Video:How to Create Podcast Ads

Transcript:How to Create Podcast Ads

Hi, I'm Don Schechter for About.com Money. Today I will give you some tips about how to create a podcast ad.

How Ads Are Used in Podcasts

You can listen to Podcasts on iTunes or on Podcast Web sites. Most of the time, podcasts have advertisements between each section, like commercials on TV or radio.

This helps to break up the programming into segments and allows for sponsors of the podcasts to broadcast their message.

Who to Contact About Airing the Ad

After you create a podcast ad, you can send it to a podcaster to see if they will let you air your ad. You may or may not have to pay.

In addition to contacting podcasters directly, there are ad insertion companies that help connect you, the advertiser, to podcasters.

Contact Podcasters With Similar Content

Make sure you contact podcasters whose content has a similar target audience for the product or service you are trying to sell.

For example, if you are selling collectible Star Wars figures, you might want to advertise on a Star Wars commentary podcast or other sci-fi podcasts.

Keep Ads Short But Exciting

Try to create different ads so that the listeners don't get bored. Remember that podcasters often only allow 15-second spots. Keep the ad short but exciting.

You can be creative by varying your message, and since podcast ads are relatively low cost to produce, it's easy to come up with lots of them.

Clever podcast ads draw attention and traffic to the site or product you are selling.

Create Season-Specific Podcast Ads

If you're advertising during the holidays, try making your ads specific to that particular holiday. You don't have to be selling holiday-specific items.

Just keep the season in mind and play it up so your product is more appealing.

Decide Where to Place Your Ads

Placement is important in creating your ad. Many podcasters report that ads in the middle or at the end of a podcast are the ones that are getting the most attention, instead of ones placed at the beginning of the podcast.

If you have control over the placement of your podcast ad, you know what to ask for.

Understand Your Listener

Listeners download specific programs to listen to, so they are different from typical radio audiences.

Therefore, don't go for overly distracting audio effects to grab the listener's attention. Keep your message simple, creative, clear, and informative.

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