A lot has been said about the effectiveness of podcast advertising, which can largely be attributed to its host-read ads. But what is the agency’s role in ensuring a podcast ad’s success?
First, an agency provides podcast hosts with talking points. The talking points are not a script to be read verbatim, but rather a list of thought starters, the main selling points of the product or service, and a call-to-action that includes a compelling offer. The talking points should offer enough breathing room for the host to endorse the product or service in his or her own words.
Once the ad is running, the data tracking process begins. SMI’s robust analytics enable us to track which podcasts—and the host reads within each podcast— that are generating the best response. As with our radio ads, we can identify exactly how many listeners visit the URL or text the number in a podcast ad’s call-to-action. We then calculate the average cost per lead. Often by listening to host reads from top-performing shows, we can pinpoint the strengths of a host’s delivery or word choice, which we can then use to optimize the talking points or coach podcast hosts.
Recent studies have proven the effectiveness of podcast advertising. But to scale a brand’s messaging on a truly large scale, advertisers should not overlook the combined power of a marketing mix that includes broadcast radio’s massive reach along with podcasting.
To learn more about how to advertise on podcasts or how to get a commercial on the radio, contact SMI today.