3 reasons podcast ads can connect brand and performance marketing

Brand marketing and performance marketing have historically been very separate disciplines, much to the chagrin of business and marketing leaders who are trying to make holistic investment decisions. 

Brand marketing is primarily focused on building brand awareness, affinity or perception. Performance marketing is the practice of using content and media to drive very specific and measurable consumer actions, like clicks, sales or leads. Needless to say, today the vast majority of marketers want to bring the two disciplines much closer together, but progress has been slow moving. There are lots of challenges to integration that are just starting to be ironed out through advancements in technology and organizational restructuring.

The reasons for this divide are both cultural and practical. Brand marketing was often considered more of an art than a science. Brand campaigns put a large emphasis on unique consumer insights, breakthrough creative concepts and flawless design and execution. Performance marketing on the other hand was generally viewed as more of a workhorse tactic that leveraged targeted audience data, clear and direct calls-to-action, remarketing pixels, dynamic creative optimization (DCO) and last-touch analysis and optimizations to drive efficient results. The internal marketing resources and agencies that support these efforts were often managed by different teams and paid for out of different budgets.

However, there is some good news out there for those marketers who want to get more integrated, starting today. Podcast advertising is actually one of the best options for marketers looking to achieve both their brand and performance marketing objectives within one medium. Here are three reasons why:

1. Personal endorsements with a direct-response cherry on top. For the 383 million podcast listeners globally,¹ they know that there is literally a podcast show out there for everyone. And the No. 1 reason why people download and listen to podcasts is their love of the hosts. They have a real connection to the hosts they listen to; the medium feels very intimate, and the storytelling is often very personal. 

When a host endorses a brand or product, it has a measurable impact on boosting brand awareness and affinity. Podcast ads that are read by the host are able to leverage the brand-building effect of these endorsements, as well as combine it with direct response call-to-actions, like driving listeners to a vanity URL to use a dedicated promo code. Thus, marketers are able to positively impact both brand and performance goals using the unique nature of podcast ads.

2. Retargeting with programmatic audio. One of the reasons that digital and social media are so successful at driving efficient ROI is due to the magic of retargeting pixels. Retargeting pixels allow performance marketers to run highly optimized prospecting and retargeting campaigns that quickly migrate initially exposed users into audiences primed for conversion. 

Programmatic podcast buying is relatively new on the scene but beginning to attract large advertisers. With programmatic audio, ad buyers are able to target and retarget their own first-party data audiences or even third-party segments with the same ease as digital. Demand-side platforms like Audiohook are helping podcast advertisers build their brands and drive performance through retargeting. 

One of the truly unique aspects of podcast advertising is the ability to run host-read or endorsement ads through programmatic, boosting brand affinity while optimizing for efficiency.

3. A community that converts. Social media platforms were all designed around the central idea of building communities. While arguably social media has lost a bit of its community spirit lately, due to the tribal nature of podcast shows and topics they are still building devout and engaged communities. The hosts and their audiences have an authentic bond with one another; finding out that you listen to the same podcast as someone else has “badge value.” 

Listeners frequently discuss their favorite segments with other fans and share their opinions on the brands and products promoted on the show. After a show promotes an advertiser, listeners may try the product for themselves as well as share the promo codes with their podcast community. This community bonds not only over the content but the post-show conversions as well.

We know the industry has a way to go to fully connect brand and performance marketing in a meaningful way, but we’re incredibly optimistic and proud that podcast advertising can help lead the way. For more information on how to achieve your brand and performance marketing goals with podcast advertising, please reach out to the team at Ad Results Media today.