Tag: SAI

Evolving Brands’ Measurement Experience With All-New Spotify Ad Analytics

June 13, 2023

SpotifyAdAnanlytics launch

As digital audio continues to boom, advertisers and publishers need modernized tools to understand the impact of their ad investments. Since 2020, Spotify has led the charge with innovations like Streaming Ad Insertion (SAI), which offers deeper ad insights and reporting than was previously available for podcasts. We continued our investments in this space last year with our acquisition of Podsights as we endeavored to accelerate podcast ads measurement and ultimately, strengthen audio ad measurement across music and podcasts on platform and beyond.

Today, we’re taking the next step in that journey and launching Spotify Ad Analytics (SpAA), a global measurement service for brands and agencies of all sizes. This free tool provides advertisers with more ways to better understand their investments on and off Spotify. For publishers, SpAA unlocks greater opportunities to prove the value of their inventories to direct advertising clients.

To learn more, For the Record spoke with Kelsey Woo, a Senior Product Marketing Manager at Spotify who oversees product marketing efforts across Spotify’s advertising measurement, reporting, and insights tools.

Measurement in digital audio advertising lags behind other digital channels. What are some of the ways we’re addressing this with new tools like Spotify Ad Analytics? 

Measurement remains an industry-wide challenge across all of digital audio advertising. In the early days, podcasters began monetizing their content by simply recording their ad reads directly into the audio file for a specific podcast episode—these became known as “baked in” or “burned in” ads. 

The global shift in consumption from downloads to streaming has opened the door for advances in more data-driven podcast advertising measurement. When we launched SAI, we introduced impression-level insight to podcast advertising for the very first time. Rather than relying on download data, advertisers now had access to standard digital reporting like impressions, unique reach, and frequency, along with unique audience insights and creative performance metrics powered by Spotify’s first-party data. 

Last year, we acquired Podsights to solve this measurement pain point for advertisers, both on Spotify and across the industry. Today, by announcing that Podsights is now Spotify Ad Analytics, we’re taking the next step in that journey. 

Why the decision to offer Spotify Ad Analytics free of charge? 

It’s no secret that we believe in the power of audio. And as marketers increasingly invest in this powerful medium, we want to support that industry-wide growth by making it easier to measure the impact of the format. That’s why we decided to offer Spotify Ad Analytics as a free service to all customers. We feel it’s not only important to make this type of data and foundational knowledge accessible to businesses of all sizes, but to also provide it with the expertise that comes from being the world’s most popular audio-streaming service.

Spotify Ad Analytics builds on a strong foundation to provide our customers with a one-stop shop for Spotify’s measurement and reporting solutions. It gives advertisers even more tools to better understand the value of their investments across Spotify and beyond—free of charge. 

What does this mean for advertisers? What are the implications for publishers?

This new offering means that advertisers can measure more on Spotify. It also means both publishers and advertisers can measure real-time conversion tracking and attribution across an unlimited number of audio and podcast impressions. For customers who were previously working with Podsights, there’s no new installation required—they’ll get access to more tools and features just by logging in.

Why is measurement so important for both of these groups? How will Spotify Ad Analytics help accomplish their goals? 

Ultimately, Spotify Ad Analytics will help advertisers understand which media strategies are helping them reach their goals. In turn, this allows publishers to prove the value of podcast advertising and further accelerate the growth of their podcast businesses.

We’ve been testing the expanded capabilities since late last year, most recently partnering with advertisers like Grammarly and Shopify to measure the performance of streaming audio ads. We’ve received great feedback on the ability to streamline reporting surfaces and easily understand the holistic impact of different media types, so we’re really excited. 

Spotify advertisers in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States can now use Spotify Ad Analytics to lean into the power of streaming to provide even more accurate and actionable insights across Spotify ads. Learn more here.

Spotify Is Building on Megaphone’s Capabilities With the Acquisition of Whooshkaa

December 16, 2021

Over the last two years, Spotify has been focused on modernizing digital audio advertising to drive growth for creators and publishers while delivering impact for advertisers. In November 2020, we acquired Megaphone, which enabled us to offer podcast publishers innovative tools to help them earn more from their content. Throughout 2021, we unveiled new features for Streaming Ad Insertion, unlocked podcast ad buying in Spotify Ad Studio, and introduced the Spotify Audience Network. Since the launch of the Audience Network, we’ve seen a double-digit increase in fill rates and a double-digit lift in CPMs for opted-in Megaphone publishers. 

Simply put, by modernizing ad monetization for podcasts, we’ve been able to help enterprise podcast publishers grow their businesses, with nearly one in five Spotify advertisers now participating in the marketplace.

We’re committed to continuing to help publishers worldwide grow their podcast businesses. That’s why today we’re announcing our acquisition of Whooshkaa, an Australia-based podcast technology platform that gives independent creators, publishers, broadcasters, and brands a cost effective, end-to-end platform to host, distribute, monetize, and track on-demand audio. Whooshkaa offers radio broadcasters a specialized tool that makes it simple to turn their existing audio content into on-demand podcast content. As part of the acquisition, we plan to soon integrate this technology into the Megaphone suite. 

Here’s what it means for publishers and advertisers.

Supercharging publishing

Megaphone, the podcast platform of choice for leading enterprise publishers like AdLarge Media, the Wall Street Journal, and the Australian Radio Network, offers a comprehensive suite of powerful podcasting tools that can help publishers create, monetize, and measure their podcast businesses alongside our white-glove customer service. With the integration of Whooshkaa’s broadcast-to-podcast technology into Megaphone, radio broadcasters will be able to more easily and quickly turn their existing audio content into a podcast and access Megaphone’s industry-leading, differentiated suite of tools and technology.

Growing audience for advertisers

Audiences worldwide are tuned in to digital audio at record rates, with no signs of slowing. As the world’s most popular audio platform, Spotify is the place for advertisers to reach them.

With the Spotify Audience Network, advertisers are able to target audiences listening across our network of podcasts, including Spotify Originals & Exclusives, and third-party content via Megaphone and Anchor. Integrating Whooshkaa’s innovative broadcast-to-podcast technology means we’ll be able to bring even more third-party content into the Spotify Audience Network, helping advertisers to connect with even more audiences.

Just getting started

We believe we’re on the precipice of immense growth for the entire digital audio industry. To learn more about what the acquisition means for radio broadcasters, check out Megaphone.FM.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

We would like to caution you that certain of the above statements represent “forward-looking statements” as defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The words “will,” “expect,” and similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements we make regarding the potential benefits of the acquisition and the anticipated timing of the closing of the acquisition. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and include this statement for purposes of complying with the safe harbor provisions. Such forward-looking statements involve significant risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and our present expectations or projections, including but not limited to the risks as set forth in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date hereof.

CES 2020: Spotify Makes Noise with SAI Announcement, Ludacris Performance, and More

January 10, 2020

This week, industry experts once again converged at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Spotify was on the ground for the seventh year in a row, contributing to the mix of innovative discussions and product debuts.

From the launch of Spotify Podcast Ads, powered by Streaming Ad Insertion (SAI) to partying with Ludacris at our annual Spotify Supper, we listened, learned, and connected in person and through a love for all things audio. Take a look back at some of Spotify’s notable CES 2020 moments.

Wired x Spotify: The Trends That Will Define 2020 and Beyond

“There’s no other medium like podcasts. They’re a uniquely intimate format that resonates with listeners, and our research proves it—81% of users take action after they’ve heard a podcast ad.” —Lee Brown, Spotify VP, Global Head of Ad Sales at the Wired x Spotify fireside chat with Wired Editor-in-Chief Nicholas Thompson

Credit: Denise Truscello/Getty Images for Spotify

Cheers to Happy Hour

“I’m so excited to launch Spotify Podcast Ads powered by our proprietary Streaming Ad Insertion tech. We’re bringing real-time targeting, measurement and interactivity to the format for the very first time.” —Jay Richman, Spotify Head of Global Ads Business and Platform

Credit: Bryan Steffy/Getty Images for Spotify

ELLE Women in Tech Panel with Dustee Jenkins

“I always had an inner voice that said ‘keep going.’ We have to be intentional about supporting and advocating for other women.” —Dustee Jenkins, Spotify Global Head of Communications

Credit: Bryan Steffy/Getty Images for Spotify

“Yeah!” It’s Spotify Supper

With a performance by Ludacris and bites from three James Beard Award-winning chefs—Tim Hollingsworth, Charleen “The Veggie Whisperer” Badman, and Kwame Onwuachi—there was plenty to chew on and a lot to celebrate.  

Oh yeah, did we mention Lele Pons, Paul Feig, Sophia Bush, and Paris Hilton hit the dance floor during Luda’s performance?

Spotify’s Head of Global Ads Business and Platform Jay Richman Talks New Spotify Podcast Ads

January 8, 2020

Jay Richman, Spotify VP, Head of Global Ads Business and Platform, has spent his career at the intersection of digital media and ad tech. His positions at NBCUniversal, Scholastic, and Bertelsmann taught him how to build consumer ad experiences that deliver for companies, brands, and creators. In his role at Spotify, he especially takes pride in delivering standout promotional experiences for consumers, artist teams, and brands—helping to bring free music and podcasts to the world.

This week, Jay is representing Spotify at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), a major annual convention that looks ahead to the future of consumer technology (last year’s event had over 180,000 attendees). He’s excited to explore topics like IoT (internet of things; a.k.a. the devices that orbit smartphones), and how AI is being integrated into smart earbuds. 

But he’s also part of a major announcement for Spotify: the unveiling of Spotify Podcast Ads, powered by Streaming Ad Insertion (SAI). At first glance it seems like a lot to unpack, so we caught Jay at the start of the conference to learn what this means for podcasts lovers and creators, and the brands that back them. 

Today Spotify announced Spotify Podcast Ads powered by Streaming Ad Insertion (SAI) which leverages the power of streaming to deliver Spotify’s full digital suite of planning, reporting, and measurement capabilities to podcast advertisers.

So, break it down for us. How does this change things for podcasters, advertisers, and listeners?

First of all, I’m super excited to be launching Streaming Ad Insertion for Spotify Podcast Ads this week. We’re essentially taking all that’s great with podcast ads today and adding real-time targeting, measurement, and interactivity to them, none of which exists in the industry as it stands today.

SAI will make podcast ads targetable—they’ll be relevant to the people who get them; measurable—we’ll more easily prove that they’re effective; and interactive—more to come here—for the first time. This will make the podcast ad experience more personalized for podcast fans, introduce performance metrics for advertisers, and allow creators to better monetize their content and make money off their hard work.

Why is this different from podcast advertising as it exists today?

Think of it this way: Podcast ads—until now—were actually more like magazine ads, versus the ones that we’ve all become accustomed to on the internet, which are personalized based on the content we’re reading or the video we’re watching. That’s because the podcast ads themselves came downloaded with content regardless of who is listening.

Now, with the shift to streaming, we can serve ads in real time based on who you are and what you’re interested in, and we can understand whether or not the ad was actually listened to. Soon we’ll be adding interactivity so users can directly engage with podcast ads without needing to remember, say, the coupon codes. We’re really excited about what this means not just for Spotify, but the industry overall.

You mentioned that this is an industry first. How does this set the stage for the future of podcast advertising across the industry?

It’s no surprise that Spotify is making big investments in podcasts—from content to the user experience with playlists like Your Daily Drive and now advertising, starting with SAI. What we’re doing is providing the industry with an example for what podcasts can do moving forward, adding another way to showcase just how remarkable the medium is.

Our research shows that a staggering 81% of listeners have taken action after hearing audio ads during a podcast. This means that podcast ads are already effective in allowing creators to earn more off their hard work. So with SAI, we’re taking formats that traditionally have been more of a static experience and making it a more personalized and attractive one. It’s not just about reach and numbers, but about impacting the ideal audience and knowing it. It’s a great opportunity for brands to have measurable impact.

Today, SAI is only available for Spotify originals and exclusives. When is this offering going to be available for a larger set of creators?

We’re starting with Spotify originals and exclusives as a part of the testing phase. This represents a first step into a super exciting space that will benefit consumers, creators, and Spotify alike. At Spotify, we are constantly innovating. Sometime down the line we might expand this to more audiences. This is just the beginning of a long-term journey.

On a more personal note, are there any podcasts that you’ve been especially into recently?

Well, I just finished a series called S-Town by the producers of Serial and This American Life. It documents a brilliant yet deeply disturbed man who despises his Alabama town. I found the series to be pretty suspenseful and gripping, like a murder mystery. I don’t want to spoil it, but definitely one worth checking out.

Want to learn more about Spotify Podcast Ads and Streaming Ad Insertion? Head to Spotify for Brands.