CTV & Audio Ads: Reach the Right Ears & Eyeballs

The marketing world is constantly evolving, demanding that businesses adapt and explore new avenues to connect with their target audiences. Mastering and emerging channels like connected TV (CTV) and digital audio is no longer optional – it’s essential for staying competitive. But how do you actually do it? Get ready for case studies showcasing successful campaigns, marketing strategies that actually work, and actionable steps you can implement today to reach your customers where they are.

1. Understanding the Power of CTV Advertising

Connected TV (CTV) refers to televisions that can connect to the internet and stream video content. This includes smart TVs, as well as devices like Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV. A Nielsen study found that in 2025, 82% of US households had at least one CTV device Nielsen, making it a massive opportunity for marketers.

Unlike traditional television advertising, CTV offers significantly more precise targeting capabilities. You can target viewers based on demographics, interests, location, and even viewing habits. Think of it like this: instead of casting a wide net, you’re using a spear.

Pro Tip: Don’t just repurpose your traditional TV ads for CTV. Create content that is specifically designed for the platform and takes advantage of its interactive capabilities.

2. Setting Up Your First CTV Campaign on Google Ads

One of the easiest ways to get started with CTV advertising is through Google Ads. Google Ads allows you to run video ads on YouTube and other CTV apps through its network.

1. Create a new campaign: In your Google Ads account, click on “New Campaign” and select “Brand awareness and Reach” as your campaign goal.
2. Choose “Video” as your campaign type: This ensures that your ads will be formatted correctly for CTV.
3. Select “Reach” as your subtype: This will optimize your campaign for reaching as many unique viewers as possible within your budget.
4. Set your budget and bidding strategy: Start with a daily budget that you’re comfortable with and choose a bidding strategy like “Target CPM” (cost per thousand impressions).
5. Targeting: This is where the magic happens. You can target your audience based on demographics (age, gender, household income), interests (sports, cooking, travel), and even specific devices (Roku, Apple TV).
6. Create your ad: Upload your video ad and write compelling ad copy. Make sure your ad is visually appealing and grabs the viewer’s attention within the first few seconds.
7. Launch your campaign: Once you’re happy with your settings, launch your campaign and monitor its performance closely.

Common Mistake: Forgetting to set frequency caps. Bombarding viewers with the same ad over and over again is a surefire way to annoy them and waste your budget. Set a frequency cap to limit the number of times a viewer sees your ad.

3. Mastering Digital Audio Advertising

Digital audio advertising encompasses a wide range of formats, including podcast ads, streaming audio ads (Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music), and smart speaker ads. The appeal? People listen to audio content during commutes, workouts, and chores, making it a captive audience.

According to the IAB’s 2025 Digital Audio Advertising Revenue Report IAB, digital audio ad revenue grew by 18% in 2025, highlighting its increasing importance in the marketing mix.

I had a client last year, a local bakery in Midtown Atlanta, who saw a significant increase in foot traffic after running a programmatic advertising campaign targeting listeners interested in food and local events. They used a promo code specific to the podcast campaign, and the results were undeniable.

4. Running Podcast Ads on Podbean Ads Marketplace

Podbean Ads Marketplace is a platform that connects advertisers with podcast creators. It’s a great way to reach a niche audience and support independent content creators.

1. Create an account: Sign up for a Podbean Ads Marketplace account and verify your email address.
2. Create a new campaign: Click on “Create Campaign” and give your campaign a descriptive name.
3. Define your target audience: Select the categories and genres of podcasts that you want to target. You can also target based on demographics and location.
4. Choose your ad type: You can choose between pre-roll ads (played at the beginning of the podcast), mid-roll ads (played in the middle of the podcast), and post-roll ads (played at the end of the podcast). Mid-roll ads tend to be the most effective, as listeners are already engaged with the content.
5. Upload your ad: Upload your audio ad and write compelling ad copy. Make sure your ad is clear, concise, and engaging.
6. Set your budget and bidding strategy: Set a daily budget and choose a bidding strategy like “CPM” (cost per thousand impressions).
7. Review and launch your campaign: Review your campaign settings and launch your campaign.

Pro Tip: Work with the podcast host to create a personalized ad that resonates with their audience. A genuine endorsement from the host can significantly boost the effectiveness of your ad.

5. Leveraging Streaming Audio Ads on Spotify Ad Studio

Spotify Ad Studio allows you to create and run audio and display ads on the Spotify platform. With millions of active users, Spotify offers a vast reach for your audio campaigns.

1. Create a Spotify Ad Studio account: Sign up for a Spotify Ad Studio account and link it to your Spotify account.
2. Create a new campaign: Click on “Create Campaign” and choose your campaign objective (e.g., brand awareness, website traffic).
3. Define your target audience: Target your audience based on demographics, interests, location, and even real-time listening behavior (e.g., listening to workout playlists, commuting).
4. Choose your ad format: Select between audio ads (15-30 seconds) and display ads (companion banner that appears while the audio ad is playing).
5. Upload your ad: Upload your audio ad and design a visually appealing companion banner.
6. Set your budget and schedule: Set a daily budget and schedule your campaign to run during specific times of day or days of the week.
7. Launch your campaign: Review your settings and launch your campaign.

Common Mistake: Neglecting the companion banner. The companion banner is your chance to reinforce your message and drive traffic to your website. Make sure it’s visually appealing and includes a clear call to action.

6. Measuring the Success of Your Campaigns

Tracking and analyzing your campaign performance is crucial for optimizing your results. Here’s what nobody tells you: vanity metrics like impressions are useless without context. You need to focus on metrics that directly impact your business goals.

For CTV campaigns, track metrics like:

• Reach: The number of unique households that saw your ad.
• Frequency: The average number of times a household saw your ad.
• Completion Rate: The percentage of viewers who watched your ad to completion.
• Website Traffic: The number of visitors who came to your website after seeing your ad.
• Conversion Rate: The percentage of visitors who completed a desired action on your website (e.g., made a purchase, filled out a form).

For digital audio campaigns, track metrics like:

• Listen-Through Rate (LTR): The percentage of listeners who heard your ad to completion.
• Website Traffic: The number of visitors who came to your website after hearing your ad.
• Brand Lift: Measure the impact of your ad on brand awareness and perception through surveys or focus groups.
• Promo Code Usage: Track the number of listeners who used a promo code mentioned in your ad.

Use analytics tools like Google Analytics 4 and platform-specific dashboards (e.g., Spotify Ad Studio dashboard, Podbean Ads Marketplace dashboard) to track these metrics. Also, consider using data-driven strategies and a marketing attribution tool like Singular to get a holistic view of your campaign performance across all channels.

7. Case Study: “Sweet Tunes & Treats” Campaign

Let’s look at a fictional but realistic example. “Sweet Tunes & Treats” was a joint campaign between the previously mentioned local bakery in Midtown Atlanta, and a new music streaming service called “GrooveFlow.” The objective was to increase brand awareness for GrooveFlow and drive foot traffic to the bakery.

Strategy: They ran a series of audio ads on Spotify Ad Studio targeting listeners in the Atlanta area who enjoyed both music and food-related content. The ad featured a catchy jingle promoting GrooveFlow and a special discount at the bakery for GrooveFlow subscribers. They also ran a CTV campaign on Roku targeting households in the same geographic area with similar interests. The CTV ad featured a visually appealing video showcasing the bakery’s treats and highlighting the partnership with GrooveFlow.

Timeline: The campaign ran for four weeks.

Results: GrooveFlow saw a 25% increase in new subscriptions in the Atlanta area during the campaign period. The bakery experienced a 15% increase in foot traffic, with many customers mentioning the GrooveFlow promotion. The campaign achieved a listen-through rate of 70% on Spotify and a video completion rate of 60% on Roku.

Key Takeaway: Combining digital audio and CTV advertising can create a powerful synergy, reaching your target audience across multiple touchpoints and driving measurable results.

8. Staying Compliant with Advertising Regulations

Advertising regulations are constantly evolving, so it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest rules and guidelines. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has specific rules regarding endorsements and testimonials, so make sure that any influencers or podcast hosts you work with are properly disclosing their relationship with your brand. Also, be mindful of data privacy regulations like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), especially when collecting and using customer data for targeting purposes.

We had to pull a campaign last year when we failed to properly disclose a paid endorsement on a podcast. Lesson learned: always err on the side of transparency. For more insight into how to turn ad spend into ROI, be sure to check out our other articles.

Embrace the power of emerging channels like connected TV (CTV) and digital audio by implementing the strategies outlined above. Don’t be afraid to experiment, test different approaches, and continuously optimize your campaigns based on data and insights. If you are in Atlanta, consider optimizing your Instagram marketing as well. The future of marketing is here, and it’s waiting to be heard and seen. Are you ready to make some noise?