ARN's iHeartPodcast Network adconversion rates are higher than social media channels, says Podsights

Findings from leading global measurement and attribution platform Podsights have revealed market-leading insights into the effectiveness of advertising on ARN’s iHeartPodcast Network.

The Podsights Benchmark Report provides key data on best practice as well as global and Australian podcast advertising trends.

This is the first Australian report to be published since ARN partnered with Podsights to set the standard for best-in-class podcast advertising measurement. The report includes additional analysis and follows a series of Measurement Masterclasses held for agencies, dispelling the myth that podcasts can’t be measured.

The report includes data gathered from July 2020 to June 2021.

Key findings from the benchmark report and additional analysis include:

• iHeartPodcasts have an average conversion rate of 1.91% - higher than the global benchmark of 1.58%.
• iHeartPodcast Network’s advertising conversion rates are higher than social and digital channels including Google Search, Facebook, Twitter and more.
• When breaking down global conversion rates by industry, Restaurants and Retail categories experienced the strongest attribution results.
• Globally, the average conversion rate rises with the number of spot placements within an episode.
• The highest conversion rates came from full buyouts of episodes. For individual podcast ad impressions, pre-roll placements slightly outperformed mid-rolls.

The report findings allow ARN to provide commercial partners best in class, data led guidance to ensure maximum engagement and conversion when brands connect with iHeartPodcast Network’s audiences.

Podsights brings the tools of digital reporting and attribution to podcasts, enabling clients to monitor and measure the effectiveness of podcast advertising in real-time. These best-in-class capabilities are included in every iHeartPodcast Network Australia campaign with every client provided with a dashboard to track in real-time.

ARN’s Head of Digital Audio Corey Layton said, “Through our Podsights partnership, we give our clients the ability to monitor and measure the effectiveness of their campaign in real-time using best in class technology. This report demonstrates the impact of podcasts for advertisers - with a conversion rate equal to or better than other digital and social platforms. ARN is setting the standard for podcast measurement in Australia. This, combined with iHeartPodcast Network’s diverse and ever-expanding content, is why our commercial offering for brands is industry-leading.”

Director of Partnerships at Podsights Matthew Drengler said, “This report demonstrates that podcast reporting now matches brand expectations of any and all digital channels. Our digital reporting and attribution capabilities enable advertisers to track their return on investment, elevating the offering across the iHeartPodcast Network to ensure every campaign achieves the desired outcomes.”

A copy of the global Podsights Benchmark Report can be accessed here.