’ll create your audio plan.
This plan should outline the types of audio content you will create, the channels you will use, and the timing of your marketing efforts.
You’ll produce high-quality audio content relevant to your target audience. When it comes to content quality, having the right equipment is important. You want audio clips and your marketing message to be clear and crisp.
For podcasting especially, investing in audio equipment is something you should consider.
Podcasting for business is a great way to reach your consumers using a branded podcast. A lot goes into the podcast creation process, like:
- Planning and researching your content
- Choosing relevant topics to speak about
- Scheduling times for recording
- Creating a high-quality setup
- Crafting a well-performing marketing strategy.
These mindblowing podcasting statistics will make you want to jump on this marketing option today!
This step-by-step guide on how to podcast for business will walk you through the process to make it easier to start.
Set Measurable Targets And Execute
Finally, it’s important to set measurable targets for your audio marketing strategy and execute your plan.
This may include goals for audience engagement, lead generation, or sales.
By setting clear targets and tracking your progress, you can ensure that your marketing strategy is effective and delivers results.
By following these steps, you can create an audio marketing strategy that resonates with your target audience and helps you achieve your business goals.
What Are The Best Audio Marketing Channels?
There are a bunch of different directions you can take your audio marketing strategy.
Here’s a look at some of the best audio marketing channels to consider:
- Podcasts: An audio medium where one or more hosts discuss a range of topics. You can launch an Apple podcast or host on another platform to increase your podcast listener reach. Businesses can sponsor podcasts. You can also refer affiliate offers and direct sell products or services to monetize the podcast.
- Streaming platforms: Examples include Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music. You can use a streaming platform to explore audio ads.
- Audiobooks and audio content: Create and distribute audiobooks and audio content through platforms like Audible as a way to connect with your target audience.
- Voice search and voice assistants: Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are examples. Use this channel for voice-activated advertising.
- Radio ads: Ads on terrestrial and digital radio stations.
- Audio social networks: Explores social audio networks like Clubhouse, where brands host rooms for discussions.
- Interactive audio ads: This type of ad allows customers to interact and engage with it. Platforms like Spotify offer this.
The audio channel you choose will be dependent on your niche and audience. Remember to consider your audience’s interests and preferences to determine the best audio marketing channel to align with your overall marketing strategy.
How Effective Is Audio Marketing?
Audio marketing is a highly effective way to reach your target audience and communicate your message.
We know that nearly 80% of U.S. American adults listen to podcasts alone. Pouring your efforts into audio marketing is a wise decision and will come with a ton of benefits.
Here are a few reasons why:
1. High Engagement
Audio marketing has a high level of engagement because it appeals to the senses and emotions of the listener. When people listen to audio, they are more likely to be fully engaged with the content because they are not distracted by visual elements.
Your audience will feel connected to the content on a personal and emotional level. This is an extremely effective way to build brand awareness in a memorable way.
2. Easy To Consume
Audio marketing is easy to consume because it can be listened to while doing other activities such as driving, exercising, or working. This makes it a convenient way for people to learn about your brand and products.
3. Cost-Effective
It can be a cost-effective way to reach your target audience. Compared to other forms of advertising, such as TV or print, audio marketing can be produced and distributed at a lower cost.
For example, according to this source, the average CPM for audio ads is $10 to $30, compared to a CPM of $25 to $35 for social media ads. This means you can reach more people with less money.
Win-win!
4. Targeted Advertising
With programmatic audio ads, companies will be able to target their audience, customizing their marketing strategy according to:
- Demographics
- Behaviors, and
- Interests.
Overall, audio marketing is a highly effective way to reach your target audience and communicate your message. By leveraging the power of sound, you can engage with your audience in a way that is convenient, cost-effective, and highly targeted.
Is audio marketing a strategy you’ll start using in your business?
