Advertise your brand on digital platforms
like Spotify and Amazon Music

Digital audio advertising is advertising delivered through digital audio platforms and services, including music streaming services, podcasts, online radio and audio apps.

Unlike traditional radio, digital audio can use audience, behavioural, demographic and contextual data to target specific listeners. Adverts can be delivered across devices including smartphones, tablets, computers and connected devices.

Digital audio can include both audio adverts and supporting display or companion advertising, depending on the platform. It is particularly effective for reaching people when they are listening while commuting, working, exercising, shopping or relaxing.

Yes. Digital audio combines the reach of traditional audio with the targeting and flexibility associated with digital advertising.

Audio is particularly effective because listeners can continue consuming content while doing other activities. Digital audio can also reach audiences at moments when visual advertising isn’t appropriate, such as while driving, exercising or commuting.

It works particularly well as part of an integrated campaign alongside radio, TV, Out of Home (OOH), social media, Connected TV (CTV) and Video on Demand (VOD).

Digital audio has become a significant part of the UK’s listening landscape. According to the latest MIDAS research, online and streaming audio account for a substantial proportion of UK adults’ weekly audio listening.

The growth of smartphones, smart speakers, connected cars and streaming services has made digital audio an increasingly important way for brands to reach consumers throughout the day.

Digital audio advertising is available across a wide range of platforms and services, including:

• Spotify
• Amazon Music
• Apple Music
• Podcasts
• Online radio
• Commercial radio streaming services
• Digital audio networks
• Connected devices and smart speakers

Availability, targeting and buying options vary by platform. We can recommend the most appropriate combination based on your audience, campaign objectives and budget.

Yes. Spotify offers advertising opportunities for brands looking to reach its large base of music and podcast listeners.

Spotify advertising can use audience and contextual targeting to reach specific demographics, interests and listening behaviours. Audio adverts can also be supported by companion display creative.

Spotify can be particularly effective for reaching younger audiences and people who spend significant amounts of time consuming streaming audio.

DAX, which stands for Digital Audio Exchange, is a digital audio advertising platform operated by Global.

It enables advertisers to buy digital audio inventory across a range of publishers and platforms, including online radio, podcasts and music streaming environments.

DAX uses audience and contextual data to help advertisers reach specific audiences at scale, making it an important platform for programmatic digital audio advertising in the UK.

Programmatic audio advertising uses technology to automate the buying and delivery of digital audio advertising.

Instead of manually booking individual audio placements, advertisers can use audience data and technology to identify and reach specific listeners across multiple digital audio environments.

Programmatic audio can be targeted using factors such as location, demographics, interests, listening behaviour, device and context.

Traditional radio and digital audio both use sound to reach audiences, but the way campaigns are planned, bought and targeted can differ.

Radio typically provides large-scale broadcast reach across a station’s audience, while digital audio offers greater opportunities for audience targeting and programmatic buying.

Digital audio can also reach listeners through streaming services, podcasts and online radio beyond traditional broadcast radio.

The two channels can work particularly well together, combining the scale of radio with the targeting capabilities of digital audio.

Yes. Targeting is one of the biggest advantages of digital audio advertising.

Depending on the platform, campaigns can be targeted using:

• Age
• Gender
• Location
• Interests
• Listening behaviour
• Lifestyle
• Device
• Context
• Time of day
• Content or genre

This allows advertisers to focus their budget on audiences most relevant to their campaign objectives.

Yes. Digital audio campaigns can be targeted geographically, including by region, city and other available location parameters.

This makes digital audio suitable for both national and local campaigns. For example, a business with locations in specific cities can focus advertising around those areas rather than paying for unnecessary national coverage.

Yes. Digital audio can be scheduled around different times of day, depending on the platform and buying method.

This can be particularly useful when your audience’s behaviour changes throughout the day. For example, campaigns can be aligned with morning commutes, lunchtime, afternoon travel or evening listening.

Time-based targeting can also be combined with geographic and audience targeting to make campaigns more relevant.

Yes. Podcasts offer brands access to highly engaged and often clearly defined audiences.

Podcast advertising can be bought around specific programmes, genres, audiences or podcast networks, depending on the available inventory.

Podcasts can be particularly valuable when targeting niche audiences because listeners often have a strong connection with the programmes and presenters they choose to follow.

Digital audio campaigns can use different creative formats depending on the platform.

These can include:

• Audio adverts
• Companion display advertising
• Podcast advertising
• Sponsored content
• Host-read advertising
• Dynamic audio creative
• Programmatic audio

Audio adverts are commonly produced in 15-, 20- or 30-second formats, although requirements vary by platform.

A 30-second audio advert is a common format, providing enough time to communicate a clear message while remaining concise.

Shorter 15- or 20-second adverts can also be effective when the campaign has a simple message or a strong call to action.

The most important consideration is not simply the length of the advert but how effectively the creative communicates one clear message and gives the listener a reason to act.

There is no fixed cost for digital audio advertising. Pricing depends on the platform, audience, targeting, campaign duration, inventory and buying method.

Campaigns can be planned around different budgets, making digital audio accessible to both smaller businesses and national advertisers.

As an independent media planning and buying agency, The Media Angel can compare available platforms and buying options to identify the most effective way to use your budget.

There is no single minimum budget across all digital audio platforms.

The appropriate budget depends on your target audience, geographic coverage, campaign duration and desired level of reach and frequency.

Rather than starting with a fixed media package, we recommend working backwards from your objectives and identifying the investment required to deliver meaningful audience coverage.

Digital audio campaigns can be measured using metrics such as:

• Impressions
• Reach
• Frequency
• Completion rate
• Click-through rate
• Listening completion
• Website traffic
• Conversions

The exact measurement available depends on the platform and buying method.

Campaigns can also be evaluated alongside wider brand and performance metrics to understand the role digital audio has played within an integrated campaign.

Results depend on your objectives, audience, creative, budget, targeting and campaign duration.

Digital audio is particularly effective for building awareness and reaching defined audiences at scale. It can also support website visits, app downloads, enquiries and other actions when the campaign includes a strong call to action.

We recommend agreeing clear KPIs before a campaign starts so performance can be measured against your specific objectives.

Absolutely. Digital audio and traditional radio are highly complementary.

Radio provides broad broadcast reach and frequency, while digital audio allows advertisers to target specific audiences and environments.

Combining the two can increase overall audio reach while allowing your campaign to reach consumers across both traditional and digital listening environments.

Yes. Digital audio works particularly well as part of an integrated media campaign.

For example, TV can establish broad awareness, OOH can reinforce the message during the consumer journey, and digital audio can reach the same audience while they are commuting, working or exercising.

Using multiple channels can create repeated exposure and help reinforce the same campaign message across different environments.

Yes. Streaming music, podcasts and digital audio are particularly relevant to younger audiences who spend significant amounts of time consuming audio through smartphones and connected devices.

Platforms such as Spotify provide advertisers with opportunities to target younger listeners using demographic, behavioural, interest and contextual data.

However, digital audio isn’t limited to younger audiences and can be planned around a wide range of demographics.

Yes. Digital audio can be particularly useful for smaller businesses because campaigns can be targeted geographically and towards specific audiences.

A local business can focus its campaign around a particular town, city or region rather than purchasing national reach.

This makes digital audio suitable for retailers, universities, travel businesses, recruitment campaigns, local services, charities and many other organisations.

A specialist media agency can help you navigate the growing number of digital audio platforms, targeting options and buying methods.

An agency can recommend the most appropriate platforms, negotiate media rates, manage targeting, coordinate creative requirements and monitor campaign performance.

They can also assess how digital audio should work alongside radio, TV, OOH, CTV, VOD and other media to make your overall advertising budget work harder.

At The Media Angel, we plan and buy digital audio campaigns across a range of platforms and audio environments.

We take an audience-first approach, identifying where your target customers are listening and selecting the platforms, targeting and formats most likely to deliver your campaign objectives.

From Spotify and DAX to podcasts and online radio, we can manage the planning, buying and campaign delivery, providing independent advice and helping you get the best value from your media budget.