Podcasts advertising is simple and informative where the ads are narrated by host. There is not much scope of active engagement of podcast listeners as they are usually multi-tasking while listening to their favourite podcast shows. In the urge to make podcast advertising more than just narration, Spotify has launched first ever kind of podcast advertising format in the form of CTA (call to action) cards. These call to action cards are aimed at engaging the listeners in the moment. The provocation through active words like ‘ SHOP NOW’, ‘ SALE ENDS SOON’, ‘LIMITED OFFER’ etc conditions the listeners to take immediate action.
Spotify, initiated the CTA ad format via its Streaming Ad Insertion technology which makes the insertion of ads easy during a podcast show. Through ad insertion technology the ads can be dynamically inserted during a podcast show which was not possible earlier. In the absence of the streaming ad insertion technology only ads that were embedded in the podcast audio file could be played. Launched in 2020, CES (Consumer Electronics Show), the Streaming Ad Insertion Technology also offered the advertisers a digital suite through which execution, planning, real-time management and measurement of the advertisement’s reach became easier.
The newly launched CTA ad format taps the multi-tasking audience and persuades them to give instant attention on the ad and act on it. As soon as the audio ad plays, the CTA card appears on the screen of the Spotify app. The combined audio and visual ad message is capable of engaging the audience more effectively than narration of the ad through host of the podcast. The CTA appears even when the listener is surfing the app after the episode has ended. The CTA remain active for 7 days or for the set duration of the ad campaign. The call to action card is just the beginning; the Spotify new ad format will be loaded with more features like shoppable, video and more interactive features in near future.
Head of ad business and platform at Spotify Jay Richman shared at CES press conference, “We think about these cards as an important step towards modernizing the format — a format that will become more capable over time, as we add shoppable and video and other interactive features,”
Famous brands like Squarespace, Ulta Beauty and Athletic Greens have already put CTA ad format to their advantage. Ulta beauty in its recent campaign was able to reach 2, 50,000 unique Spotify listeners where half of the listeners viewed the CTA card at least once while others followed the card while surfing the app or while listening to the podcast episode. The CTA format can be added to both Spotify originals and other episodes on the app.
Creators are set free of any additional work in the process of adding CTA to Spotify’s original podcasts or exclusive podcast. Mike Mignano, the global head of talk and co-founder of Anchor said that “Creators are basically creating all this content for free,” he added, “We’re excited that we can build a more equitable ecosystem, where potentially more creators than ever before will be able to monetize and some of them even earn a living.”