Are Audio Ads the Next Big Thing?
February 3, 2008
Photo credits: hundrednorth.
Basically these ads are a 5-second audio clip that plays whenever someone visits your site. Because of this, you are paid for every single visitor, 100% of the time. This is very different from advertising networks such as Adsense, which are shown on your page but require someone to click on them for you to be paid. With audio ads, every visitor grows your income and helps you monetize your site - not just a select few.
However, if you’re running a professional site or one that’s never supposed to normally have audio, then this type of advertising might not be for you. If a visitor comes to your site and is startled by sound, even if for only five seconds, it might send them away for life. While it’s true that about 60% of people browse the web with their volume off, that still leaves 40% of your visitors that you might scare off.
Sites that might work with audio ads are sites that are very unprofessional and don’t require any reading. If your visitors will be reading articles or come for information, then audio will be inappropriate. However, an online game website or a site profile might be okay with audio ads. You just have to think of what your visitors want and need. Put yourself in their shoes and imagine what your first impression would be on your website if it had a 5-second audio clip that played. Would it bother you, or would it not make a difference?
Audio advertising can be a fantastic way to monetize your blog or site if implemented properly. It won’t be right for everyone, but if you run a site that can work with it, you’ll be paid for 100% of your site’s visitors, even if they have their volume turned on or not. If that number doesn’t impress you, then what will? If you have any questions about the benefits of audio ads, how they work, or if you want to know whether they’ll be good for your site or not, go ahead and drop a comment and ask - I’d be glad to answer. Click here to sign up for audio ads.
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Comments
21 Responses to “Are Audio Ads the Next Big Thing?”
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I hate audio ads. I surf a lot with my own music and it really bugs me when sites decide that their ads are more important than my music.
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I always find it spooky when I surf a site and here a childish voice:”Hello, Helloooo, HELLO!”Scary, so scary
Satiricohen, I agree, it can be annoying. For most sites, these audio ads won’t work out well, in my opinion. For some, however, they might. Certain types of sites have an audience that’ll hardly notice or mind - but most don’t.
Robojiannis, that’s a good point. It can be spooky sometimes. Especially if it’s late at night and the volume is turned up really loud without you realizing it - that’s happened to me before. It can be unsettling!
I have only been to one site with them so far and thank goodness because BOY are they annoying! Every time you clicked on a different page the stupid ad came on again! I run a Virtual Assistant business and would never get a client if I used them on my site. If you only want visitors to your site once then maybe you’ll use them.
Vicky’s last blog post..Turn the Books
I think audio ads on websites are extremely annoying. Nothing sucks more than going to a website that you think has some great content then realizing that your speakers are too loud and everyone around you knows that you are probably not really working when you are supposed to.
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Maybe audio ads will be annoying to some of us but with the advanced of advertising market maybe as a blogger we can take this whole new opportunity. Make some money as much as you can….
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@Vicky,
That’s a very good point! I’ve only been thinking they’ll work for sites that have the type of audience that doesn’t care or mind, but if the site will probably only get one-time visitors anyway, then audio ads may work and prove profitable. Like said before, it depends on a lot.
@Koka,
I agree, that’s another reason they might be annoying. In my opinion, I believe sites that have great content or anything for visitors to READ shouldn’t contain audio ads. It totally drives away visitors.
@Dott-Com,
Good point! There are new ways to advertise on the market all the time, and instead of always grumbling, we could find a way to make them work for us. Not everything is going to work out all the time, but like you said, we can take it as a new opportunity and look for new ways to implement it.
Audio ads have their place on certain sites. And I imagine they will do very well on them. All of the online ad types have their place. Im sure adsense and others are just as annoying on some genres of sites. I know I signed up a long time ago, why not its free. If it works great, I got in, if not, it cost me nothing.
I think maybe if there was a way to have them only start if the visitor clicked on them they might work. Course that may defeat the purpose. :}
Vicky’s last blog post..Turn the Books
I hope this doesn’t become popular, but I typically have my speakers off anyway.
I am with you there Steven!
Vicky’s last blog post..Turn the Books
@Mike,
You’re absolutely right. Signing up doesn’t cost a penny, trying it out is free and easy, and if it doesn’t work out then there’s nothing lost. I think you make a good point.
@Vicky,
Yes, I suppose that would defeat the purpose. If I visit a site and hear an audio ad played, then that person just earned a little money. However, I don’t think I’d ever CHOOSE to play it - and I can’t imagine many people would.
@Steven,
I surf the web with my speakers off as well, but I’m with you - at least if it’s in this niche or any of the others I read. Like Mike mentioned, audio ads have their place, but not on the types of sites I frequent. If they did, then all of those sites would lose a lot of their visitors.
I think it might work real well on a site that is directed at giving tips on how to make money on the internet.I can’t think of a reason in the word not to tell people about such an oppurtunity and get paid for that!
Los Angeles Headshot Photographer, I actually think those kinds of sites are the ones audio ads won’t work well on. Sure, you can tell people about the opportunity like I did - but you don’t have to use them on that site in particular. I think having audio ads on a site that gives information, involves reading, etc. is a bad idea because it’ll drive away the visitors and bother them. However, sites where the audience doesn’t notice or care, or where they’ll likely be one-time visitors anyway, like Vicky mentioned, will probably succeed with audio ads. :)
Like some of your I rarely have my sound on when I am surfing the internet. However every once in a while my sound will be on at a high level (unknown to me). And when I load a page with an audio ad (which i didn’t expect), it scares the dickens out of me!
Interesting, I hadn’t heard of this. I like that it’s new and different, and that people are looking for new creative ways to advertise. Personally, I can’t stand when I come to a site with sound, but I could see how it could work for some. Just needs to be married to the right site.
@Community Information,
I can completely relate. My volume is almost always off, but sometimes it accidentally gets turned up with me realizing it. Then at 3am while I’ve been sitting at the PC in silence for hours, all of a sudden a loud sound comes out of the speakers. It can be frightening!
@Eric,
I agree with you, new and different is a good thing. The internet and technology is always evolving and coming up with new things, thankfully and amazingly.
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I am guilty of surfing the web with the volume on and it would wake my family if I were to stumble on one of these sites. Would not return.
Stop Foreclosure, I understand exactly what you’re saying. Things like that have happened to me before when it was least expected and it made me lose all trust, never returning to the site.
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