How to Advertise on Spotify

Spotify is changing not only the way we listen to music but also how companies market their brands. With Spotify advertising, you can reach a larger, more engaged audience, leverage targeting capabilities and take advantage of minimal competition (compared to other channels).

In this article, we’ll discuss things you need to know about Spotify, with a focus on the different types of ad formats and how you can start running an ad. Our goal is to make sure you’re well-informed as to how Spotify advertising works. 

What is Spotify?

Founded in Stockholm, Sweden, Spotify is a digital streaming platform that allows access to a library of songs, podcasts and other audio files. It continues to evolve with updates being rolled out every year, including improved opportunities for advertising.

Why is Spotify good for advertising?

With Spotify Ads Studio, Spotify has been making heads turn as a digital advertising channel. It’s great for advertising, offering a ton of benefits not possible with traditional radio advertising and even other digital platforms. 

Spotify Ads Studio is their self-serve ads platform, which allows advertisers to create and run audio and video ads up to 30 seconds.

So, how do you advertise on Spotify?

Before we go over how to create and run Spotify ads, let’s discuss the different ad formats available. There are two main types: interactive ads and display ads.

Interactive ads

Audio ads

Available for all versions of the app (any device), audio ads last between 15 and 30 seconds, with a voice-over to introduce your recording. Spotify places these ads in between songs, so you can rest assured they’ll reach listeners no matter the time of day or the device they’re using.

When buying advertising spots, the key is to focus on the types of music your target audience consumes. You can also personalise them according to a particular geotarget.

Video takeover

Video takeover works much like how audio ads work, except that it can only be seen by people who are viewing the app. Naturally, people who just use Spotify to strictly listen won’t be able to see them.

Sponsored sessions

When a listener views your ads, Spotify will ‘reward’ them with 30 minutes of uninterrupted listening—but not before inviting them to take action via a clickable display unit at the start of the listening session. Note that the app should be in view, since sponsored sessions only work with mobile and tablet. 

Display ads

Overlay

An overlay ad shows up whenever a listener returns to the app, ensuring visibility. It appears as a clickable display unit (like a banner ad) designed to drive traffic to your site. Overlays are available for mobile and desktop.

Homepage takeover

Spotify allows you to ‘take over’ their homepage for 24 hours with a display ad of your brand. Since the ad is clickable, it will redirect listeners to your site or any page you want to promote. Advertisers can make the ad more impactful by integrating interactive features. Homepage takeover only works for desktop.

Leaderboard

As the name suggests, this ad format is displayed on the Spotify leaderboard for 30 seconds on desktop or web player. Leaderboard ads are clickable and can only be seen when Spotify is the top app on the listener’s screen, increasing the likelihood of them viewing your message.

How to create ads using Spotify Ad Studio

Is it your first time to create a Spotify ad campaign? These easy-to-follow steps should get you started!

1. Create an account.

Set up an account if you haven’t got one yet. You just need to input standard info about yourself and your business. Once signed up, you’ll be directed to the Spotify Ad Studio dashboard, in which you can create your first Spotify ad.

2. Set your objectives, schedule and budget.

You’ll be asked to name your campaign and what you’re promoting (objectives). Then on the next page, you’ll input the type of ad format (audio or video ads) you want and the platform where you want your ad to appear. Lastly, you’ll need to fill out the schedule form—when the ad will start and stop and what time you want it to display. You’ll also have to set a budget limit.

3. Define your target audience.

Narrow down your target audience with Spotify’s targeting capabilities. Define your audience based on factors like location, postal code, gender, age, interests, real-time context and music genres.

4. Create your ad.

Now is the time to create your ad. You have the option to upload or drag and drop the file and choose a call-to-action. You’ll then see a preview of your ad both on mobile and desktop.

5. Monitor your ad’s performance.

How’s your ad doing? Spotify Ad Studio offers plenty of analytics to help track the success of your campaign. You’ll get insight on how your campaign is being received and see who is engaging and who isn’t.

Now that you know how to advertise on Spotify, it’s time to ramp up your audio advertising strategy. Get in touch with our experts to get the ball rolling!