In Q1 2025, advertising revenue grew by 8% YoY, driven by an increase in impressions sold across both music and podcasts. Clearly advertising on Spotify is an unmatched opportunity to get your business in front of the right audiences. In this blog, Meghan Parsons, SVP of Paid Media, will explain how brands can plan, launch, and measure the effectiveness of Spotify advertising. Are you ready to learn how to advertise on Spotify and reach a wider audience?
What We’ll Cover:
- Who Should Advertise on Spotify?
- Benefits of Spotify Advertising
- Spotify Ad Types
- Setting Up Ads on Spotify
- Creative Best Practices for Spotify Advertising
- Measuring Spotify Ad Performance
- Case Studies and Examples of Spotify Advertising
- FAQs About Advertising on Spotify
Expert Opinion on How to Advertise on Spotify
It can be hard to find a captivated audience, especially for audio-only ads. However, thanks to the rise of streaming, it’s opening up a whole new market for digital marketers who want to reach highly targeted audiences.
There are numerous music streaming platforms to choose from, but Spotify has consistently taken the lead year after year. With almost 700 million monthly users across the globe and a lock on the majority of the world’s audio streaming subscription market, advertising on Spotify could be the breakthrough your brand needs.
Action Item: If you’ve been considering getting into streaming ads, Spotify is a great place to start. If you haven’t already, create a Spotify Ads account and explore all of the tips and tools the platform offers to its advertisers to see if it could be the right home for your streaming ads.
Who Should Advertise on Spotify?
If you’re trying to reach consumers between the ages of 18 and 34 who are ready to buy, they’re probably listening on Spotify.
Since its launch in 2008, Spotify has continued to grow annually and now has more than 696 million monthly users across over 180 markets.
Of those 600+ million monthly users, 246 million are paid subscribers. In fact, Spotify holds 31.7% of the global audio streaming subscription market, surpassing Apple Music, Amazon, and YouTube.
This is probably because Spotify has something for everyone. Listeners can choose between a library of over 5 million podcasts and 100 million songs, with 60,000 new songs being added daily.
What makes it such a hot spot for advertising is that these users are generally heavily engaged with podcasts and may be more likely to follow through on ad campaigns they’re listening to on their smartphones.
And when it comes to playlist targeting, advertising on Spotify will be particularly useful for the following business types:
- Workout apps—Tap into listeners enjoying workout playlists.
- Food-related products—Tap into listeners enjoying cooking playlists.
- Productivity and task management apps—Tap into listeners enjoying focus playlists.
Benefits of Spotify Advertising
Sure—Spotify may be a wildly popular music streaming service, but why should it be part of your digital strategy? With other platforms like Facebook and Google already stretching your marketing budget to the limit, how can you be sure that Spotify will drive results for your business?
Here are a few reasons why Spotify is one of the most effective advertising channels on the market today:
- Access to a large audience—696 million monthly active users, with 276 million being paid premium subscribers.
- Reach customers wherever they are—52% of Spotify’s audience comes from mobile devices, which means that listeners can be at home, at work, or on the go, giving you the chance to connect with listeners when it matters most.
- Improve brand image—Spotify is the #1 most home-screened app, so if you’re advertising there, listeners know they can trust you.
- A captivated audience—The average listener will spend 140 minutes on Spotify each day, which is more time than that spent on Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat combined.
- Higher engagement rates—According to Spotify, 93% of Spotify engagement is transferred to engagement with ads.
- Campaign options—By offering video, audio, and podcast ads, Spotify lets you get creative with your content.
- Numerous targeting options—With Spotify Ad Studio, you can easily narrow in on highly relevant audiences through general demographic targeting or—if you want to get more granular—listening behavior.
Spotify Ad Types
With Spotify, you can choose between video or audio ads that are served between songs or when users are viewing the app. You can also choose to advertise during podcasts. These ads are placed in podcasts and music, depending on what your audience is most engaged in.
While it’s completely up to you, Spotify says that combining audio and video ads will increase your sales by 66% over audio-only ones.
Here are a few of the different ad settings you can run:
- All Platforms: This means that your ad will reach your target demographic no matter what device they’re using. The ad will play in between songs whenever a user is active on the platform.
- Sponsored Sessions: Displaying on mobile and tablet only, sponsored sessions will play a 30-minute block of uninterrupted content when the user watches a full-length Spotify ad.
- Video Takeover: This ad strategy also displays on mobile and tablet only, but instead of just audio, users will get to watch a complete video that includes a clickable companion, allowing them to click over to your target URL.
- Opt-in Video: These ads are delivered on the Now Playing View (NPV) and showcase your brand alongside the music your audience is listening to.
- Overlay: The overlay ad is a fixed advertisement that displays when someone comes back to the Spotify app. This ad type doesn’t include any audio or video and is similar to a banner ad you would see on an app or website.
- Homepage Takeover: These ads only work on desktops and are considered standard display advertisements. You do have the option, however, to include interactive elements to make the ad more compelling.
- Leaderboard: Only available on desktop and the web player, you can display leaderboard ads on the Spotify leaderboard for 30 seconds.
- Sponsored Playlists: The sponsored playlist works on all platforms and allows you to reach more listeners by serving as a sponsor of Spotify. Whenever someone listens to the playlist, your ad will be the only one to display as they stream it.
- Podcast Ads: This type of ad utilizes Automatic Placement, where the Spotify Ads Manager matches your content with your audience based on the podcasts and music they listen to.
Setting Up Ads on Spotify
Setting up your Spotify advertising campaign is pretty straightforward. Just follow these step-by-step instructions and reach out to Spotify if you need help!
Step 1: Set Up an Account
The first step is to create a Spotify Ad Studio account if you don’t already have one. You’ll enter standard details about yourself and your business. Once your account is created, you’ll be directed to a dashboard where you can get started creating your Spotify ad.
Step 2: Set Your Objective
Once your Spotify Ads account is up and running, it’s time to set your objectives. Most advertisers choose between:
- Building brand awareness
- Increasing website traffic
- Growing engagement
- Driving app installs
Step 3: Create a Budget
Next, you’ll set your budget. Spotify advertising rates are pretty affordable, starting at just $250. They also run on an auction, allowing you to set daily and lifetime budgets for each campaign. You’ll be able to modify your bids at any time.
Spotify advertising costs also include access to creative and production tools and a Spotify representative who can help you customize your budget to meet your goals.
Step 4: Establish a Schedule
Once your budget is established, it’s time to set a schedule. Spotify recommends starting with a standard delivery, which evenly distributes ads throughout your selected schedule. Alternatively, you can choose an accelerated schedule, which delivers ads as quickly as possible.
To combat ad and brand fatigue, Spotify also allows you to set a frequency cap for each campaign.
Step 5: Identify Your Target Audience
This step is critical to your campaign’s overall success. Spotify enables marketers to get hyper-specific in their targeting down to the postal code. Engage your audience with personalized experiences by seamlessly integrating music promotion.
Spotify allows you to target audiences based on:
- Demographics
- Behaviors
- Context
You can also create custom audiences that target your existing customers or those with similar interests on the app.
Step 6: Create Your Ad
Now you’re ready to create your ad. You can either do it yourself, work with Spotify’s generative AI tool, or work with a Spotify Partner.
Keep in mind that only one ad format can be selected for each ad set.
For video ads, you’ll need to stick to these ad specs:
Opt-In Video Specs:
- Up to 30 seconds long
- Advertiser’s name should be no more than 25 characters
- Must include a CTA
- Aspect Ratio:
- Portrait: 9:16
- Landscape: 16:9
- Square: 1×1
- File Types: MOV, MP4
- Volume: RMS normalized to -14dBFS
- Max File Size: 500 MB
- Resolution:
- Portrait: HD 720 x 1280
- Landscape: HD 1280 x 720
- Square: HD 960 x 960
Takeover Ad Specs:
- Up to 30 seconds long (Direct IO and Programmatic Guaranteed campaigns in select markets can go up to 60 seconds)
- Advertiser’s name should be no more than 25 characters
- Must include a CTA
- Aspect Ratio:
- Portrait: 9:16
- Landscape: 16:9 (desktop only accepts landscape)
- File Types: MOV, MP4, WebM (programmatic desktop campaigns only)
- Volume: RMS normalized to -14dBFS
- Max File Size: 500 MB
- Resolution:
- Portrait: HD 720 x 1280
- Landscape: HD 1280 x 720
Audio Ad Specs:
- Length: Up to 30 seconds (Direct IO and Programmatic Guaranteed campaigns in select markets can go up to 60 seconds)
- Script:
- No more than 65 words for a 30-second ad or 100 words for a 60-second ad
- Advertiser’s name should be no more than 25 characters
- Must include a CTA
- File Type: MP3, OGG, WAV, MPEG (for Spotify Ad Exchange only)
- File Size: 50MB
- Speed: 44.1kHz
- Companion image:
- Aspect ratio: 1×1
- Max file size: 200kb
- Dimensions: 600 x 600 pixels
- File type: JPEG, PNG
- Tagline: 40 characters max
- Destination URL required
Podcast Ad Specs:
- Length: Up to 30 seconds long (60 seconds are allowed for Direct IO mid-roll ads)
- Script:
- 65 words for 30 seconds, 100 words for 60 seconds
- Advertiser’s name should be no more than 25 characters
- Must include a CTA
- File Type: DirectIO, MP3
- Sample Rate: 44.1kHz
- Bit Rate: 192 kbps
In-Feed Display Specs:
Display Image:
- Aspect Ratio of 1:1 or 6:5
- At least 600 x 600 pixels (1:1) or 600 x 500 pixels (6:5)
- File Type: JEG or PNG
Must include:
- Advertiser Name – 40 characters
- Advertiser Logo – 1×1 Ratio, JPEG or PNG, 640x640px, max file size of 75mg
- Call to Action Text
- Clickthrough URL
Leaderboard Ad Specs:
- Dimensions: 728×90
- File Type: JPG, GIF
- Animation: Max 15 seconds
- No audio or video of any kind
Homepage Takeover Ad Specs:
- Dimensions: 1200×270
- File Type: JPG
- Max File Size: 1MB
- No animations supported, unless in the Interactive Area
Mobile Overlay Ad Specs:
- Dimensions: 630×920
- File Type: JPG
- File Size: 100 KB
- CTA required – must be in a button
- Clickthrough URL required
Desktop Overlay Ad Specs:
- Dimensions: 800×435
- File Type: JPG
- Max File Size: 100 KB
Step 5: Monitor Your Ad’s Progress
Now, the only thing left to do is monitor your ad’s success. Spotify offers a ton of analytics in the back end to keep track of all the data, which you can use to determine how you’ll want to narrow down or broaden your audience over time. By seeing who is converting and who is not, you can then refine your ad accordingly.
Creative Best Practices for Spotify Advertising
Like any other type of creative content, there are some best practices that you should follow. These will vary, depending on the type of ad that you are creating.
For audio ads, you should always:
- Include a companion graphic with the advertiser’s name and a CTA
- Keep your script between 65 and 100 words
- Make sure the ad stays on brand, including tone and messaging
- Run for 30 seconds
Video ads should always:
- Include the advertiser’s name and a clear CTA
- Match your branding, including color palette, messaging, and graphics
- Run up to 30 seconds
- Include brand logo and companion graphic
When creating a video ad, always verify that you have the correct dimensions, including volume and file type.
Measuring Spotify Ad Performance
You can’t know for sure if your Spotify ads are working if you aren’t tracking your performance! While KPIs will vary depending on your campaign’s goals and objectives, important ones to consider tracking include:
- Impressions – how many times were your ads served?
- Reach – how many unique listeners did your ad reach?
- Frequency – how many times did each listener hear your ad?
- Engagement – how many times did listeners engage with your ad?
- Audio Completion Rate – how many times is your ad played to completion?
- Click-through Rate (CTR) – how many listeners click on the ad?
- Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) – how much does it cost for each action?
- Conversions – how many listeners took the action you wanted?
To help you manage your performance, Spotify Analytics provides a robust dashboard that tracks the success of your campaign delivery, attribution, conversion lift, and brand lift. The dashboard will walk you through everything from installing a Spotify Pixel to integrating it with other ad managers.
As you gather all of the data, be sure to analyze it to see where your ad is succeeding and where it’s falling short. From there, you can make adjustments to everything from the tagline to the tone of the ad. Testing all of your content will help you determine the most effective way to reach your audience.
Case Studies and Examples of Spotify Advertising
Brands of all sizes have found success through Spotify Advertising. Here are a few case studies:
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut started a Spotify ad campaign to increase its brand awareness in the UK. They targeted 18-34-year-olds with families who were interested in gaming, TV shows, and sports, such as soccer.
A typical CTR for audio ads is 0.06%, but Pizza Hut’s immersive audio ad got them a click-through rate (CTR) of 0.23% for sports fans and 0.57% for parents and gamers.
You can listen to the ad here:
Love Island
Popular reality show, Love Island, used Spotify Ads to expand its brand awareness in the UK. They used audio, overlay mobile, overlay desktop, sponsored sessions, and homepage takeovers to reach TV and film enthusiasts between the ages of 16 and 34.
The ad campaign results included:
- 31 point increase in Ad Recall (3.1x higher than the benchmark KPI)
- 13 point increase in top of mind awareness
- 16 point increase in association of Love Island and the term “OG Dating Show”
You can listen to the ad here:
VeraLab
VeraLab is an Italian beauty brand that aimed to increase awareness among Gen Z and in-car listeners prior to the launch of their new suncare line.
Using ASMR Audio and Canvas Looping Visuals, the campaign achieved:
- 4+ million impressions
- 95% completion rate
- 2x CTR vs. Spotify internal benchmark
You can watch and listen to the ad here:
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Creating effective audio-first Spotify ads can be tricky. Some brands will dive into their ad creation without considering the nuances of the Spotify platform.
To maximize your Spotify advertising success and avoid a disappointing campaign, avoid these common mistakes:
- Ignoring length guidelines: If your ad is too long, it will cause listener fatigue. Make sure you keep your ad between 15-30 seconds to maximize listener engagement.
- Poor audio quality: This can lead listeners to perceive your brand as unprofessional or untrustworthy. Avoid this by using professional recording or production equipment.
- Missing a strong call-to-action: Without a strong CTA, your listeners won’t know what to do next. Instead, include a strong call-to-action twice within your ad’s script.
- Generic and boring messaging: One-size-fits-all ads won’t let you capitalize on Spotify’s targeting ability. Make sure you take advantage of this exceptional targeting strategy by tailoring your content accordingly.
FAQs About Advertising on Spotify
1. Does the Spotify app have ads?
Yes! Spotify ads can be shown across all Spotify platforms, including the app.
2. How much does it cost to advertise on Spotify?
Spotify advertising rates vary depending on your campaign goals and objectives, but most brands can get started for as low as $250.
3. Who should advertise on Spotify?
Many brands will find success on Spotify. However, the sweet spot is with audiences between the ages of 18 and 34, who will find considerable success on the streaming platform.
4. Are all Spotify Ads audio-only?
No. Spotify offers a variety of ad types, including audio and video ads.
Advertise on Spotify with Ignite Visibility
At this point, Spotify’s growth cannot be ignored.
With its massive user base and seamless interface, the platform has paved the way for a whole new avenue of advertising, allowing brands of all sizes to reach their target audience anywhere, anytime.
Whether you want to build brand awareness or need help with a campaign for Spotify, Ignite Visibility is here to help. We can help you:
- Navigate the Spotify Ads dashboard
- Create engaging and captivating audio and video content
- Develop a data-driven pay-per-click strategy
- And much more!
Are you ready to tap into Spotify’s massive audience? Get started with a free quote today!
