There are some important differences between dynamic 30-second ads and host-read sponsorships that you need to consider
If you have allocated a paid spend budget but still don’t really know what is the best way to spend it… we are here to help. We have previously written on how you can set up your paid podcast ad campaign, so this time we are talking about the different options you have for your audio ad investment – afterall, knowing what is the best option for YOUR show might be confusing, but it doesn’t have to be! Here is how we would decide if your budget should go towards a 30-second dynamically inserted ad or a host read:
Targeted and Scalable Dynamically Inserted Spot Ads
Sometimes referred to as DIAs, dynamic ads are essentially ad spots that get programmatically placed into podcast episodes of your choosing. To get started, you will need to write and come up with a convincing creative and then you can distribute it based on different shows, their genres, or even demographics, locations or devices of people listening. DIAs are great for:
- Targeting – because they are programmatic, they can target specific audience segments across a variety of shows. Meaning your ad might see higher conversion if you target a more specific audience.
- Scalability – all you need is one ad! Even if we would recommend you do episodic ads and have multiple creatives that hit upon different points of the show, you can technically just do it with the one really strong creative
- Multitude – the most important thing with marketing is the number of touchpoints. You are more likely to spend your budget to get people to listen to an ad more than once, and there is strength in numbers. Especially if you have a smaller budget, spot ads might give you more touchpoints.
- Pivoting – it is easier to refresh your campaign with DIAs. You can simply re-record your 30 second ad and reinsert it, keeping the message relevant to today’s listeners.
- Trackability – depending on what you are after, you can easily track impressions, conversions and any other clickthrough metrics for your campaign. Read our blog on how ad tracking works for the full picture.
But the downsides of dynamic ads? They can lack trust. They can feel less personal and because they aren’t organically created for the podcast you are advertising across, they will resemble a traditional radio ad rather than an endorsement. This could potentially make some people less likely to act upon the CTA in your ad altogether.
VS. Authentic Host Read Ads
Host Read ads sit on the opposite side of spot ads when it comes to trustworthiness. Instead, they feel organically woven into the podcast episodes (but not so seamlessly that makes them non-CAP compliant!). The way this method of advertising works is by you deciding on specific shows that you think would be the best audience or genre matches, and then reaching out to them either directly, or through an agency like us (at NO extra fees) to ask them to endorse your podcast. These ads feel more:
- Authentic – because the ads are read out by the hosts themselves, and we would recommend actually giving the hosts quite little about the podcast to go from so they can make it feel authentic to them, they leverage trust. They feel more credible and audiences trust recommendations from hosts they already know and support.
- Have Higher Engagement – podcast ads play either at the start (pre-roll), the middle (mid-roll) or the end of a show (end-roll). The same happens with host-read ads, except because people are more interested in hearing what the host of their favourite podcast has to say, they are less likely to skip them! A familiar voice drives engagement.
- Have Strong Brand Association – a host-read ad can feel more like a recommendation from a friend, rather than a big corporate ad. This can make
And their downsides? Mostly it comes down to time and budget. Host-read ads can be more expensive because you are taking up the hosts’ time, and they may also be harder to organise. Some ads are baked straight into episodes and remain there when the campaigns end, while others simply might need more lead time to organise and go live.
So How Do You Choose?
Go for Spot Ads/DIAs if: You want people to hear your ad more than once (and with higher frequency) and you want precise demographic targeting, rather than podcast/genre targeting.
Go for Host-Read Ads if: You care about trust and brand perception. You are more likely to get a deeper audience engagement and longer-lasting impression with host reads. Plus, if you have a podcast in mind that you KNOW will convince others to go to your show – this could be your key to success.
Go for Both if: You have the budget! A mixed approach is always better. Remember – you want to have as many touchpoints as you can for your show, so the more the merrier (if budgets permit).
Remember: You do not have to do this alone. We charge NO AGENCY FEES for podcast ads and you will get the same rates through us as going directly to the shows. Plus, you’d get our tracking tools and our team’s expertise – kind of the dream, don’t you think?