Google Expands Audio Advertising Options: Just The Facts

Although the podcast industry has seen some ups and downs during the pandemic, in 2020, digital audio is projected to overtake radio as the most-listened to audio format. To leverage this growing audio audience, Google has introduced a new ad creation tool, Audio Mixer, and several new audio advertising options in Google Ad Manager, including dynamic ad insertion for audio and programmatic monetization.

What Is Google Audio Mixer?

A new audio ad creation tool, Google Audio Mixer, is launching alongside the new Google Ad Manager tools. Advertisers can “upload multiple tracks including music, sound effects and voice, while also having full edit control to create a high-quality audio ad. Audio Mixer also allows brands and agencies to add the companion display creative that will be shown with the audio tracks. The [ad] preview gives marketers a better sense of their customers’ full audio ad experience.”

How Will Google’s Dynamic Ad Insertion Solutions Increase Audio Advertising Options?

Currently in beta, Google Ad Manager’s new dynamic ad insertion for audio allows advertisers and publishers to develop more targeted strategies for reaching audiences wherever they are engaged, allowing a “true cross-format monetization strategy.” By managing all inventory in one place, delivering the best ad format based on usership is easier and more streamlined.

Google explains, “For example, if a person is interacting with a music streaming app on their phone or computer, [Google] Ad Manager can deliver a video ad. Or if the streaming service is running in the background, an audio-only ad can be served. Publishers can also use Dynamic Ad Insertion for their audio inventory to seamlessly insert ads into live audio streams across a variety of devices, no matter how someone is listening.”

How Can Digital Advertisers Leverage Google To Access New Audio Inventory?

Audio now has its own section in the Google Marketplace, allowing advertisers to view available inventory for their campaigns and connect with audio publishers. According to Google, “[Google] Marketplace will showcase inventory from top audio partners including AdsWizz, iHeart, Pandora, SoundCloud (global), Spotify, Triton Digital and TuneIn, among others. It will also provide marketers with more audio-specific information, such as content type to distinguish between music, radio and podcasts.” 

Additionally, digital audio inventory will be accessible to advertisers through a variety of programmatic transactions on Google Ad Manager. Other new audio monetization features are also on the way from Google that will facilitate programmatic sales from publishers to digital marketers. Brand Lift, a tool Google offers to measure the impact of ad campaigns on brand perception, will also be available for audio later in 2020.

How Are Google’s New Audio Advertising Options Relevant To Digital Marketers?

According to the fourth annual IAB Podcast Advertising Revenue Report, “U.S. podcast advertising revenue is expected to grow 14.7% in 2020, despite the pandemic. As growth continues, U.S. podcast advertising revenue is nearing the $1 billion mark.” Among podcast advertisers, DTC brands, including health and wellness and home services, and financial services are the most dominant. Audio advertising options for digital marketers are going to continue to grow, so managing digital audio campaigns needs to be streamlined and more trackable. Google, with the launch of Google Audio Mixer and Google Marketplace, is helping more digital advertisers access digital audio ad space a scalable way.

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