Survey: Podcast listeners want personalized ads

Recent research by AMA, a leader in creative and personalized digital audio advertising, sheds some light on the preferences of podcast listeners. The study of more than 1,000 US consumers revealed several key takeaways.

The most popular platforms for discovering new podcasts are social media: YouTube (61%), Facebook (46%), and Instagram (43%).

Listeners are looking for personalized ads. Nearly 20% of respondents want highly personalized experiences. This trend highlights the increasing demand for creative ads that are tailored to each listener.

Pre-recorded advertisements are the most popular: Despite the common belief that ads read by the host are the best, 38% prefer pre-recorded commercials. Host-read sponsored content was preferred by 31%, while host-read sponsorships were the second most popular choice.

Ad placement is important: Audiences have their preferences. Pre-roll ads are preferred by 42%, followed closely by mid-roll (33%), and then post-roll (25%). Relevance is the key to driving action. A total of 42% of respondents found podcast ads to be relevant (15% very, 27% somewhat). Some of these listeners even made purchases as a result of those ads.

Ad fatigue can be combated by dynamic creativity: A third of listeners tune in regularly, and repetitive ads may lead to fatigue. AMA’s Dynamic Creative Technology combats this problem by delivering new ad content for each listener. This ensures continued engagement.

Steve Dunlop is the Founder and CEO of AMA. He says that listeners don’t just accept personalized ads; they prefer them. This shift to targeted advertising opens up new opportunities for advertisers and marks a change in the landscape of podcast advertising.