Ad viewability is a critical aspect of advertising that has a direct impact on ad revenue. The current standard for ad viewability, established by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Media Ratings Council (MRC), states that an impression is considered viewable if 50% of the ad is visible for at least 1 second for display ads and 50% of the ad is visible for at least 2 seconds for video ads. Unfortunately, due to banner blindness – the phenomenon where visitors ignore certain page elements perceived as ads – the average ad viewability typically hovers around 70%.
Publishers are now exploring new methods to increase ad viewability, and one of the most exciting new ways is through audio content. By supplementing their textual content with a listening experience through a branded audio player, publishers are providing a better user experience for their growing audience of listeners. This new approach to ad viewability has the potential to revolutionize advertising by monetizing the ad space within the player.
The branded audio player is a new segment that is designed to maximize ad visibility. It taps into the positive sentiment toward audio content and expands the revenue potential by offering a premium sales proposition through a built-in display banner. This opens up a world of sales opportunities, including the launch of new services, products, events, seasonal offerings, and even custom sponsored messages.
What’s more, the listener interaction with the player offers numerous opportunities for viewability that go beyond the IAB/MRC standard. For example, changing the listening speed, jumping back and forth within the content, pausing the content, switching from the default language, switching between different voices, and even sharing the audio article on social media are all instances when an ad is in full view.
From a technical standpoint, adding a branded audio player to a website takes minimal load and is optimized for the lowest latency and resource consumption, not affecting the website’s loading time. The player is also fully compatible with mobile sites, allowing publishers to fine-tune various settings and placements for a seamless look and feel that aligns with the native website surroundings.
In conclusion, the branded audio player is an exciting new way to improve ad viewability, providing advertisers and publishers with a new avenue to maximize their revenue potential. By tapping into the positive sentiment toward audio content and offering numerous opportunities for viewability, this new approach offers a friendlier and more engaging way for people to interact with ads.
