The ultimate guide to Spotify ads 📖
Towards the end of every year, Spotify reveals their annual Spotify Wrapped - a tailored list that allows listeners to see what they have been listening to this year, and for how long.
Many listeners set Twitter and TikTok ablaze as they revealed that they had been listening to Spotify for 40,000, 60,000 or even 100,000 minutes this year.
Even our plants were listening, with Spotify's Music for Plants playlist growing in listeners by a huge 1400%.
So, with Spotify's influence over our lives only increasing, what do marketers hoping to leverage Spotify ads to attract new consumers need to know?
Let's find out!
What are Spotify ads?
You can run Spotify ads between songs, podcasts or even in the middle of podcasts through sponsorships.
Starting at only £250 per ad, Spotify’s Ad Studio enables marketers to create and run ads that will reach listeners based on their location, demographic, previous Spotify activity and their interests. What’s more – they allow advertisers to make amendments and alterations to their campaigns at any time.
Occurring between songs, Spotify’s audio ads are unique in that they can speak to listeners directly as they play their favourite playlist or explore new ones.
As well as audio ads, Spotify also allows advertisers to create podcast ads that can reach millions of active listeners.
Somewhat new to the platform, Spotify also allows advertisers to create and showcase Video Ads. Not just an audio platform, Spotify continues to implement more video features to modernise the platform and make it more accessible.
What are the benefits of using Spotify ads?
Generally speaking, audiences keep their subscriptions rolling on Spotify (with some amassing as many as 100,000 minutes of listening time each year) for one of three reasons:
1. To be entertained
Most of us go to Spotify to enjoy a good playlist or a fun podcast.
For marketers, this allows for opportunities not only to introduce brands to listeners when they are actively listening but also to immediately introduce themselves as being synonymous with the positive experience of audible entertainment.
2. To be enlightened
Meanwhile, other users prefer to listen to podcasts to learn something.
For marketers of brands that operate within the niche that the user is trying to learn more about, this provides the opportunity to create informative ads that directly reach target audience members who are looking to learn more and discover your brand.
3. To find the soundtrack for their day
Meanwhile, other Spotify listeners keep music or a podcast on in the background whilst they do household chores or study.
These non-active listeners, whilst usually being less engaged than active listeners with motivations 1 or 2, can still be receptive to ads, typically those that adhere to the atmosphere they are seeking to create with their background music or podcast.
Ads tailored to promote brand awareness are perfect for this group.
What are the drawbacks of using Spotify ads?
Whilst podcast ads can be a great tool for many brands, placing Spotify ads between songs might not be the best addition to your marketing campaigns.
It is important to remember that those with a Spotify subscription don't hear ads between songs. Instead, listeners with a free account are the ones that are exposed to these ads.
While this is still a fantastic way to reach listeners, it is important to remember that listeners with a free account may not have much expendable income.
That being said, many listeners with free accounts are trying out the platform before eventually subscribing to the paid (ad-free) version, and so not all listeners in this group do not have expendable income.
As with all marketing tools, the key here is to thoroughly research your target audience and their online habits.
What do you think?
Will you be implementing Spotify ads into your marketing campaigns in 2022?
To learn more about Spotify Ads, get in contact today.
