A brand lift survey by Stitcher, Midroll and Signal Hill Insights set out to tackle this question: Do host-read podcast ads outperform announcer read ads?
The answer? A resounding yes.
Four ads (two for emerging brands and two for established brands) were played on the same podcast for 692 podcast listeners. The effectiveness of each ad was studied through survey data. The report included these key findings:
- Host-read ads outperformed announcer reads for all four brands.
- 58% of the listeners exposed to host-read ads for the established brands correctly recalled the brand name, compared to 35% of those who heard the announcer reads.
- After hearing the host-read ads for emerging brands, 27% of listeners could recall the brand, compared to 17% who heard the announcer reads.
According to the report, “The good news is that all the ads we tested, announcer-read and host-read, generated a healthy amount of lift. Confirming what we’ve seen in the dozens of brand lift studies we’ve conducted, as a platform, podcast ads just work. However, host-read ads work even better.”
The idea that host-read ads outperform produced podcast ads is not new to SMI. “This report confirms what Strategic Media has known – that host-read ads perform better compared to their produced counterparts,” said Andrew Nelson, Audio Production Engineer. “This is what sets podcasting apart from other audio mediums.”
According to Inside Radio, “two-thirds of podcast advertising is already host-read.” But at SMI, that percentage is much higher. More than 85% of the podcast ads created by our agency to date have been read by hosts.
“Host-read podcast ads are the key factor in the success of podcast campaigns,” said Podcast Strategist Lisa Risk. “That is why we encourage host-reads for our clients whenever possible.”
To boost your podcast advertising effectiveness with the help of an established podcast advertising agency, contact SMI today.