Ever wondered why some podcast ads grab you hook, line and sinker while others leave you cold? Quite likely, it's all in the script.
Great podcast advertising captures the listeners attention right from the start, relates to their interests and their problems and offers a solution, ending with a strong call-to-action and a reason to act.
At Rephonic, we see every podcast ad. So, we created a special Sponsors page for each show, with info on who the advertisers are, what they say and how they say it. And in this article, we've trawled through the data to find the tried-and-true approaches used by the most successful podcast ad-makers in the business.
If you're new to podcast marketing and want to write your own podcast ad, here's how to do it.
Key Takeaways
- Podcast ads often come in factual (clear, benefit-led) or storytelling (emotional, relatable) formats.
- Keep scripts natural, stick to a single point, and always include a strong CTA.
- Rephonic makes it possible to explore more podcast ad examples relevant to your industry.
Table of Contents
Factual vs storytelling podcast ads
Factual podcast ads
These ads tell you the facts but they don't have to be boring.
Factual or information-based podcast ads can include humor, a customer success story, a fun fact or some startling information. These devices are all designed to establish the problem in your mind, establish credibility and highlight why and how the product or service solves that problem.
Storytelling podcast ads
Many of the best television ads are all about the story. Think about your favorites - the ones you've watched a hundred times. Chances are the most memorable ads stir your emotions. They resonate because you relate to them.
Storytelling audio ads use the same idea. They capture the audience's attention, keep them listening and persuade them to act through their reactions or resonance with the story and the brand.
Features of an effective podcast ad
- Has an attention-grabbing start.
- Elaborates and convinces in the middle.
- Ends with a persuasive message to act.
- The ad script sounds free-flowing, friendly and natural. (You can get this effect by including sentences of different lengths and contractions and using words your ideal customer are using on reviews or testimonials.)
- Sticks to one main point or message. (It's easy to overwhelm listeners with too much information, even though it's tempting to tell them ALL the great things about your product or service in one ad.)
- Uses sound effects or a short musical clip - but not so much that it overwhelms the message.
- Always has a call to action.
We'll break each podcast ad example into sections and bullet points to provide easy-to-follow templates for your ad script.
Podcast advertising examples
1. Factual ad from BetterHelp (Listen)
There are things to be gazelle intense about. Making healthier choices, getting out of debt for sure. But when it comes to giving people what they need from you, it's better to be intentional - not intense.
Pain point:
Because it's easy to get caught up in what people need from you and never give a thought to what you need. So how do you balance the two?
Solution without mentioning the company:
It takes practice. And therapy is a great way to learn new skills like finding balance and setting boundaries that allow you to have enough energy left to help others without leaving yourself behind.
Benefits of the product/service:
So if you're thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try. It's convenient and completely online to fit your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched up with a licensed therapist, and you can switch therapists at any time for no charge.
CTA with offer
So find more balance with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com/deloney today to get 10% off your first month. That's betterhelp 'h-e-l-p'.com/deloney.
2. Factual ad from HelloFresh (Listen)
According to a recent HelloFresh survey, 43% of people said they've ended relationships if their partner was a bad cook.
Benefits of product/service:
But don't sweat it. HelloFresh will help you own the kitchen so you can up your dating game and satisfy your better half. They guide you through every step of making meals your partner will love.
CTA:
Head to hellofresh.com and fool around with easy, fool-proof recipes that will have you both craving more.
3. Storytelling ad from BetterSleep (Listen)
Layered voices muttering worries - "Did I put the clothes in the dryer?" "Snacks! I forgot the snacks!" I hope they don't think I was serious about that joke." Why won't my brain shut off?" Build to a crescendo with "Just sleep already!"
Bring in the problem:
When your racing thoughts keep you up at night, it's tough to let go and get the rest you need.
Give the solution:
BetterSleep can help. You might have heard of white noise, or brown noise...but there's a whole rainbow of color noises that can help you calm your mind, reduce stress and sleep better.
What or why:
With the BetterSleep app, you can discover more color noises and over two hundred soothing sounds, guided meditations, and bedtime stories. High-quality rest is vital to your mental well-being and physical health. Calm your restless mind, conquer your day, and sleep better at night.
Call to action:
Download BetterSleep from the App Store or Google Play to start a 7-day trial today. When you sleep better, you feel better.
4. Storytelling ad from Indochino (Listen)
Ah, weddings. The celebration of all the things that make a couple perfect for each other. You know, the couple that laughs at all the same terrible puns. Makes those eggs and bacon smiley face plates on the weekends. Still finds each other attractive after a hot, three-hour hike.
Segue to your product or service:
Well, you can find your perfect fit too at Indochino. Even if you're not the one at the altar, they'll help you design the suit of your dreams...
Call to action:
Get matched with the suit that's perfect for you. Go to Indochino dot com and use code XXXX for ten percent off any purchase of three ninety-nine or more.
Podcast ad script templates
It's impossible to provide a 'fill-in-the-blanks' ad script template as every product and service is different. Instead, here are some different ways that you can structure your ad based on the examples above.
Factual 1
- Catchy intro
- Pain point
- Benefits of product/service
- Call to action with offer
Factual 2
- Funny or startling fact
- Benefits of product/service
- Call to action
Storytelling 1
- Relatable scenario (possibly include sound effect)
- Introduce the problem
- Reveal your solution
- Elaborate
- Call to action with offer or promo code
Storytelling 2
- Set the scene
- Naturally segue to your product or service
- Explain what you offer and how it suits the problem or scenario
- Call to action with offer or promo code
Writing a good podcast ad script takes time and thought.
The crucial steps are:
- Know your target audience and goals.
- Define your message and the type of podcast ad you need.
- Use Rephonic to find and reach out to the podcasts whose audiences match yours.
- Align your ad copy with the podcast and its audience.
- Write the script.
- Record the podcast ad and deliver it to the podcast host or producer.
However, before you start putting together your ad, you'll need to make sure you've completed the following steps.
How to prepare for a podcast ad campaign
1. Identify your target audience
Effective podcast ad campaigns are designed around specific podcast audiences, and goals. So, who are you talking to in this podcast episode, and why will your product or service help them?
If you don't already understand your audience, now's the time to put in some serious research.
- Learn your audience demographics - where they live, age range, gender, etc.
- What problems do they have that your product can solve?
- Where are they in the sales funnel? Are they aware of their problems? (Some may be unaware that they even have a problem.)
- What language do they use to talk about their problems and pain points?
- What do they feel is missing in similar products on the market?
- What do they love about your product or service?
You can learn about your target audience by:
- Combing through your sales data
- Asking them to complete surveys
- Analyzing customer testimonials
- Paying attention to complaints
- Having strategic conversations with your most loyal customers and supporters.
2. Know your goals
Podcast advertising works best when you understand the purpose behind the ad. So, now that you know WHO you're talking to with podcast advertisement, let's establish WHY you're targeting them.
What's the main reason for your podcast ad? Are you building brand awareness or positioning? Launching a new product? Looking for new leads? Driving sales?
Don’t try to do it all at once!
Effective podcast ads focus on one goal because too much information or too many choices leads to listener indecision. Confused listeners won't act on your CTA.
3. Define your message
Understanding the audience and goal helps you write the podcast ad copy (the script) and decide on the correct call-to-action. It can also help you determine whether you want to run pre-roll ads, midroll ads, or post-roll ads. (Learn more about them here.)
To nail the right message, write a simple outline including vital talking points and supporting points.
4. Host read ad or pre-recorded?
Next, decide what type of ad works best for your product and the podcast. Will you go for storytelling or factual? Host read ads or pre-recorded and provided by you? Then consider the word count and how many seconds the ad will run.
5. Time to write
Finally, start work on your perfect podcast ad script.
Writing good podcast ad scripts can be time-consuming, even for the experts, so consider asking an AI like ChatGPT or Claude to help.
Feed them information about your product, give them your outline and all the decisions you made above. Ask for several versions of the script and work with the AI to edit them until you've got the best podcast ad possible.
How to find more podcast ad examples with Rephonic
Want to explore podcast ads for a specific brand?
In this case, use Rephonic's Sponsors filter and data tab.
If you're considering sponsoring a show, this update is a great way to see how other brands have presented their offers, which might be useful for shaping your own campaign.
Are other people in your niche advertising on or sponsoring the show? If your competitors show up it could be a sign that the podcast has the audience you're looking for. So, search the Sponsors Tab to see who else is connected with the show.
Want to explore podcast ads in your industry?
In this case, search for a topic and use the audience demographics filters to narrow down the choice.
You'll get the best results when your ad plays to people who really need to hear it. So, Rephonic includes an expanding set of advanced search filters to help you sift through podcasts with the right audience demographics for your product or service.
For example, what if you're an education start up wanting to reach college-educated parents of school-aged children in the U.S.?
Set up a topic search for podcast parents might be listening to. Choose topics like parenting, child development, education tech, homeschooling or perhaps family life.
🔍Then add the Parents, Education, and Location filters to zoom in on audiences of parents with a college degree who are also based in the US.
Or, let's pretend we're a personal trainer offering remote coaching for beginner runners and we want to find health-conscious listeners interested in fitness and self-improvement. Fitness might be a good starter topic, but we might also search for podcasts about running, or those in the self-improvement or health and wellness categories.
🔍 Then tap the Interests filter and narrow things down by selecting interests like mental health, fitness and training and so on.
Once your search turns up possible podcasts, research each one more deeply by opening its podcast page on Rephonic.
Here's how:
View the show's typical listener profile
Every Rephonic page includes an Audience tab detailing our best-estimate audience demographic breakdown. Checking the audience profile for the Run To The Top Podcast, we find that the mainly US-based listeners are "likely to be avid runners or individuals interested in improving their running skills, spanning various ages and skill levels...with a strong interest in practical advice from experienced professionals in the running and health fields."
That looks like an audience a personal trainer might tap into, especially when we notice they have a relatively young audience with enough income to pay for a coaching program.
Find your perfect podcast advertising matches on Rephonic. Get started with a free trial today.
Article credits
Written by Lyn McNamee, podcast-PR writer with years of experience transforming podcast insights into practical, results-focused playbooks.
Edited by Becca Butcher, marketing specialist who frequently analyzes Rephonic’s data across 3 million podcasts.
Brands That Sell to Women Are Sponsoring True Crime Podcasts
It's a well-known fact at this point that the majority of True Crime podcast listeners are women. This strong demographic skew presents a significant opportunity for brands looking to target female consumers.
Top 10 Andrew Huberman Podcast Sponsors
Rephonic podcast info now includes a Sponsors page, showing the brand, what they promote, CTA & ad text. So, we did a deep dive into the Huberman Lab's sponsors to find out who's tapping into its massive audience, and why.
