Spotify has expanded its podcast advertising options by opening up premium podcast ad inventory to both self-serve and programmatic buyers.
The update was announced today as Spotify builds on developments shared at its inaugural Spotify Advance event and continues investing in automated buying channels.
From today, advertisers in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Spain and Italy can use Spotify Ads Manager to access podcast ads directly. The self-serve platform now includes premium inventory from Spotify Originals and Licensed podcasts, as well as shows available through Spotify’s Audience Network.
Popular podcasts featured include The Comment Section with Drew Afualo, Science Vs, The Rest is Football and The Ringer NBA Show.
Programmatic buyers in these countries, as well as India, Sweden, Brazil and Mexico, can also access premium podcast ads through the Spotify Ad Exchange (SAX). This enables buying via major partners such as The Trade Desk and Google Display & Video 360, with additional DSPs expected soon.
Spotify’s partnership with Magnite has also gone live, giving advertisers even greater reach through an expanded set of DSPs and access to the platform’s premium multi-format inventory.
Since its launch in April, Spotify says the Ad Exchange has seen a 64% increase in advertisers using SAX, with brands like Instacart and Luxottica already benefiting from the platform’s targeting and scale.
Spotify has around 170 million monthly podcast listeners and nearly 7 million podcast titles worldwide. The company says these changes will give advertisers more flexibility and control to buy ads in the way that works best for them.
Chloe Wix, Spotify’s Global Head of Ad Product and Commercial Growth says: “We know that automation is table stakes for any ad platform looking to compete today. That’s why we’ve been hard at work enhancing our automated buying channels.
“As we continue to modernize our ad tech, I’m thrilled to share that our premium podcast ad inventory is now available via the Spotify Ad Exchange and Spotify Ads Manager – ensuring that our advertisers have the control and flexibility they need to reach our highly engaged audience of podcast listeners.”
