- Sep 1, 2023
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Music has always been an important part of the culture and our daily lives. It's a reliable way to grab people's attention and engage them with content they enjoy. In today's highly competitive world, affiliate marketers, advertisers, and media buyers are constantly searching for new ways to connect with their target audience. Back in 2020, Google announced on its blog that it was introducing audio ads on YouTube. However, even after three years, not many experienced affiliate marketers have used this format in their advertising campaigns.
According to Google's internal data, in 2020, over 50% of YouTube viewers who listened to music content used the platform for video streaming. They spent more than 10 minutes every day consuming music content. With the introduction of YouTube Music, the number of users and the duration of music content sessions have only increased. In 2024, YouTube Music is one of the top 10 online music platforms in the US, according to a report by Statista. Additionally, a website called Zipdo reported that, in 2020, YouTube Music had 77 million subscribers who, on average, listened to over 5 hours of music content per week. That's a huge audience that can be monetized.
Apart from the audience, here are a few more advantages of using audio ads on YouTube:
You can also launch a campaign by selecting the "Awareness and Consideration" campaign type, then choosing the "Video" format and selecting "Audio" as the option.
After that, click "Continue," enter your campaign details, set your bid and budget, define your target audience, and add the URL of your YouTube video. You can then customize the ad copy. The last step is to set the target CPM bid amount and complete the setup by clicking the "Create Campaign" button.
In addition, during the beta testing stage, Google restricts the promotion of offers in grayhat niches, such as gambling, alcohol, healthcare, and medicines. To increase the chances of your ads in these niches getting approved and to prolong the life of your ad account and ad campaigns, it is recommended to launch your campaigns through trusted Google Ads agency accounts.
Audio ads are also great for promoting grayhat offers. But to increase the likelihood of your grayhat ads bypassing moderation and avoid rejections and account bans, it's recommended to use Google Ads agency advertising accounts with a higher level of trust.
Why you should use audio ads in your Google Ads campaigns
According to Google's internal data, in 2020, over 50% of YouTube viewers who listened to music content used the platform for video streaming. They spent more than 10 minutes every day consuming music content. With the introduction of YouTube Music, the number of users and the duration of music content sessions have only increased. In 2024, YouTube Music is one of the top 10 online music platforms in the US, according to a report by Statista. Additionally, a website called Zipdo reported that, in 2020, YouTube Music had 77 million subscribers who, on average, listened to over 5 hours of music content per week. That's a huge audience that can be monetized.
Apart from the audience, here are a few more advantages of using audio ads on YouTube:
- Lower ad creative production costs: Creating and editing a simple video ad can cost around $100-200, and high-quality one can go up to $1000. On the other hand, creating an audio ad with a voice-over introduction may not cost anything for the media buyer or advertiser, especially with the availability of AI-based voice-over services.
- Easy setup: Even if you're not experienced with Google Ads, you can easily launch an audio advertising campaign because the setup process is similar to classic video advertising on YouTube.
- Creative flexibility: The audio format allows for experimentation to differentiate your offers from competitors, not just for big brands, but also for categories like affiliate marketers, media buyers, and advertisers.
- Expanded reach to the target audience: Audio ads running on Google Ads can be shown not only in videos with powerful visuals but also in videos that users listen to in the background, naturally blending into the audio stream of YouTube Music.
How to run audio ads in Google Ads
Currently, you can create audio ads in your Google Ads account. As of now, this format is available in the Video, Performance Max, and Display & Video 360 campaign settings.
You can also launch a campaign by selecting the "Awareness and Consideration" campaign type, then choosing the "Video" format and selecting "Audio" as the option.
After that, click "Continue," enter your campaign details, set your bid and budget, define your target audience, and add the URL of your YouTube video. You can then customize the ad copy. The last step is to set the target CPM bid amount and complete the setup by clicking the "Create Campaign" button.
Requirements for audio advertising on YouTube
Before launching audio ads on YouTube, affiliates should ensure their ads meet the technical requirements. Based on less than four years of beta testing, the requirements for this advertising format have changed slightly. In 2022, the maximum video duration was reduced from 30 seconds to 15 seconds, and political ads were completely banned. As of 2024, the use of creatives lasting up to 30 seconds is available only to beta-test participants.
In addition, during the beta testing stage, Google restricts the promotion of offers in grayhat niches, such as gambling, alcohol, healthcare, and medicines. To increase the chances of your ads in these niches getting approved and to prolong the life of your ad account and ad campaigns, it is recommended to launch your campaigns through trusted Google Ads agency accounts.
Best practices for creating audio ads on YouTube
When creating audio ads, it's important to consider both the general principles of engaging your audience and the nature of the ad format. Based on the ad format's requirements, Google recommends the following:- Focus on the quality and content of the soundtrack.
- Use static images or simple animations as the visual component.
- Include key information about your offer in a speech of up to 40 words.
- Opt for a measured pace and clear presentation of information, especially when it comes to speech.
- Aim to fit the ad into the overall context of the content, using a conversational tone that doesn't irritate the listener.
- Be sure to use a call to action in the audio - Speak out the link address and/ or tell the user where to click.
- Don’t be too intrusive and try to follow the basic rules of advertising.
Conclusion
Audio ads are a valuable addition to the existing advertising formats on YouTube and Google Ads. They are not only relevant for big brands and mainstream industries but also for promoting offers in niche markets. With a target audience among users of YouTube Music and music enthusiasts, there is potential to reach audiences interested in online casinos, cryptocurrencies, dietary supplements, and more.Audio ads are also great for promoting grayhat offers. But to increase the likelihood of your grayhat ads bypassing moderation and avoid rejections and account bans, it's recommended to use Google Ads agency advertising accounts with a higher level of trust.
