Spotify ads: the advantages of advertising on Spotify
Spotify has completely changed the way the world listens to and uses music and audio content. As of June 2020, the number of active users with a non-premium account (and, therefore, with an account that broadcasts advertising) was 170 million (out of a total of 290 million active users each month), and according to Spotify First Party Data , people stream music on different platforms for around 2.5 hours a day.
Over the years the data has consistently shown growth of 30% annually, and there doesn’t seem to be any slowdown going on. These numbers, then, clearly show how Spotify is taking the place of radio – including advertising space. In this regard, however, the difference is substantial: unlike radio stations, Spotify knows exactly who is listening using each specific device, and this gives the ad workers the opportunity to exploit targeted messages to the maximum.
Just like Netflix, the video colleague, therefore, Spotify has made precise and almost maniacal customization its cornerstone, to guarantee users an optimal experience. Unlike Netflix, however, Spotify also offers the possibility of using the streaming service for free: not subscribing to Premium means not being able to enjoy some features and, above all, having advertising interludes that cannot be skipped.
In recent years, Spotify has begun to strategically push towards the universe of podcasts (of which the average age of listeners is 26): this effort allows the company to become not only the music streaming company, but the full audio streaming company. Suffice it to say that from September 2020 “The Joe Rogan Experience”, a podcast that boasts 12 million monthly listeners and that did not come off the podium of the most listened to Apple shows (when it was present in the Apple library), is available only and exclusively on Spotify. To these very important acquisitions, Spotify adds original productions, such as the new Michelle Obama podcast.
Spotify advertising: why choose this new advertising channel
Brands need to be present where their consumers are, and they need to find ways to interact with them effectively. And Spotify gives companies the ability to showcase their personality in a whole new way: because users can listen to advertising without interrupting what they are doing. Nielsen market analyzes (December 2018) state that targeted campaigns on Spotify guarantee awareness increased by 2.7 times and intent to buy growth of 5.3 times.
Spotify is able to become the soundtrack of the life of the public, and this trait is undoubtedly the most intimate interaction that any brand can hope to create.
Advertising and Spotify: how it works
Our team will support you not only in choosing the most suitable distribution platform for your brand (desktop or mobile), but also in carefully evaluating the best format for your ads to achieve your KPIs, including:
- Audio: the advertisement starts between one song and another, approximately every quarter of an hour, has a duration of 15 or 30 seconds, cannot be skipped and may contain an image and text;
- Vertical and horizontal videos: the Spotify Video Takeover format guarantees leading viewability rates when compared to industry benchmarks, but you can also choose the Spotify Sponsored Session with clickable banner on mobile, which gives users the opportunity to enjoy 30 minutes of listening without interruptions, in exchange for watching the video;
- Display messages: there is the Overlay that welcomes customers when they reopen the app, Spotify Homepage Takeover that remains clickable on the home for 24 hours and the Leaderboard, available on the desktop, which allows your clickable message to be the only one on the screen for half a minute.
In order for advertising to bring the desired results, we study each campaign in detail, always keeping an eye on the calendar: how long does the specific sale or event you want to promote last? Effective collaboration, in fact, requires careful communication, so as not to forget any detail: this is essential especially when studying the audience you want to reach, since choosing the right audience is the first secret for the success of a campaign.
The customization allowed by Spotify, in this regard, is detailed to the point that it is possible to reduce the kilometer radius of the location to postal codes and, moreover, the platform also allows you to set additional filters:
- Interests derived from previously listened to podcasts and playlists;
- The context in real time: it offers the possibility of intercepting users intent on specific activities (such as cooking, training), in exact moments (such as dinner or a party) and with specific moods (for example concentrated or relaxed). Psychology and marketing meet here;
- The genre of the last song listened to, or rather, the song listened to exactly before the commercial.
Together we will evaluate your target audience (or audiences) and work on a simple and clear message, which invites the listener to do something: whether it is take advantage of a limited time offer, go to a store, visit a website or any final activities you have set as a goal for the campaign.
Tips for advertising on Spotify
To make sure we make the most of Spotify’s potential, we:
- We customize each ad based on the target we are addressing;
Let’s keep the listening experience in mind: the ad must fit perfectly when the listener is found; - We are informal, almost familiar: we do not shout, we do not amplify the sound effects but, on the contrary, we make sure that advertising is inserted in the audio stream almost without the user noticing it;
- We are not verbose, but we outline the message in a clear, short and simple way. We tell a story that listeners can relate to;
We discuss your KPIs with you in advance, because we want to be clear about what we want the listener to do; - We exploit the potential of storytelling. We are creative and use our imagination, not forgetting that the listener tends to associate certain sounds with personal memories: this trait not only completes the story we are telling, but also gives it a more personal and therefore more engaging nuance;
- We look at all channels: audio, video, display, playlists and podcasts, and we’re not afraid to mix to audio and display. Spotify found that this combo causes advertising to be remembered in 24% more cases;
- We keep an eye on the playlists created directly by Spotify, but let’s not forget those created by other users and other brands: Gymshark, for example, has many playlists designed specifically for different types of training and sports;
- We do not underestimate the potential of the podcast channel. Spotify made it possible for ads to be placed on podcasts in early 2020, before that all premium non-subscribers who listened to a particular podcast heard the same ads.
Today it is essential for brands to be where their consumers are and to always find new (and more personal) methods to interact with them: audio is a medium that engages users without having to press keys or swipe their fingers on one. screen. The secret of the success of an advertising campaign on Spotify is correct targeting, because an ad conveyed to the device of the wrong audience can be intrusive. Choosing the right audience, on the other hand, can guarantee great success. If you want to interface with professionals in the sector, do not hesitate to contact us for further information.
