According to Sounds Profitable’s 2025 research, podcast advertising achieves an 86% ad recall rate among its most active listeners—proof that well-crafted audio content sticks with audiences long after they’ve tuned out. For brands seeking to connect more deeply with their audience, sound has become one of the most powerful and personal storytelling tools in digital marketing.

Instead of relying on catchy hooks, sound itself now carries the story, adapting to each listener’s mood and moment. People expect audio that feels personal and relevant, and new technology is making that real. AdsWizz is helping lead this shift toward more immersive, responsive listening experiences.

Personalize at Scale with Dynamic Creatives and Synthetic Voice

At the heart of this transformation is the combination of Dynamic Creatives and Synthetic Voice, which together make personalization scalable, efficient, and creative.

Imagine a fitness brand running a single campaign that adapts to different times of day. A morning listener hears, “Start your day strong with your first workout of the week.” Someone tuning in after sunset hears, “It’s been a long day, time to unwind and recover with us.” Both ads carry the same brand tone, yet each feels timely and personal.

With Dynamic Creatives and Synthetic Voice, brands can instantly assemble, test, and optimize their ads while ensuring every version sounds authentic and on-brand. It’s the optimal blend of automation and artistry.

Interaction Is the New Engagement

After personalization comes participation. Interactive formats give listeners a role in the experience, turning attention into action. Audio isn’t a one-way medium anymore. Listeners interact with it, shape it, and respond to it in real time. The result is advertising that feels more like a conversation than a message.

ShakeMe: Turning Listeners into Participants

A standout innovation from AdsWizz is ShakeMe, a powerful way to turn passive listening into active engagement. With a simple shake of the phone, listeners can instantly bridge the gap between message and action, downloading an app, claiming a discount, or visiting a website, all without ever leaving their streaming experience.

For example, when the Swiss finance app Yuh used ShakeMe, it saw an interaction rate 60% higher than comparable non-interactive audio campaigns. This level of engagement demonstrates how creative innovation can transform a simple ad into a meaningful and measurable moment.

Voice Ads: Creating a Digital Dialogue

Equally transformative are voice ads, which invite audiences to respond using voice commands. Designed to immerse qualified listeners in a natural, conversational experience, this format amplifies both attention and engagement. As voice interaction continues to rise, we’re thrilled to bring this dynamic element to audio advertising, enabling brands to spark genuine, two-way conversations.

With voice ads, brands aren’t just sending out a message. They’re opening a real conversation where the listener decides what comes next, like asking for more details or jumping straight into an offer. This turns the experience into something personal and interactive.

Automated Host-Read Ads: Authenticity at Scale

Another breakthrough in immersive audio is automated host-read ads. With a streamlined workflow, buying and selling host-read inventory has never been easier. With a single script, brands can scale their message across thousands of podcasts and reach millions of listeners in the most trusted medium for influence and conversion.

This format scales without losing authenticity. Automated host-read ads let brands programmatically deliver personalized messages in the host’s voice, preserving the trust and intimacy of podcasts while gaining the efficiency and targeting of programmatic buying.

Creativity as a Performance Driver

• Improved recall: Ads that reference current conditions or local context are more memorable.
• Higher engagement: Interactive formats encourage immediate action and reduce friction.
• Stronger loyalty: Consistent, natural-sounding creatives foster long-term trust and brand affinity.

For advertisers, this means stronger ROI and better campaign efficiency. For publishers, it means premium inventory and more valuable impressions. And for listeners, it means ads earn attention and turn engagement into a rewarding experience.

The Vision Ahead

The future of audio creativity will bring data and emotion together in ways we’ve only begun to imagine. Smarter, more responsive ads will be intuitive and emotionally aware, anticipating listener moments and sentiment to forge authentic, lasting connections.

Ready to make your audio ads more dynamic and personal? 

Contact us to learn how AdsWizz can help you craft campaigns that resonate with every listener.

by Catalin Georgescu, Senior Product Marketing Manager

The post How Innovation Is Redefining the Listener Experience appeared first on AdsWizz.

Now imagine your ad appearing right then, in sync with that feeling.

With contextual music targeting available across AudioMax, AudioServe, and AudioMatic, advertisers can reach listeners in the moments that matter most.

With three powerful targeting capabilities, advertisers can now move past mood to connect with the real-world context driving the music.

• Dynamic top lineups: Reach listeners tuned in to the top 50 trending songs of the week. You can refine by the songs trending with millennials or Gen Z, depending on your campaign goals.
• Music by activity: Target listeners based on what they’re doing. Whether it’s studying, cooking, gaming, or working out, these segments help you deliver your message when it aligns with their current mindset.
• Music by seasonality: Align your campaigns with real-world cultural and seasonal moments like Pride Month, Halloween, back to school, or Valentine’s Day—times when listeners are already emotionally engaged.

Why This Matters

For advertisers, this means your message reaches people when it’s most likely to resonate. For publishers, it improves monetization by matching inventory to timely, behavior-based signals. Because the targeting is driven by contextual insights from the music itself, it respects user privacy while enabling scale and precision.

These segments are powered by more than 60 million songs, analyzed by machine learning and verified by human experts. It’s a system built on real listening behavior, not guesswork or outdated targeting models.

Key Benefits (So Listen Up)

• Engage listeners when it counts: Match your message to what people are doing or feeling in the moment—from studying to celebrating.
• Boost campaign performance: Drive stronger engagement and completion rates by reaching listeners in meaningful, relevant contexts.
• Maximize monetization: Improve fill rates by syncing inventory with live music behavior.
• Stay current: Reach audiences through trending songs and evolving cultural moments.
• Measure smarter: Use updated reporting tools to see how each segment performs and optimize campaigns with confidence.

Let’s Get Started

It’s easy to find new segments available in Publisher Attributes across AudioMax, AudioServe, and AudioMatic. Simply choose the segments that align with your campaign, and the platform will do the rest. Whether you’re focused on reach, performance, or monetization, these tools are designed to help you make every ad more effective.

Explore the full segment list and start reaching listeners in the moments that matter. 

• Want to learn more? For more information, please visit our knowledge base.
• Prefer to talk with a team member? Contact us now!

by Rob Quintiliani, Senior Director, Product Management

The post Hit the Right Note With Contextual Music Targeting appeared first on AdsWizz.

Let’s explore how to lead with privacy in your audio campaigns and stay ahead of the curve.

Trust Is the New Currency

As privacy concerns grow, many companies are facing issues balancing personalization with respecting consumer privacy. However, brands need to remember that privacy-focused ad strategies don’t just foster compliance—they drive long-term customer loyalty. In fact, 71% of users say that they would stop supporting a company that mishandles their sensitive information.

Brands that focus their efforts on transparency, obtaining clear consent, and use responsibly sourced data are viewed more favorably. Over eight in 10 consumers say data protection is essential to building trust. So, openness about how and why data is collected, and handling it with care, are not nice-to-haves; they are musts in the current landscape.

Why Privacy Is Defining the Future of Audio Advertising

Recent studies reveal that 61% of Americans are skeptical of companies’ ability to protect their data and increasingly wary of data collection practices. To stay compliant and maintain trust, brands must be transparent and adopt ethical data practices.

Users also want personalized ads. According to studies, 82% of consumers react positively to brands that advertise products they find useful. Balancing these seemingly opposing forces has become the next frontier in effective audio advertising, where superior targeting capabilities and first-party data allow for both privacy-forward strategies and greater personalization.

Balancing Privacy, Regulation, and Innovation

The audio advertising industry is at a major crossroads as tracking methods undergo significant changes. This shift comes in response to users’ changing perceptions of control over data privacy, evolving collection norms, and regulatory pressure. But technological innovations  are delivering targeting accuracy and creative personalization without sacrificing trust.

Going Beyond Third-Party Cookies and MAIDs

Digital audio advertising is moving beyond cookies and mobile advertising IDs (MAIDs)—traditional staples for targeting and tracking listeners. As data shows, two in three Americans turn off cookies to protect their privacy. Brands that continue relying solely on these signals will face limitations in both reach and measurement accuracy.

Embracing First-Party Data Strategies

New frameworks allow for privacy-aligned targeting, providing advertisers with scalable solutions that amplify compliance and user trust. Many forward-thinking brands are pivoting towards opted-in, first-party data strategies. First-party data enables transparent relationships with listeners and provides deeper, more accurate behavioral insights.

At AdsWizz, we focus on integrating frameworks that support scalable, privacy-forward targeting—including UID2, NetID, and ID5. Unique ID values are generated on publisher properties and sent client-side as first-party data. AdsWizz supports publishers in implementing these solutions, working alongside third-party providers to ensure compliance with data protection standards.

Privacy-Forward Solutions That Still Deliver Precision

Audio advertisers don’t have to choose between effectiveness and privacy. By partnering with an adtech provider that focuses on privacy-forward solutions, you can achieve strong campaign results while adhering to ethical practices.

Aggregated Data Models

AdsWizz employs truncated or aggregated data models to predict audience demographics and preferences without exposing personal identifiers. For example, Predictive Audiences—in partnership with Comscore—is a cookie-free solution that provides access to hundreds of audience segments based on listeners’ interests, activities, and behaviors. It enables advertisers to deliver personalized content and reach new categories by leveraging context rather than user identifiers.

Contextual Audio Adtech

Contextual advertising is rapidly emerging as a leading privacy-preserving alternative. Rather than relying on cookies or behavioral history, it targets listening context, such as mood, genre, time of day, or even weather. This approach enables brands to deliver highly relevant ads at the right moment without compromising privacy. On AdsWizz, contextual targeting now represents 60% of all targeting, based on impressions measured by show, mood, and Comscore Predictive Audiences.

Action Plan: Building a Privacy-Focused Audio Strategy

To balance personalization with privacy:

• Partner with adtech providers that prioritize ethical data use and communicate clearly about processing
• Use contextual targeting for relevant messaging without intrusion
• Adopt scalable, privacy-forward solutions such as predictive modeling and aggregated data
• Move away from intrusive tracking toward sustainable, trust-centered targeting

Transitioning to privacy-forward tools isn’t just a compliance step; it’s a smart way to stand out and earn lasting trust. Through integrations built with privacy in mind, AdsWizz supports customers in their own compliance journeys. With privacy-forward audio adtech, you can protect your brand while creating more meaningful connections with your audience. 

The future of targeting is here. Are you ready? Contact us today to get started.

by Bianca Stanescu, Senior Director, Product Marketing

The post Privacy-Focused Audio Advertising: The New Standard for Reaching Digital Audiences appeared first on AdsWizz.

Although podcast audiences have grown significantly, monetization has not always kept up at the same pace. Many publishers continue to encounter challenges such as unsold inventory, underperforming campaigns, and less-than-optimal revenue streams.

In this guide, we’ll explore proven podcast monetization strategies and show how AdsWizz’s advanced adtech solutions can help publishers maximize their ad inventory and grow revenue faster.

Why Today’s Podcast Monetization Still Has Gaps

The podcast ad market is booming, but many publishers still experience unfilled ad slots and missed revenue opportunities. The root causes often include fragmented delivery systems and a lack of real-time forecasting and reporting.

To unlock full revenue potential, publishers need to evolve beyond static sales models and adopt smarter, data-driven podcast ad monetization tools.

Smarter Planning for Maximum Monetization

Effective monetization begins with accurate forecasting. AdsWizz’s advanced Inventory and campaign forecasting tools help publishers accurately predict opportunity availability by syncing with each show’s release schedule.

When episodes are delayed, canceled, or released, forecasts automatically update to reflect the latest publishing plan and listener trends.

Equipped with tailored forecasts based on a podcast’s unique release cadence and traffic trends, publishers can plan campaigns more effectively, allocate inventory with precision, and fully capitalize on their monetization potential.

At the campaign level, publishers can:

• Forecast delivery for draft and active campaigns
• Identify additional impressions to boost revenue
• Simulate and apply optimized targeting and pacing

From Planning to Precision Targeting

Once inventory is forecasted with confidence, the next step is delivering it to the right audiences. AdsWizz offers a powerful suite of targeting solutions that help publishers increase relevance, reduce waste, and drive better campaign results.

• Audience segmentation: Enables publishers to reach listeners based on detailed demographics, interests, and behaviors using precise segmentation tools.
• Privacy-friendly demographic modeling: Through partners like NumberEight, publishers can target audiences by age or gender without relying on cookies or first-party data.
• Contextual targeting: Allows ads to be served in the most relevant context by aligning with episode topics, listeners’ interests, or content affinity. This goes beyond basic genre or language classification. More than 60% of AdsWizz targeting dimensions are contextual, according to internal data, helping publishers improve relevance while maintaining listener trust.
• Predictive Audiences: Leverages Comscore-powered personas to reach hundreds of audience segments based on real-world behaviors such as TV viewing, shopping intent, or automotive interest. AI-driven contextual matching places ads within episodes most relevant to each listener. This approach expands reach, improves discoverability, and drives stronger monetization across the catalog.

Predictive Pacing Improves Revenue Efficiency

Podcasts generate more inventory when a new episode is released, but that inventory declines over time. These fluctuations are hard to detect with standard pacing methods, often resulting in under or over-delivery.

To address this, predictive pacing uses real-time and historical listener data to continuously adjust campaign delivery. It aligns ad spend with actual listening behavior and ensures consistent impression delivery.

How Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI) and Dynamic Creatives Boost Podcast Revenue Year-Round

Optimized delivery is just one piece of the podcast monetization puzzle. To fully capitalize on every episode, tools like (DAI) and dynamic creatives enable scalable, personalized ad experiences. These technologies help publishers boost delivery, enhance listener relevance, and maximize revenue across their entire catalog.

(DAI) is a game-changer for monetizing both new and archived podcast episodes. Instead of permanently embedding ads, DAI inserts targeted creative at the time of download, keeping content fresh and revenue flowing.

Dynamic Creatives take personalization further by generating ad variations in real time. Messaging adjusts based on listener context, driving higher engagement and better results. 

For example, a listener in New York on a rainy morning might hear, “Don’t let the rain stop your run. Grab our waterproof sneakers, available now in NYC,” while someone in sunny Los Angeles hears, “Step into the sunshine with our lightweight running shoes, available now in LA.” These real-time adjustments make ads more relevant and boost listener response.

Automated Host-Read Ads Combine Personalization and Scale

Host-read ads are trusted, authentic, and consistently effective—often driving 25% more spend than standard formats, according to AdsWizz’s internal metrics. But managing these campaigns at scale can be difficult.

With automated host-read ads, publishers can produce and deliver campaigns across multiple shows with a single brief. Once the host records and the creative is approved, the campaign launches within minutes—complete with targeting, tracking, and real-time measurement. It’s the perfect blend of credibility and operational efficiency.

Actionable Steps to Improve Podcast Monetization

Ready to optimize your ad inventory and grow podcast revenue? Here’s what publishers can do right now:

• Audit underperforming campaigns and refine their settings and targeting for optimal delivery
• Leverage DAI, dynamic creatives, contextual targeting, and automation tools
• Expand monetization beyond audio to social platforms and smart devices
• Partner with an adtech provider that offers end-to-end monetization solutions

With AdsWizz, you can unlock the full potential of your podcast business. From smarter targeting to real-time forecasting, our platform is designed to help publishers scale their revenue and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving industry.

Reach out today to learn how AdsWizz can help you monetize more, faster, and smarter.

by Nicoleta Vieru, Senior Staff Product Marketing Manager

The post How Publishers Can Maximize Podcast Revenue With Smarter Adtech appeared first on AdsWizz.

Since the early days of radio, audio has enabled brands to connect with audiences in a cost-effective and high-impact way. Today, that impact is growing quickly. According to The Infinite Dial 2025 by Edison Research, 79% of Americans aged 12 and older, an estimated 228 million people, now listen to online audio every month.

But just because audio is accessible does not mean it is simple. Brands still have a lot to figure out:

• Where is our audience?
• Are they into music, podcasts, or live radio?
• Which shows and genres do they follow?
• What platforms reach them best?
• Can we produce creative that cuts through the noise?
• How do we track and support the campaign across the funnel?

The good news is that today’s tools make this process easier and more effective. Thanks to automation and personalization, businesses of all sizes can now build smarter audio campaigns more efficiently. If you are ready to drive results and scale your brand, here is how to transform your audio advertising strategy.

Why Automation Is a Game-Changer for Audio Ads

Privacy laws are changing quickly, and digital platforms continue to evolve. For many brands—especially small and mid-sized businesses—keeping up can feel overwhelming.

Automation does more than help marketers just stay ahead. It gives them the ability to target specific audiences using secure, privacy-compliant data. Just as importantly, it simplifies and speeds up campaign execution.

By using anonymized first-party data and predictive audience modeling, automation delivers messages directly to the right people. No waste. No guesswork. Just smarter ad spend and better listener experiences.

Innovative Audio Adtech: Speed Meets Precision

Modern audio adtech takes this a step further by enabling real-time adjustments based on listener behavior. As audiences engage with content, automated tools analyze live data and serve the most relevant version of each ad. Every impression becomes more effective, helping you reach the right listener at the right moment.

Real-World Wins With Synthetic Voice Ads

Here is where Synthetic Voice Ads make a big impact. This technology lets you update your audio creative in minutes instead of days. No studio time, no rescheduling, and no delays. You stay agile and responsive.

Let’s say you are promoting an event, but your venue is not confirmed yet. A week later, the weather forces you to relocate. In the past, you would need to re-record your voiceover. That means extra time and cost.

With Synthetic Voice Ads, you can update details instantly and keep your campaign live. This flexibility matters for local businesses, too. A sports bar can promote watch parties before a playoff game, then switch to a championship celebration ad in minutes. Synthetic Voice Ads make it possible to react in real time without missing a beat.

Optimization That Adapts to the Moment

Reaching your ideal listener isn’t just about age or interests—it’s about the moment.

AudioMatic DSP, AdsWizz’s demand-side solution, uses real-time contextual signals such as time of day, device type, and content category to serve ads when listeners are most engaged. Whether someone is commuting, working out, or relaxing at home, AudioMatic ensures your message fits the moment.

Now, paired with Dynamic ad insertion (DAI), ads can be seamlessly delivered into audio content streams in real time. This makes sure each impression is relevant, timely, and aligned with listener behavior.

Personalization That Drives Engagement

Did you know that 70% of Americans age 12 and older have listened to a podcast? That kind of scale creates huge opportunities for meaningful, personalized engagement.

With AdsWizz’s dynamic creatives, brands can automatically tailor ads based on listener context—such as location, weather, device, or content type. A single creative can adjust to fit a listener in New York on a rainy afternoon or someone in Phoenix on a sunny morning.

But personalization alone is not enough. You also need to measure what is working and respond in real time. When your audio ad reflects someone’s real-world experience, it creates a moment of relevance.

That is where AudioPixel comes in. It connects ad impressions to real listener actions like website visits and purchases. This closed-loop attribution helps you continuously improve both your creative and your media strategy based on actual outcomes.

Your Next Step in Audio Advertising Starts Here

AdsWizz is leading the evolution of audio advertising by combining automation, personalization, and real-time data to help brands connect more effectively with their audiences. With over 16 billion targeted impressions delivered each month and deep insight into millions of podcast episodes, AdsWizz gives marketers the tools to build smarter, faster, and more responsive campaigns.

Ready to cut through the noise, amplify your reach, and spark real results? Let’s build a campaign that delivers. Contact us today.

by Ionuț Buhă, Staff Product Manager

The post Transform Your Audio Advertising With Automation and Personalization appeared first on AdsWizz.

That’s what made our recent webinar, Future-Ready Strategies for Podcast Growth, so timely. We’re moving beyond simply monetizing podcasts. We are now focused on building the tools to do it smarter, faster, and more sustainably. 

Below are a few highlights, but be sure to check out the full webinar here.

Global Podcast Ad Growth Is Accelerating

Let’s talk numbers. Global podcast ad spend is projected to hit 2.55 billion dollars by 2025, and there are now more than 500 million global podcast listeners and 4.4 million active podcasts worldwide. Podcast advertising is growing ten times faster than radio, which tells us everything we need to know about where audience attention and ad budgets are headed.

This growth is exciting, but it also adds pressure. Monetization can no longer be one-dimensional. We need tools that reflect how podcasts are consumed today across formats, channels, and platforms.

Creators Are Driving the Future of Podcast Monetization

Podcast creators today are building media ecosystems, not just shows. One example we highlighted is Team Coco, which has 5.4 million monthly podcast downloads, 8.9 million YouTube subscribers, and a dedicated SiriusXM channel. Another is Alex Cooper, one of the top cultural voices today. She is growing her Unwell empire – not only through her signature Call Her Daddy podcast, but also an entire media network focused on creating content and experiences for Gen Z audiences. 

These are multi-platform brands built on podcasting. And, as podcasting becomes a multi-format experience, we are focused on building the adtech solutions that empower creators to grow and monetize across it all.

Podcast Monetization Tools to Increase Revenue in 2025

At AdsWizz, we are helping publishers and creators evolve with the market. In the webinar, we focused on four areas that unlock smarter monetization at scale.

Advanced Podcast Targeting

We’ve combined Comscore’s audience personas with behavioral signals from data platform NumberEight, unlocking access to over 300 unique audience profiles. This integration enables privacy-compliant, hyper-relevant ad delivery at scale.

Smarter Inventory Forecasting

Our enhanced forecasting tools support manual adjustments, episode-level forecasting, competitive separation, and frequency capping. This gives publishers more visibility into and control over available inventory. 

Automated Host-Read Ads

Host-read ads have always been powerful, but now they are scalable. Our streamlined workflow simplifies approvals, automates production, and enables real-time reporting so campaigns launch faster without losing quality.

Predictive Pacing for Podcast Campaigns

Predictive Pacing dynamically adjusts campaign delivery using live and historical data. It helps reduce over-delivery and under-performance while ensuring goals are met more efficiently. It is one of our most publisher-friendly upgrades.

Looking (And Listening) Ahead

Podcasting is changing fast. It is becoming more visual, more interactive, and more connected to the broader media landscape. At AdsWizz, we are helping creators and publishers stay ahead with smarter monetization tools and a future-ready infrastructure.

We know that supporting our creators and scaling monetization require tools that go beyond long-form RSS feeds and host-read creative. As an industry, we need to support omnichannel podcasting. This means a deeper investment in what we already excel in – audio, targeting, forecasting, delivery & reporting. And also, an investment in new areas such as workflows and automation related to video and social, and recommendations around what content to publish and how best to monetize.

Whether you are refining your strategy or preparing to scale, our team is here to support your growth!

Watch the entire webinar for more information here.

by Molly Ponzo, Vice President, Ad Product

The post How to Scale Podcast Monetization in 2025 with AdsWizz appeared first on AdsWizz.

Enter Phase II of future episode targeting and forecasting, the next step in revolutionizing the way we approach podcast advertising. This enhanced capability enables publishers and advertisers to fine-tune their campaign targeting with greater precision and forecast opportunities more accurately, ensuring that every ad hits the mark.

Here’s a deep dive into what’s new and why it matters!

The Evolution From Phase I to Phase II

Let’s rewind to April 2024. That’s when Phase I first laid the groundwork for automating episode creation and scheduling, enabling publisher campaigns to target future podcast episodes directly. 

Phase II takes the baton and sprints ahead. No matter the cadence—weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or uneven (yet predictable cadences) like binge drops—publishers now have access to accurate forecasting and seamless targeting, all backed by improved synchronization between Simplecast and AudioServe. This means fewer workarounds, greater flexibility, and a whole lot less guesswork.

What’s New in Phase 2

• Real-time syncing across platforms: Changes to a show’s release schedule, whether it’s a delayed episode, bonus content, or a canceled series, are automatically reflected in AudioServe. This synchronization ensures campaign traffickers are always working with the most accurate data.
• Forecasting for all publishing cadences: Gone are the days when only weekly releases could be accurately forecasted. Now, each scheduled episode’s forecast is tailored to the show’s unique traffic patterns. This means that even the quirkiest of publishing schedules get the same level of precision.
• Enhanced forecasting for returning shows: Shows coming back from a hiatus? Phase II preserves up to 18 months of historical, compositional data to deliver useful and accurate forecasts, even after long breaks.
• A control switch for data accuracy: This new feature is a game-changer. It allows inventory managers to disconnect from the scheduler temporarily if data reliability is in question. Once accuracy is restored, the toggle can be flipped back on, realigning forecasts and targeting with the show’s actual schedule.

Why It Matters

Imagine running a campaign that relies on hitting the sweet spot of your audience’s attention, only to find out the show you’re targeting has shifted its release schedule. Or worse, it’s gone on hiatus! The enhancements in Phase II eliminate these pain points by providing tools that adapt in real-time, ensuring every campaign is as effective as possible.

Use Cases: Real-World Scenarios

To better understand Phase II improvements, let’s look at a few common scenarios:

• Canceled episode: Targeting and forecasting quickly adjust to reflect any changes, minimizing the disruption to campaign trafficking.
• Delayed episode: Forecasting updates automatically to reflect the new release date, minimizing disruption to campaigns.
• Returning show: A beloved series comes back after a year-long hiatus. Thanks to historical episode data preservation, forecasts remain reliable, ensuring publishers can jump back into action without delay.

The Future Ahead

The latest update to episode targeting and forecasting is here, and it’s changing the game for podcast advertising. With real-time syncing paired with advanced forecasting, we’re unlocking possibilities like never before. Publishers now have the tools to push boundaries, crafting campaigns that are not only more innovative but also more impactful than ever.

The future of podcast advertising is here—and it’s looking brighter than ever. Ready to see it in action?

• If you’re already an AdsWizz customer, explore our knowledge base for detailed information. 
• Not an AdsWizz partner yet? Head over to our Contact Us page to get in touch!
• Want an even deeper look at where the industry is headed? Don’t forget to download The State of Audio Adtech Report 2025.

by Jason Clift, Senior Manager, Product

The post Revolutionize Your Audio Ads With Enhanced Future Episode Targeting and Forecasting appeared first on AdsWizz.

Why Brand Safety is Essential

As audio publishers embrace advanced adtech and brand safety solutions, advertisers can reach their target audiences with confidence—without compromising security or content suitability. This evolution is transforming digital audio into a more dynamic and impactful medium for advertisers.

As Franz Bernstein, VP of Ad Product at SiriusXM Media & AdsWizz, explains in The State of Audio Adtech Report 2025, ensuring ads appear in the right environments is key to fostering deeper, more authentic connections between brands and listeners:

“We’re redefining audio as a versatile and powerful pillar of digital engagement. It’s no longer just about delivering ads—it’s about reaching listeners wherever they are with personalized, contextually relevant, and privacy-first experiences. By adapting to audience environments and prioritizing brand safety, audio now fosters deeper, more authentic connections—turning every moment into an opportunity for meaningful impact.”

This shift toward privacy-first, contextually relevant experiences is only possible when advertisers have control over where their ads appear. Without strong safety measures, ads risk being placed alongside misaligned or inappropriate content, undermining both trust and effectiveness.

Key Benefits of Brand Safety

• Brand safety ensures ads appear in contextually appropriate environments.
• Advanced verification tools help brands reach real, engaged audiences.
• Real-time transparency allows advertisers to monitor ad placements and performance.

Why Advertisers Are Demanding More Control

The stakes are high for brands investing in digital audio. Unlike other media, audio often delivers intimate, one-on-one engagement with listeners, making alignment with brand values even more critical. However, traditional brand safety measures—such as broad keyword blocking or avoiding entire content categories—have often limited advertisers’ reach.

With more comprehensive brand safety solutions available, brands can confidently place ads in contextually relevant environments that support both brand image and campaign performance.

Next-Generation Audio Adtech: Transparency and Protection

Cutting-edge audio adtech is giving advertisers unprecedented control, providing real-time transparency into where ads are running and how they’re performing. These features eliminate guesswork, ensuring campaigns reach real, engaged audiences.

• Instant tracking: Advertisers see real-time data on ad placements and performance.
• Fraud prevention: Invalid Traffic (IVT) filtering helps block bots, fake traffic, and fraudulent domains before they cause harm.
• Smarter targeting: Improved contextual intelligence ensures ads appear in brand-safe environments without restricting reach.

By purchasing inventory through secure marketplaces like the AdsWizz Marketplace, advertisers can connect with verified audiences, protecting both their ad budgets and brand reputation.

The Future of Audio Advertising is Built on Trust

With growing brand safety solutions, real-time transparency, and advanced fraud prevention, advertisers no longer have to choose between security and scale. The rise of real-time verification, suitability controls, and bot filtering is fueling greater confidence, allowing brands to invest in audio with trust and precision.

Why This Matters for Advertisers

• More secure placements: Ads appear in suitable, fraud-free environments.
• Higher engagement: Reaching real audiences leads to better campaign performance.
• Stronger brand reputation: Avoiding unsafe placements enhances trust and credibility.

As the industry continues to evolve, these advancements are making digital audio one of the most reliable, effective, and impactful advertising channels today.

Want to Dive Deeper into the Future of Audio Adtech? 

Download The State of Audio Adtech Report 2025 for the latest insights on brand safety, transparency, and the innovations shaping digital audio.

by Catalin Georgescu, Senior Product Marketing Manager

The post How Brand Safety Can Make or Break Your Digital Audio Ad Strategy appeared first on AdsWizz.

As outlined in The State of Audio Adtech Report 2025, digital audio advertising offers so much more than placing ads in a linear stream. It’s about meeting listeners where they are through podcasts, music streaming, gaming, and even social media to create cohesive, multi-platform experiences that resonate.

Why Publishers and Advertisers Need to Go Omnichannel

With 31% of weekly podcast listeners tuning in via YouTube, it’s clear that audiences are consuming content across channels. In fact, 84% of Gen Z podcast listeners prefer podcasts with a video component, and 45% seek additional content from hosts on YouTube and social media, according to a SiriusXM Media Podsurvey User Study. Consumers now crave deeper connections and richer storytelling, making cross-platform engagement essential.

For brands, this shift is an opportunity. By blending audio with video, social media, and interactive elements, advertisers and publishers can create engaging, multi-dimensional experiences. The key is to connect with audiences in ways that resonate, using dynamic ads, hybrid formats, and interactive storytelling to capture attention across platforms.

Additionally, contextual targeting enables brands to reach listeners in the most relevant moments—whether they’re tuning in to a workout playlist, an industry-specific podcast, or a news briefing—maximizing the impact of ads and driving deeper engagement.

To thrive, brands must think bigger, adapt faster, and embrace new engagement strategies. Those that do will foster deeper connections, drive greater loyalty, and stay ahead of the competition. As audiences continue to demand richer, more interactive experiences, publishers and advertisers must move beyond traditional approaches—actively integrating new strategies and technologies to stay ahead.

Adapting to the New Audio Ad Landscape

To capitalize on these opportunities and adapt to evolving audience behaviors, brands and advertisers must embrace strategies that align with omnichannel consumption trends. By leveraging innovative tools, they can create personalized, immersive campaigns that genuinely resonate with today’s consumers—driving deeper engagement and delivering measurable results.

Key innovations unlocking new opportunities:

• Second Screen retargeting: Reinforce your audio messages. Second Screen retargeting combines the power of audio with display advertising, ensuring that listeners who hear an ad receive a follow-up visual ad on the web within two days. In a campaign AdsWizz ran with MedExpress, Second Screen retargeting helped achieve a 0.63% click-through rate (CTR), a 37% increase compared to the industry average, leading to over 1.2 million second-screen impressions.
• AudioPixel for real-time insights: Measuring audio engagement has never been more precise. AudioPixel connects ad exposure to consumer actions, tracking whether users visit websites or make purchases—providing advertisers with actionable insights into demographic, geographic, and behavioral trends. For example, Hyundai leveraged AudioPixel to track engagement for its IONIQ 6 EV campaign, resulting in 8,000+ leads, a 6.3% companion banner CTR, and a 1.3% conversion rate from in-game audio to test drives.
• Voice-activated ads for effortless interactions: Voice-activated ads enable seamless brand interactions via smart speakers and assistants, making it easy to redeem offers, book services, or explore products. These ads encourage interaction to drive instant engagement, transforming digital audio advertising. Lagardère Publicité News leveraged AdsWizz Voice Ads on Europe 1, allowing listeners to interact via voice commands to redeem offers, book services, or download apps effortlessly. The Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Tourisme campaign achieved a 97% listener-through rate, showcasing the power of voice-activated engagement.
  

The Future of Digital Audio Advertising Starts Now

The future of digital audio advertising is already here. Brands that embrace more channels, advanced formats, and interactive experiences will be the ones that truly connect with audiences. Innovation is transforming passive listening into measurable engagement. As digital audio expands across platforms, now is the time to leverage cutting-edge adtech to foster stronger, more engaging relationships with audiences.

Want to dive deeper into this and the latest audio adtech trends for 2025 (and beyond)?

Download The State of Audio Adtech Report 2025 to stay ahead of the curve and maximize your digital audio strategy!

by Nicoleta Vieru, Senior Staff Product Marketing Manager

The post Grow Your Digital Audio Advertising with More Channels and Formats appeared first on AdsWizz.

Beyond the Basics: First-Party Data and Contextual Targeting in Action

The key isn’t just knowing what someone likes—it’s understanding when and how to deliver a message that resonates and creates meaningful connections. Instead of relying on broad strokes, brands and publishers today should harness first-party data and contextual intelligence to create and deliver hyper-targeted, privacy-compliant ad experiences. 

For example, it’s now possible to combine location targeting with weather insights for an even more focused and personal approach. If it’s a rainy day in a specific neighborhood, food delivery apps can reach listeners staying in, while auto service brands can target regions hit by storms with reminders for repairs or checks. By tapping into real-world context, audio ads don’t just show up at the right time—they actually make sense in the moment, feeling more like helpful tips and less like background noise.

Why First-Party Data is More Valuable than Ever

With more users opting out of traditional tracking, first-party data has become the gold standard for delivering relevant ads—without compromising privacy. Brands and publishers that leverage their own data—such as listening behavior, purchase history, and preferences—can deliver personalized messages without relying on third-party cookies.

And the impact is clear:

• 71% of brands, agencies, and publishers are expanding their first-party data strategies, moving away from their historically heavy reliance on third-party audiences.
• Brands adopting personalization have grown by 50%, with budgets increasing by 29% in 2024 compared to the previous year.
• Culturally relevant ads generate a 156% greater emotional impact, according to a study by MAGNA Media Trials and SiriusXM Media, “Challenging the ‘One & Done’ Approach: Connecting Culturally Through Digital Audio.

The best part? With first-party data, publishers regain control of all online interactions across their content. At the same time, brands can use highly relevant touchpoints for their messaging, making it a win-win for both parties. 

Contextual Targeting is Refining the Moment, Not Just the Audience

Having data is just the first step—what really matters is how you put it to work. A great ad should feel like a natural part of the experience, not something that disrupts it. Think about it: Delivering an ad for a sunrise yoga retreat to listeners streaming a meditation playlist can hit all the right notes–and feel downright serendipitous. Contextual targeting has evolved far beyond simply aligning ads with general content categories. Modern platforms now ensure ads fit the content but also the listener’s mindset and environment. With 60% of targeting dimensions on AdsWizz’s platform already contextual—based on impressions run on the platform—it’s clear that hyper-relevant messaging is the new norm.

This is where contextual targeting truly shines, allowing brands to craft hyper-relevant ads that feel seamless, timely, and genuinely useful to listeners.

Mood-based targeting

Music sets the tone for how people feel—whether that’s pumped up, chilled out, or somewhere in between. Studies show that during stressful periods, listeners actively turn to music as a coping mechanism, reinforcing the idea that audio content is deeply tied to emotional states. The AdsWizz mood library has over 60 million songs across nine mood segments, including one called Angsty—because sometimes you just need to embrace the vibe. Imagine someone blasting some Metallica, the last thing they want is a bubbly ad for cherry-flavored lipgloss. The right ad at the right time doesn’t just resonate—it respects the mood.

Weather-based targeting

Weather shapes moods, cravings, and shopping decisions. A cold, rainy Friday evening? Perfect for a cozy comfort food delivery ad. A high UV index? A well-timed reminder to grab that sunscreen. And when temperatures drop at higher altitudes, it’s the ideal moment to nudge listeners toward warm sweaters or ski boots.

Our platform updates live weather data every 60 minutes, ensuring ad messaging aligns with real-time conditions. By staying relevant in the moment, brands can personalize their approach and maximize impact—because no one wants to hear about ice-cold lemonade when they’re snowed in.

Location-based targeting

Location targeting isn’t just about hitting a city or zip code anymore—it’s about meeting listeners exactly where they are. You wouldn’t find an ad for snow boots useful when you’re sweltering at an outdoor summer concert, now would you? Our platform goes beyond standard geographic targeting with precision tools that let advertisers reach people down to a concert venue, a student campus, or even a vintage fair. With real-time data, location-based targeting makes ads feel appropriate and, most importantly, valuable. 

Podcast Contextual Targeting

Not all podcast listeners are created equal. Some are crunching finance news, others are knee-deep in true crime, and a select few are fully committed to the art of artisanal sourdough. But here’s the thing—just because someone’s tuning into a day-trading podcast doesn’t mean they’re not shopping for hiking boots.

Through our partnership with Comscore, we go beyond podcast genres to match consumer preferences with real behavioral insights. With over 300 audience segments spanning TV viewership, gaming habits, life stages, and more, you’re not just casting a wide net—you’re dropping your line exactly where the right listeners are biting.

Bringing It All Together: Smarter, More Relevant Audio Ads

The days of one-size-fits-all audio advertising are over. The real magic happens when first-party data meets contextual targeting, creating privacy-friendly, high-impact campaigns that actually make listeners pay attention—without feeling like an interruption.

The brands winning in 2025 and beyond won’t be the ones using contextual targeting at a surface level—they’ll be the ones refining it, using it dynamically, and making every impression count. If you’re not already embracing these strategies, now is the time to start.

Ready to Take Your Audio Advertising to the Next Level?

Download The State of Audio Adtech Report 2025 for more exclusive insights on the latest trends and strategies shaping the future of digital audio.

by Alexandra Ilie, Senior Product Marketing Manager

The post How First-Party Data and Contextual Targeting Are Transforming Audio Ads in 2025 appeared first on AdsWizz.