According to Nielsen’s Fanlink data, the number of “avid fans” of podcasting in the U.S. soared to 16 million households in fall 2017, up from 13 million the year before. These podcast listeners are active consumers who spend above the national average on snacks, beer, liquor, tea, pet care and paper products, among others.
With a growing number of brands adding podcasting to their media plans, Nielsen’s Vice President of Audience Insights, Tony Hereau, spoke to MediaVillage about how marketers should approach podcast advertising and what kinds of ads are effective. He also shared some of the report’s surprising takeaways (hint: baby food and pet food brands should take a hard look at podcasting).
Alli Romano: How do brands determine if podcasting is the right medium for them? If so, how do they choose the right genre (or genres)?
Tony Hereau: We know the podcast audience is more young, affluent and educated than other types of media. Nielsen's Fanlinks data is the first step to help advertisers connect their brands with the right audience. In the latest report, we examine the avid fans of 14 podcast genres and which types of products they tend to spend more on. For example, avid fans of the comedy podcast genre spend $131 per year on baby food. This is 14% higher than the national average of $115. A baby food advertiser will see greater ROI from this genre of podcast advertising because the audience already spends more on baby food.
Romano: As you look across the podcast industry, what ad categories do you think are out in front using this medium? Why have they been successful so far?
Hereau (pictured below): The majority of ads you hear in podcasts have traditionally been from direct response advertisers. Nielsen does not track ad spend in the
Romano: What is the most efficient way for a brand to use podcast advertising? Should they target both casual and avid fans in one category more frequently, or advertise across more podcast genres?
Hereau: "The Riches are in the Niches">