Podcasts could be a key channel for brands seeking to advertise during the holiday season, according to Acast, as 63% of listeners report that they trust podcasters’ recommendations for gift-buying.
The research, conducted by Acast as part of a guide for advertisers on holiday podcast advertising, surveyed US weekly podcast listeners and also found that 43% plan to start their festive shopping before November.
Over half of listeners said that they were planning to spend over $300 on presents, and 20% said they plan to spend at least $200 on food and drink over the holiday period. 82% of podcast listeners said that they were likely to use discount codes - a key performance marketing tactic used by many podcast advertisers - to do so.
“Every advertiser knows that the holidays is the noisiest retail period,” said Acast senior brand marketing manager Simon Franklin, “so at Acast we want to let them know how podcast advertising can help them cut through and get heard.”
The end-of-year holiday season is one of the main centres of activity for many advertisers, as brands compete to place their products in the front of shoppers’ minds. Historically, a large quantity of ad spend goes towards big-budget TV advertising creative, with brands such as John Lewis and Marks and Spencer heavily investing in TV campaigns.
However, with many budgets tightening across the sector, podcast companies and networks are making a play for larger shares of media spending, leveraging highly-engaged audiences in an attempt to woo advertisers.
“Our research proves the influence that podcast ads have on listeners,” Franklin said, “all thanks to trusted hosts, contextual relevance, and unmatched attention. It’s our gift to help marketers get the results on their wishlist this year.”
