Of course, you’d want to keep the momentum going after successfully finishing, but how exactly do you go about doing that? The simple answer is to continue your campaigns. This article walks you through what you can do to keep your campaigns successful!

Metrics to Keep an Eye On

Metrics are essential to understanding how and why your podcast advertising campaign is working. There are plenty of metrics to watch, but the most important ones for podcast advertising, in particular, are those telling you where your customers are coming from. You can achieve this in a handful of ways!

By Conversions

One of the best ways to determine whether your campaign was a success, and to track future success, is to review conversion metrics such as Promo Code/Vanity URL uses and employ pixel tracking (both of which you can do through RedCircle!)

A “tracking pixel” is a small snippet of code that allows you to gather information about visitors to your website. Tracking pixels often appear as a long URL string. Why is this important to podcast advertisers? Well, this provides the brand running the campaign information confirming that the ad was served. Brands will often use an “Impressions Tracking Pixel” to track the number of listeners their ad has reached. 

You can use these tracking pixels to see if the listeners visit your website in the future. Tracking pixels essentially drop on the listeners’ networks where the podcast impression occurred and lets you know when one of these listeners visits your website in the near future.

Promo Codes and Vanity URLs provide a direct look at how many customers followed the call-to-action (CTA) from the selected podcast’s ad(s). You can evaluate the strength of their ad by the number of folks who purchased from your site using the provided promo code or vanity URL.

By Website Analytics

But what if your campaign was more about brand awareness than purchases? That’s where website and social media analytics come into play. 

One way to track brand awareness is through direct traffic vs referred (referral) traffic. See how many visitors came to your site from links from the podcaster, perhaps through their show notes or even social media mentions.

Speaking of social media, you can check out the number of visits, follows, and engagements your brand received during and after the podcast campaign. These metrics are especially important if the podcaster interacted with your brand on social media in some way.

By Self-Reporting

And finally, you can just ask your visitors why they decided to check you out with a simple survey. You can create a survey that asks the age-old “how did you hear about us” question and see if the podcasts you worked with pop up. 

Provide Plenty of Feedback

A truly excellent way to continue your fantastic podcast advertising campaigns is to provide your partner podcasters with feedback! They won’t know what is and isn’t working if they’re not given that information. Our Advertising Team is always ready and available to work with you to share that feedback. (You can contact them here!)

And check out our blog post on how to set your partner podcasts up for success!

Keep Building the Relationship

If you found a podcast that works for your brand, then be sure to nurture that relationship! It’s vital to create a good working relationship with your partner podcasters so that you both benefit from the collaboration.

We encourage both our podcasters and our advertisers to go into campaigns with a partnership mentality. Meaning that you’re both working towards a common goal with these campaigns! Our blog post on setting up your partner podcasts for success also covers all the different ways you can build a relationship with podcasters. From providing constructive feedback to giving them the resources they need to do a stellar job, there’s plenty that you can do to create a fruitful partnership!

Podcast advertising can be an incredible way to generate buzz about your brand, as well as create life-long partners and advocates! The key to keeping up the success is to keep an eye on metrics, provide your partner podcasts with feedback, and build a relationship with your chosen advocates.

Looking to advertise on our catalog of hundreds and hundreds of amazing podcasts? Get in contact with our Advertising team today!

The post How to Keep the Momentum Going After Your First Podcast Ad Campaign appeared first on RedCircle Blog.

In Q3, RedCircle announced Host-Read Frequency Capping to provide advertisers more control over their weekly and monthly exposure to listeners. Frequency capping joins budget pacing and “new episodes only” targeting as recent improvements to RAP which have further powered brand performance. We continue to focus on providing advertisers with the tools they need to optimize their budgets and campaign strategies, and ultimately create a healthy advertising ecosystem for both publishers and brands.

RedCircle also launched an Advertiser Help Center to further support the adoption of our new Teams for Advertisers product and other new features. Teams for Advertisers allows organizations to provide unlimited access to the platform to their team members while layering on custom permissions for campaign management and reporting. With RAP, it’s never been easier to build and flight new campaigns while analyzing your results in real-time.

RedCircle plans to invest further in its Host-Read Ad platform (RAP) with multiple product launches scheduled for early 2024.

The post RedCircle’s Host-Read Ad Platform, RAP, Grows 100%+ YoY appeared first on RedCircle Blog.

One-third (or 32%) of American adults listen to podcasts a few times a month. So, there’s a significant chance that your target consumers tune in to podcasts at least once during the month (and 10% of U.S. adults listen every day!) Learning how to run successful podcast ad campaigns can help you reach your consumers with ease.

Have a Budget in Mind

The first step to creating a podcast ad campaign is to have a budget in mind. A key thing to keep in mind when determining your budget is what type of shows you want to advertise on. While larger shows with huge audiences seem like the best bet, they can be pretty pricey and you may end up getting less coverage than you’d like. Smaller shows allow more bang for your buck, as you can run your campaign on more episodes which may reach a larger variety of listeners.

Select the Right Partners

With a budget in mind, it’s now time to decide where you want your campaign to run. As we noted earlier, larger shows may seem like the obvious play but keep in mind that you may get less than what you expect due to their pricing. Our Advertising team recommends a blend of podcast types when testing your first campaign. A couple of large shows to explore that avenue, and a few small shows to test those waters.

You also want to make sure that your brand fits with the selected podcasts. Look for podcasts that align with your industry or products, as well as those that have a dedicated and engaged following. Consider factors like the podcast’s content, audience size, and overall vibe. Smaller shows typically have a more dedicated and engaged audience than the huge shows, so it’s worth exploring those types of podcasts!

A part of finding the right podcast to advertise on is understanding your audience. Take the time to create detailed customer personas, including demographics, interests, and pain points. This knowledge will guide you in selecting podcasts that align with your ideal customer base.

When you know your audience well, you can choose podcasts that share a similar audience profile, ensuring that your message reaches the right people. This targeted approach maximizes the impact of your ad campaigns.

Devise Your Ad Strategy

The next step after deciding on a budget and selecting podcasts is to figure out how exactly you want to run your first ad campaign.

There are 3 places in an episode where you can place your ad: Pre-Roll, Mid-Roll, and Post-Roll. 

Pre-Roll is the very beginning of the episode. Ads in the Pre-Roll position can be played before the show’s introduction or after the show’s introduction depending on the podcaster’s preference. Ads assigned to the Pre-Roll position are played within the beginning 25% of the episode.

Mid-Roll is the middle of the episode. Many podcasters create a special break specifically for ads in the middle of their podcast. They lead in with something like, “and now let’s hear from our sponsors this week…” Ads assigned to the Mid-Roll position play 25% to 75% of the way through the episode. On RedCircle, podcasters can manipulate where in the episode they want Mid-Rolls to be.

This position generally has the highest impressions due to listeners often being engaged in another activity while listening. This reduces the chance that listeners skip over the ad. Host-Read ads do well in this position!

Post-Roll is at the very end of the episode. Ads assigned to the Post-Roll position play during the last 25% of the episode. While many may believe this position isn’t ideal, it’s still valuable especially when ads are placed before podcasters sign off. These ads are also effective when listeners “binge-listen” to their favorite podcast. Rather than skipping to the next episode, they just allow the Post-Roll ads to finish and wait for the next episode to automatically start playing. Similar to Mid-Roll, many listeners are engaged in another activity so they may not want to fool around with their device just to skip.

If you’re just testing the waters, then opting for a blend of positions is always a good idea. Try starting with Pre-Roll and Mid-Roll positions as those two typically perform the best overall. However, be sure to keep in mind that Mid-Roll tends to be the most expensive as it’s usually the highest performer.

Track Your Success

In order to understand the success of your first campaign it’s recommended to use specific measurement tools such as promo codes or vanity URLs to track progress.

A promo code is a code unique to the podcaster you’re working with during the campaign. Typically, podcasters create their own promo codes, like “RC Insider”. Create discount codes using these promo codes and easily keep track of where purchases are flowing in from.

You can also use a vanity URL to track the progress of your campaign. A vanity URL is a URL for your website that incorporates the specific podcaster. Something like, “https://yourbrandname.com/podcastpartner”. This allows you to track exactly where your website visitors are first landing.

Be sure to check in during the campaign to see how many listeners are making their way over to your site. Visitors can trickle in even after a month since your campaign aired!

Keep Testing!

New shows are always being added to hosting platforms as more and more folks start to dip their toes into podcast creation. The number of podcasts in the United States is expected to keep increasing! New shows that fit your brand and style are cropping up every day. It’s wise to keep the door open for podcast advertising after your first campaign!

Be sure to check out these other blog articles for more information on how to absolutely ace your first podcast ad campaign!

• 5 Tips & Tricks on Running a Successful Podcast Ad Campaign
• Advertisers, Set Your Hosts Up for Success!
• Introducing Multi-Scripts: Create Infinite Personalized Scripts In Minutes
• Podcast Advertising for Small Businesses

Our Advertising Team would love to connect if you’re curious about podcast advertising. Sign up today to get started!

The post Running Your First Podcast Ad Campaign appeared first on RedCircle Blog.

Did you know that one-third (32%) of American adults listen to podcasts a few times a month? There’s a significant chance that your target consumers tune in to podcasts at least once during the month (and 10% of U.S. adults listen every day!) It’s an advertising avenue worth adventuring down!

What is Podcast Advertising?

At its simplest, podcast advertising is a type of advertising where the ad is placed in a podcast. Advertisements in podcasts were traditionally “baked-in”, meaning that the ad was placed in the raw audio of the episode. Podcast advertising has grown more sophisticated these days with dynamically inserted Programmatic Ads and Host-Read Ads. Instead of having the podcaster add the advertisement directly in their episode indefinitely, platforms like RedCircle allow for dozens of campaigns to cycle through podcast episodes. Advertisers now purchase a set amount of time for their campaign(s) to run across multiple episodes and multiple podcasts. This helps to keep advertising content fresh. Listeners hear up-to-date info on your business including relevant promo codes (instead of super old promo codes they can’t use!)

There are two types of ads in podcasting: Programmatic and Host-Read. Programmatic Ads are typically professionally pre-recorded advertisements that play on a podcast either in the pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll spot depending on the Dynamic Insertion configuration. Similar to old-school radio ads, these ads range from a large variety of categories including entertainment, education, real estate, technology, and more. 

Host-Read Ads are pretty much what they sound like – the podcaster reads the ad to their audience. Either straight from the heart or off of paper! We usually recommend that advertisers send along a script or talking points. We have an entire blog post dedicated to helping your partner podcast absolutely nail your Host-Read campaign!

As a small business, your best option is to pursue the Host-Read option as you can rely on your partner podcaster to spread the word about your business in a compelling way!

The Host-Read Ad

Host-read ads are one of the best ways to spread awareness of your business. A recent report shows that podcasts are the #1 trusted medium for US consumers. Podcast listeners are highly engaged and trust the recommendations of their favorite podcasters. Finding the perfect podcast partner can help draw in new customers to your business.

A part of finding the right podcast to advertise on is understanding your audience. Take the time to create detailed customer personas, including demographics, interests, and pain points. This knowledge will guide you in selecting podcasts that align with your ideal customer base.

When you know your audience well, you can choose podcasts that share a similar audience profile, ensuring that your message reaches the right people. This targeted approach maximizes the impact of your ad campaigns.

Once you understand who you’re looking to entice, the next step is to find podcasts that match your vibe. Small businesses should research and select the podcasts that best fit their niche and marketing goals. Look for podcasts that align with your industry or products, as well as those that have a dedicated and engaged following. Consider factors like the podcast’s content, audience size, and overall vibe.

While larger podcasts may have a broader reach, niche podcasts can be highly effective for small businesses. These shows cater to specific, dedicated audiences, making them an ideal platform for reaching your target market. Audiences of niche podcasts tend to be very involved and passionate about the topic. Look for podcasts that align with your industry, products, or services, as they often have a highly engaged and receptive audience.

If you’re a local games shop, for example, then finding podcasts centered on board games or similar is a great place to start. Or perhaps you create natural beauty products, you’d want to look for a beauty podcast that delves into the natural side of the industry. You’ll also want to consider their audience demographics and how well that aligns with your own.

Collaborating with smaller podcasters also allows you to create a fantastic rapport with one another. They can become one of your biggest advocates! Engage with them on social media, attend podcasting events, or even offer to collaborate on unique content. These relationships can lead to more favorable ad rates and opportunities to feature your business on their shows.

Have a Test Budget in Mind

For small businesses new to podcast advertising, it’s advisable to start with a pre-planned test budget. Experiment with a few podcasts and ad placements to gauge the effectiveness of your campaigns. As you gather data and insights, you can gradually scale up your podcast advertising efforts.

While it may be tempting to spend all your budget on one huge show, it’s a more reliable strategy to choose frequency over popularity. Advertising experts recommend running your campaign anywhere between 2 and 10 shows as it allows you to test different reads, types of shows, new audiences, and more. RedCircle is home to hundreds and hundreds of independent podcasters with dedicated audiences!

Podcast advertising offers a promising avenue for small businesses to connect with their target audience and enhance brand visibility. Start small, learn, and gradually expand your efforts as you become more familiar with the podcast advertising landscape. With the right approach and strategy, podcast advertising can become a valuable asset in your marketing toolkit, driving growth and success for your small business.

Browse hundreds of shows on RedCircle and get started advertising today!

The post Podcast Advertising for Small Businesses appeared first on RedCircle Blog.

In addition, advertisers can now aircheck, pause, and request updates to individual Host-Read Ads directly from the platform. Brands can request a re-read or update anytime a promotion code is incorrect, a brand is mispronounced or required terms are missed in the read. This allows advertisers to reduce or eliminate the exposure of incorrect reads and avoid the hassle of requesting and planning make-goods.

Make-goods are a common industry challenge that’s frustrating for both advertisers and podcasters. Anytime a Host-Read Ad needs to be re-read, the podcaster loses future revenue opportunities, and the advertiser has to manage incorrect promotion codes or realign performance timelines. RedCircle is committed to supporting advertisers in increasing their performance in the channel and creating a more direct line of communication with hosts to improve reads and streamline host-read advertising partnerships.

We’re excited to introduce these two new improvements to further automate and scale Host-Read Advertising in the podcast industry!

Sign up today to request a demo and learn more about RedCircle’s Host-Read Advertising platform!

The post Introducing Self-Service Frequency Capping & Host-Read Air Check Updates appeared first on RedCircle Blog.

How do you make sure you knock it out of the park, though? Easy! Keep reading this guide for tips on how to absolutely ace your very first Host-Read Ad.

Read the Script Carefully

The scripts given to you are jam-packed with plenty of information about the brand, the ad read, and more. It’s super important not to skimp on this part. Be sure to carefully read through the provided information so you don’t miss anything required of you. It’s best to read it a few times and really give yourself the opportunity to fully understand what the brand wants from this ad read. Some of the top-performing podcasters recommend taking ample time to review the script in order to exactly understand the message the brand wants to share with their listeners.

A number of brands may also include a “Dos and Don’ts” section which covers necessary information for your ad read. Things like how to talk about the product, words that should be avoided, or even how to properly pronounce the product. These Dos and Don’ts sections are imperative to creating a stellar Host-Read Ad. Don’t skip them!

Taking the time to carefully read through the provided script will help to avoid possible make-good (retake) requests from the brand. So, be sure to give yourself enough time to thoroughly read over the script!

Check Your Recording

The hardest part is over! The next recommended step is to listen to your recording to ensure that you’ve hit all the marks. Did you pronounce the product name correctly? Did you make sure to spell out the promo code? Listen to the recording while reviewing the provided script to confirm that nothing was missed.

Remember, you want to try your best to avoid possible make-goods, so take the time to double-check your work. You’ll thank yourself later!

Final Review

With the ad recorded and the campaign looming closer, the very last step is to confirm the more technical side of things. Run through this technical checklist to ensure it’s all set up correctly:

• Do you have the correct Insertion Points added to your episodes?
  • See our Help article on how to add Insertion Points
    
• Do you have the Default Audio Blocks, either the “Pre & Post Roll Ad Audio Blocks” or the “Mid Roll Ad Audio Block”, assigned to all episodes?
  • Check out our Help article on how to bulk-assign Audio Blocks to your episodes
    
• If you don’t use the above Default Ad Audio Blocks, do you have the “RedCircle Ad” Audio Clip assigned to your preferred Audio Blocks?
  • Learn how to add this Audio Clip to your Audio Blocks in our Help Center here
    
• Do your show notes include information about the product? And the promo code/website, if required?
  • Review this Help article for information on your promo code show notes

Reviewing the script, your recording, and the technical aspects of your campaign will help to start the campaign on the right track. Acing the first Host-Read ad encourages your brand partner to renew with you, too!

Interested in monetizing your podcast? Sign up for RedCircle to start earning revenue for your creative work.

The post How to Ace Your First Ad Read appeared first on RedCircle Blog.

How to Craft Effective Ad Copy

Having thoughtful ad copy will help to create a stellar Host-Read Ad. Copy that provides clear guidelines only serves to help your partner podcaster record a truly wonderful ad. You want to ensure that your ad copy includes information on your brand as well as your products/services, that it has a clear call-to-action, and that it’s succinct.

Share information about your brand. The introduction of the ad should include some quick information about your brand and what you can offer to listeners. Include any value propositions, key brand elements, brand slogans, etc. that really highlight who are and what you do. It’s also a great opportunity to share exciting updates or launches that are coming up for your company.

After the brief introduction, allow the podcast host to provide their own insights and thoughts on your brand and products/services. Give them the chance to share their personal experience with your brand!

Be clear in your call-to-actions. Not only should you be straightforward in explaining how your product/service can improve the lives of their listeners, but you should also be clear-cut on how the listeners can find and use your product/services. Provide strong and easy-to-follow next steps in your CTAs (call-to-actions). Have the podcaster repeat the action(s) listeners need to take at least twice in the ad. And always be sure to request that the podcaster spell out your brand’s name to prevent any confusion with the listeners.

Keep it simple. It’s best practice to not overcomplicate the ad copy and keep it to just one page. Make it easy for podcasters to pronounce your brand name and products by spelling it out phonetically in the copy. This helps to reduce the need for retakes! Do what you can to make your ad copy easy to understand and easy to share.

These best practices are key to creating an effective Host-Read ad. But copy isn’t the only thing needed to make a killer ad.

–

Prep Your Podcasters with Resources

For your partner podcaster to truly understand your brand and product/service, you need to be able to share a breadth of information with them. This not only allows them to write supplemental parts of the ad copy but to make it a genuinely authentic read. Don’t be afraid to give them videos, slides, etc. to help them get to know you and your product/service.

Create and share resources. An excellent way for your partner podcasters to learn about your brand is to create and share resources they can look through. We recommend creating videos that really cut to the heart of your brand and product/service. Give them information on who you are, why your product/service is unique, why customers love it, details on how it’s made, etc. Really anything that provides further insight into what makes you, and your product/service, you! 

Give ‘em a sample! One of the best ways to understand a product or service is to actually use it. Give your podcast partners a taste of what you offer with a sample. Not only does this give them insight into your product/service, but it also gives them the ability to craft a personalized story all about it. Real-world experience is hard to beat!

Have a partnership mentality. We advise our podcasters to treat the brand as a partner and encourage our advertisers to do the same. The honest-to-pod truth is that ad reads perform best when there’s a shared partnership mentality between the two parties. Trust your podcast partner to provide their listeners with a thoughtful message, and they’ll trust you to give them everything they need to deliver the perfect ad read.

–

Feedback and Future Collabs

Once the campaign has concluded, you have the opportunity to provide your partner podcaster with feedback, and vice versa! Our Advertising team is happy to help coordinate feedback between the both of you. Providing the podcaster with feedback is an invaluable way to help them grow. A part of having a partnership mentality is the ability to give thoughtful feedback to your partner, and to keep an open mind when receiving feedback, too.

Tell them what you liked, and maybe what needs to be worked on, so the next campaign can perform even better! Your partner podcaster won’t know how to improve if they aren’t given the right information to do so. The same applies to you, as well! You won’t know how to create better ad copy or know how to craft more helpful resources without first asking for a bit of feedback.

It can seem intimidating when starting your first podcast Host-Read ad campaign, but hopefully, with our help you feel more confident! The key is to go in with a partnership mentality, craft a compelling ad-read, provide informational resources, and give feedback when needed.

We can’t wait to help you to run your first successful ad read!

The post Advertisers, Set Your Hosts Up for Success! appeared first on RedCircle Blog.

RedCircle’s Host-Read ad platform (RAP) also saw accelerated growth from Q2 as unique host-read ads on the platform increased 17% month-over-month in July. Recent improvements to the platform, including Teams for Advertisers and Multi-Script, have allowed more efficiency for advertisers to scale in the channel and have given podcasters access to more revenue opportunities. A win-win for RedCircle partners that we’re excited to be supporting!

Teams for Advertisers allows organizations to provide unlimited access to the platform to their team members while layering on custom permissions for campaign management and reporting. It’s never been easier to build and flight new campaigns while analyzing your results in real time.

Multi-Script has further increased the efficiency of brand operations while also improving advertising conversion. With Multi-Script, brands can include multiple host-read scripts per campaign and rely on RedCircle to make each script unique to the podcaster’s personalized promotion code and vanity url. In addition to the personalization, a CTA pointing to the brand’s website is included in every episode’s show notes during the campaign to support conversion and help listeners discover the offer.

RedCircle plans to invest further in its host-read ad platform (RAP) with multiple product launches scheduled in H2 of 2023.

The post RedCircle’s Host-Read Ad Platform Grows 100%+ YoY and Reaches Profitability in Q2 appeared first on RedCircle Blog.

1. Demographics of your audience
2. An active online community
3. A partnership mentality

Having at least one of these (ideally all 3!) will help you distinguish your show from the sea of podcasts.

Audience Demographics

Brands want to know that they’ll be able to reach their target audience. Otherwise, their messaging may fall on deaf ears. They want to know who your audience is, not just numbers on a page. Simple demographics like age and gender are vital pieces of information that shouldn’t be skipped. So be sure to add that information in your RAP Settings.

Another way for brands to understand you and your audience is to proactively share that information. If you receive a Host-Read Survey to fill out, then be sure to provide all the information you can so we can match you up with the right advertisers!

Active Community

Don’t confuse an active community with simply a large one. The creator space is teeming with thousands of micro-communities. Brands are interested in your unique reach! You have hundreds, thousands, or maybe even hundreds of thousands, of people who tune in to hear your thoughts on a whole array of topics. Brands are most interested in hosts who take the time to engage with their listeners in a variety of ways.
They want hosts who talk with their listeners over social media, share information through newsletters, or even those who write blogs to accompany their episodes. Take it from some of our successful podcast hosts who have cultivated fantastic online communities. Going above and beyond by engaging their communities on other platforms has helped them to land renewals and long-term partnerships with brands.

Partnership Mentality

The final, and arguably most important, thing to have is a partnership mentality. You worked hard to create your content and nurture your community. Always be sure to enter any Host-Read ad deal with a partnership mentality – you want this campaign to work out for everyone involved including you, the brand, and your audience.

Both your audience and interested brands trust you to be truthful with your words. Be passionate about the product. Use it in your everyday life and give your honest thoughts about it. It’s easy to see through inauthentic ads, don’t be one of them!

Remember to keep these three things in mind whenever you decide to join RAP. They’ll give you an excellent starting place and set you up for long-term success!

The post Things Every Podcast Should Have Before Accepting Host-Read Ads appeared first on RedCircle Blog.

Trying to figure out what attracts brands and get them wanting more can be a bit of a daunting task for podcasters. We’re here to help ease that worry and provide you with advice from our Advertising experts.

We found that above all else, brands care most about audience fit, the host’s authenticity, and overall performance. Read on to learn more!

What brands care about when launching a campaign

Brands look at three main things when considering a show for a campaign: Relevance, Reach, and Resonance. Otherwise known as the three R’s of Content Marketing, these terms should help guide you in snagging that coveted Host-Read Ad.

Relevance – This refers to the podcast’s (or host’s) ability to share content relevant to the brand’s business/industry, or reaches the main target demographic.

For example, a brand hoping to entice business professionals might look for financial podcasts or business-centric shows to run campaigns on.

Relevance isn’t the only important factor, though! Brands also consider a show’s Reach. 

Reach – This simply refers to the audience size of the show. How many people can be reached through an ad on this host’s show? Brands want to make sure that they’re able to reach a large number of people in the desired demographic(s).

The final piece of the puzzle is how well a host, and their recommendations, resonate with their audience.

Resonance – This refers to the level of engagement the host(s) can generate for the brand through their ad read. Here’s where authenticity and trust really come into play. Brands seek out hosts who have a strong relationship with their audience.

Keep the three R’s in mind when deciding to jump into the world of Host-Read Ads.

What brands weigh when deciding to renew a campaign

Let’s say you just scored your first Host-Read Ad (congrats, by the way!) and you want to knock it out of the park. Brands often consider their first campaign with you as a sort of test before they commit to renewing. It’s good to keep in mind that brands pay the closest attention to performance and authenticity. What do we mean by performance and authenticity, though?

Performance, in this case, relates to the hard metrics of the ad read. How many of your listeners took up the call to action and visited the brand’s website? And how many of those listeners made a purchase? Brands are very interested in knowing how effective your ad read is for your audience. They want lifetime customers who keep coming back for more.

They also want to know how engaged your audience was with the brand and your recommendations. Did they interact with you on social media? Did you receive any comments from listeners who tried out the product themselves?  Understanding how much your audience enjoyed the brand and its product is key for renewals.

Authenticity of the ad read itself is another important pillar to brands. Did you try the product, or do a bit of research, before recording? Did you genuinely enjoy the product and make that known to your audience? Did you relate the brand/product back to your own life and/or show content?
Essentially, did you read the ad word-for-word, or add a bit of your own experience to the mix? As we discovered in our interviews with some of our top-performing podcasters, speaking to your own experience with the brand/product elevates the ad to a whole new level.

Expert tips to improve your performance and authenticity

Now that you know what brands look for, let’s talk about how to improve your chances of scoring a renewal!

With performance, you know that brands care most about how many listeners visit their website and how many make a purchase. Here are some tips from our Advertising experts to better increase those conversions:

1) Share your discount code & vanity URL on other platforms. This may seem so obvious but it’s still important to remember to do it! While you reach a large part of your audience through the ad read itself, there are still more that can be reached through the power of social media or your email newsletter. Sharing your discount code and vanity URLs on other platforms helps to push your audience to check out the brand. Audiences on social media find it much easier to click a button than remember both a website and code. (Which they might forget!)

We also know that many people multitask while listening to shows. So, seeing the discount code and vanity URLs in their social feeds helps to remind them to check out that brand they heard from you!

2) Ensure that your ad is authentic by actually using the product in your everyday life! Your audience trusts you to speak your mind, so don’t be afraid to share your thoughts.

We also recommend avoiding saying “This episode is sponsored by” or anything similar as it can sometimes cause listeners to click the fast-forward button. Keep the ad in the same tone as the rest of your episode for the best flow (and entertainment!)

Another way to keep your ad authentic is to be upfront about why you’re doing ads anyways. Let your listeners know that supporting the brand supports you in turn. All of the great content you provide for your listeners and the growth of your show is supplemented by ad deals and their success.

3) Know what the brand is measuring when it comes to a successful campaign. Understanding the brand’s goal for the campaign allows you to be more strategic in your performance. For example, let’s say the brand wants to drive traffic to their website. Knowing this allows you to be more thoughtful in placing the promo code/vanity URLs in your episode descriptions. You can also make your call-to-action specifically about visiting the website, encouraging your listeners to check it out.

Understanding what the brand sees as successful for a campaign allows you to tailor the experience to match those metrics.

4) Create added value through multiple platforms. Social media is always great, but what about more creative ways to bring value to the campaign? There are so many ways you can add value to the campaign (and entice the brand to renew with you.) One of those ways is doing a quick shoutout in your pre-roll about your sponsor! The more you talk about the brand in different parts of your show, the stickier it will be for your audience. Like a tune they can’t get out of their head. You can use the custom audio feature on RedCircle and upload a quick little promo about the sponsor.

Other things to keep in mind to increase your chances of renewals

While improving your performance and authenticity are excellent ways to nab renewals, there are plenty of other things to make you more appealing to brands. Our Advertising experts recommend:

1) Keep your CPM in an appropriate range for your show. The lower your CPM, the more likely it is to drive stronger performance. In turn, this gives you a better chance of getting renewals in the future, which leads to more money in the long term. Additionally, brands typically choose the top 3-5 shows to renew. So, if you decrease your CPMs by just $2, your likelihood of making the cutoff can drastically increase.

2) Keep the script updated! It’s important to keep your ad reads up-to-date and fresh! Make sure to be on the lookout for new scripts for each flight, or reach out to our team if you would like to update yours.

3) Check in on your performance yourself. When you get an ad deal or renewal, you might feel a bit in the dark about whether or not your ad read is performing. That’s because there are hundreds of campaigns going on at the same time, so the brands aren’t always providing feedback to us. If you’re curious about whether or not your podcast is performing well compared to other podcasters, just ask our team! We can gather as much insight as possible for you, and that shows the brands that you are wanting to do the best that you can. Just knowing how you compare can help you make small tweaks to your ad process and stand out against other podcasters.

Any of these tips work for you? Or maybe you have your own tried-and-true methods. We’d love to hear more! Send us a message in our Help Center!

And check out our other resources on Host-Reads ads!

• No Sweat! How to Create an Astounding Host-Read Ad
• Creating a Great Host-Read Ad

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The post What Brands Look For When Launching & Renewing a Campaign appeared first on RedCircle Blog.