2 underrated ad platforms you’re not using

We’ve officially entered the age of platform marketing. It’s never been easier to reach your audience using digital advertising. While there are some ad platform powerhouses like Google, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, we’re noticing that a few players are flying under the radar. Why? They can’t deliver the volume of impressions/clicks that a big company needs to run a campaign, but if you are a mid-sized player seeking high conversion rates, you should be paying attention to two platforms that are driving awesome conversions.

Podcast Ad Networks

“Out of all of Igloo Software’s opportunities last year, 7% came from podcast sponsorships, but the remarkable thing is that a full 21% of opportunity value was influenced from those podcast ads.” –  Marko Savic, Igloo’s Creative Director.

Approximately 46 million Americans listen to a podcast every month.

With the huge success of Serial, podcasts have hit the mainstream and are now becoming a viable ad vehicle. Plus the ads are very effective: they are woven into the dialogue of the podcast, and are less of an annoyance than display ads. Although there’s no hard data on the effectiveness of podcast advertising, which is probably why the platform is still underutilized by major brands, there seems to be some good evidence that they are working. I can speak to my own behaviour: I’ve personally purchased two products in the last two months because of podcast ads. On top of that, there are some high-growth companies that have used podcast advertising to scale very quickly, including Nature Box, Legal Zoom and Audible.

Podcast listeners are affluent, attractive customers that are disconnecting from mass media. Podcasting ads can reach this coveted and hard-to-reach audience.

Getting started with podcast advertising is pretty simple and straightforward. Midroll has a fantastic ad platform that can target a wide range of shows. You can start with a very small budget, test, and measure.

Reddit

Reddit ads can be very powerful. Just last year, Reddit pulled in $8 million in ad revenue. It’s a major driver of internet culture and boasts about 115 million unique visitors per month. Ad costs are low and engagement is high. So why is it flying under the radar? It’s not exactly easy to run an ad on Reddit. Don’t get me wrong, it’s easy to set up, but marketers need to be careful how to run ads. Reddit-ers are very protective of their communities and are a cohesive bunch. Here are few tips for the marketer looking to get started with Reddit ads:

Know Your Audience: Smart, Young Males

63% of Reddit users are male with a median age of 35 years.  The median household income is $67,973. 78% of Reddit users are college-educated.

Use Reddit Before Advertising

You need to understand the Reddit culture before advertising. Unlike other platforms, Reddit has a very distinct audience and you need to know how to speak their language. Set up a Reddit account and get started on a subreddit before launching a campaign. If that’s too much for you to handle, I’d suggest shying away from Reddit altogether. Or you could end up like Woody Harrelson.

Are there any other advertising platforms that you’ve had success with lately? Let us know, we love to see how others are making the most of digital marketing.