Audio Marketing: definition, advantages and levers

Content creation is at the heart of digital marketing. In a context where consumers are looking for quality and authenticity, audio marketing competes with other types of content. Radio show, social audio, podcast, these are all formats that brands can exploit.

The periods of confinement mark a turning point in podcast listening. A Médiamétrie study reveals 100 million listens in just one month in 2021. 65% of listeners buy a product thanks to audio advertising. For brands, these numbers more than justify the investment in audio marketing. What exactly does it consist of? What benefits can a brand gain from it? How to set it up?

Audio marketing: essential in a digital marketing strategy

In the age of social networks, videos and images are favored by brands to communicate with their community. Latelyaudio formats are gaining popularity with the birth of Clubhouse. This is a social network dedicated exclusively to sounds.

Noting its success, existing platforms followed suit. This is the case for Facebook with Live Audio. Faced with this trend, other rooms are emerging like Discord and Cappuccino.

Read also: Mogador, France Télévisions, YouTube, Google… Media and social networks: what’s new? (October 16 – 20)

Content creators are also highlighted on streaming platforms like Spotify and Deezer.

In France, this format is very popular with consumers. According to the Médiamétrie study, 17.6 million will listen to audio content in 2022. Another interesting fact: one in two French people have already consumed a podcast.

For brands, audio marketing represents an opportunity to highlight their product. It is also an effective means of customer loyalty and lead conversion.

What are the benefits of audio marketing?

Audio advertising has several advantages for a business. For good reason, all you need is a connected device to consume this format.

Wide advertising reach

The advantage of audio marketing is the ease of distribution. Content can be placed in several sponsored locations like news and music playlists. On Amazon, for example, advertising can be placed in various locations. This allows a brand to reach a wider audience.

More attentive consumers

A study carried out by Amazon shows that 38% of Alexa users are more attentive to audio content shared via a smart device. This same study reveals that 29% of listeners made a purchase after listening.

When advertisements are relevant and placed in the middle of music streams, for example, consumers are more inclined to buy the product highlighted.

Read also: What are the 6 main media?

The different methods used in audio marketing

To implement an audio marketing strategy, a company has the choice between various methods.

Social audio

It’s the new trend of the moment. There are now social networks dedicated exclusively to audio content. They come in two forms: podcasts and chat rooms.

The shows cover various topics offered by the brand where listeners can ask questions. Here, she can call on an influencer to target a specific audience. The discussion requires an announcement in advance in order to prepare the listeners and make communication more fluid.

Podcast: an innovative lever for audio marketing

The podcast is the best-known format in audio marketing and has a growing number of followers. The creators offer original, informative and interactive content for listeners. The brand can develop a collaboration so that they become spokespersons.

The content is not necessarily for advertising purposes. It can trace the history of the brand for example. This represents an effective way to create a connection with the audience.

For its beginnings in audio marketing, the marketing team can start by converting their blog posts into podcasts.

Sponsorship

Sponsorship represents a legacy of classic radio advertising. The difference lies in the fact that the ad is inserted in the middle of a podcast For example. This insertion can take different forms:

pre-roll: before or after the introduction of the podcast;
mid-roll: in the middle of the show, where the listener is fully focused on the content;
post-roll: broadcast at the end of the episode.

Music streaming

Brands can use music streaming platforms in two ways: either by creating a specific playlist or by broadcasting an audio ad. The playlist requires a better knowledge of his target.

This is the case with Barilla. The brand offers consumers music that corresponds to the cooking time of the products.