Track 1 Intro

In this Track we'll cover:

• What listeners think of ads on Spotify

• The ad formats and placements available to you

• Benefits of advertising with Spotify

The Spotify advantage

Nearly 3 out of 4 (73%) ad-supported Spotify listeners prefer audio ads over visual ads.¹ That’s why, despite the last 10 years of media being largely about capturing people’s visual attention, Spotify believes the next 10 years will be about optimizing for ear time and audio.

As a business, it's critical to reach your audience where they're spending most of their time. Consider this: According to Edison “Spotify has solidified its spot as the largest single-source for online audio, and has played a role in the growth of podcasting (especially with young listeners)."² We’ve built a community of listeners that trust and value our platform, but don’t just take our word for it, check out what our listeners have to say about Spotify below.

1 Spotify Trends Survey, respondents 15-37, May 2020, US: Global Web Index, Q3 2020, Spotify Free Listeners Base: Gen Pop

2 Edison Research, The Infinite Dial 2021

choose us first

We really pride ourselves on being creator and listener centric. As a result, nearly three-quarters (72%) of users say Spotify is their go-to app for any type of listening³.

3 eMarketer. 2021. Traditional vs Digital Media: Average Time Spent in the US, 2018-2022.

trust us

Creating something new requires trust. Almost three-quarters of Spotify users view our brand as credible (72%) and trustworthy (72%). Plus, Spotify ranks #1 for Brand Intimacy within the ‘Apps & Social Media Brands’ Industry Category.³

3 eMarketer. 2021. Traditional vs Digital Media: Average Time Spent in the US, 2018-2022.

value our inclusivity

From up-and-coming artists to music execs to brand promoters to marketers, we collaborate with all creatives and listeners alike. Because we are so invested in people, three-quarters (74%) of Spotify users agree the brand “is for people like me.”³

eMarketer. 2021. Traditional vs Digital Media: Average Time Spent in the US, 2018-2022.

know we're down-to-earth

As a brand, we don’t take ourselves too seriously, and listeners love that. In the Brand Intimacy Study (the largest of its kind), Gen Z consumers rank Spotify #2 among 400 brands across 15 industries, falling only behind Xbox.³🤯

3 eMarketer. 2021. Traditional vs Digital Media: Average Time Spent in the US, 2018-2022.

love our creativity

We stay ahead of the latest digital audio trends so you don’t have to. And our audience agrees: More than two-thirds of listeners think Spotify is innovative (68%) and creative (69%).⁴

^{4 Brand Intimacy Study 2020, MBL}

Our ad formats

Now that you know our mission and what our listeners think of our brand, get to know our advertising formats. Our ad formats are made to engage, so listeners get a great experience and advertisers get better results. Spotify offers audio in music, video ads, and audio ads in podcasts. Learn what each one offers your business below.

Just here for the specs and technical info? Download our Media Kit.

Audio ads in music

On the right is an example of an audio ad with a companion display unit. Press play to check it out.

With digital audio, reaching people with personalized messaging doesn’t have to be such a challenge. Spotify helps advertisers craft and deliver messages that enhance, rather than interrupt the moment. Research shows ads that match the moment make a bigger impact: 75% of Spotify listeners say they remember ads more when the ads recognize their moment or setting.⁵

^{5 Key Moments Survey, Spotify Users A15-40, US, UK, DE, IT, SP, MX, BR, AU, October 2019.}

Video ads in music

On the left is an example of a video ad. Press play to check it out.

On other platforms, video ads are often viewed while muted. On Spotify, listeners are usually engaged with their sound on, offering a valuable opportunity for your message to be seen and heard. That means there’s no need to restrict your message to primarily visuals or rely on workarounds like subtitles. Plus, we only serve video when the user is “in-focus” (looking at the app), meaning you can be confident your message was delivered.

Video view ads in music

On the right is an example of a video views ad.

Another way your ads will stand out on Spotify is with Video views. You can reach listeners with 3 second views who are ready to engage with them. Using our Opt-In Video, your brand gets to be front and center, alongside the music listeners have chosen to stream. Plus, we only roll out your video on the 'Now Playing View' when users are “in-focus” (looking at the app), meaning you can be confident your message was delivered.

Audio ads in podcasts

On the left is an example of a podcast ad. Press play to check it out.

Some of the world’s most influential and important voices are on Spotify. We’ve brought some of the best podcast creators and studios to our platform, creating a content library of over 5.0M podcast titles including 550+ Original and Exclusives — one of the world’s biggest.⁶ When you advertise on podcasts, you place your message alongside many of these voices — reaching your audience as they tune in to the shows they love.

^{6 Spotify Q1’21 Quarterly Earnings Release.}

Benefits of the Spotify ad experience

Advertising with Spotify gives your business the opportunity to be seen and heard in all the ways that matter most. Let’s get into it below.

Click each point for more information.

Knowledge check

You’ve soaked up a ton of information in this Track. You’re almost ready to press play on the next Track but first, let’s make sure you didn’t skip a beat.

What percentage of users say Spotify is their go-to for any type of listening?

What are the ad formats available through Spotify?

In the Brand Intimacy Study, Gen Z consumers rank Spotify #2 among 400 brands across 15 industries, falling only behind Xbox.

Track 1 Rewind

Check off each point we covered in this Track.

In the next two Tracks, we'll take a closer look at how we use insights to ensure a great experience for our listeners and great results for advertisers.