How Streaming Audio Influences Mid-Funnel Consideration

Streaming audio is often positioned as a go-to channel for brand awareness—and for good reason. It’s where engaged listeners, loyal audiences, and a relatively low barrier to entry meet. On the surface, it checks all the boxes. Many platforms emphasize this upper-funnel strength, and it’s true: Streaming audio has helped launch everything from mattress brands to subscription box empires and much more. But brand awareness is just part of the story.

What might get overlooked is what happens further down the funnel. Beyond just introducing your brand, streaming audio plays a meaningful role in moving people from "I've heard of them" to "I actually want to buy from them." If you've been running streaming audio campaigns solely for awareness, you might be leaving results on the table. Explore how streaming audio delivers more than just upper-funnel results but mid-funnel consideration. 

What the consideration phase looks like in modern media funnels 

The mid-funnel consideration stage is where brands begin turning awareness into intent. Just because someone recognizes your brand doesn’t mean they’re ready to buy. At this stage, many customers are still reading reviews and comparing alternatives. The metrics that matter at this stage reflect that shift in mindset: brand consideration, purchase intent, preference, favorability, and active interest. In other words: Do people like you, trust you, and choose you when it’s time to make a decision?

Digital audio plays a meaningful role in driving these outcomes. In fact, 77% of digital audio listeners have potentially purchased a specific brand, product, or service after hearing an audio ad. 1 More than 60% have tried a new brand or product after hearing an audio ad, and 51% went a step further and recommended brands or products to others after hearing an audio ad. 2 These aren't just passive impressions. These numbers represent real action and active consideration and decision making. 

Messaging that builds consideration without the hard sell

A catchy jingle can grab attention, but on its own, it won’t drive real consideration. To get people to actually consider your brand, your messaging needs to earn trust, show value, and give them a reason to choose you over the alternatives.

Start with why you matter

Your audience is busy, so don’t waste their time. Get to the point fast. Why should they care? Can you save them time? Reduce stress? Make them look cool? Lead with the benefit, not a laundry list of features. 

Speak to their problems

Effective consideration-stage messaging shows a deep understanding of your audience’s pain points. What's the thing that keeps them up at night? Name it. Then, show how you solve it better than anyone else. By positioning your brand as the solution, you make your message more relevant and persuasive. 

Build familiarity (and trust)

Awareness still plays a role during the consideration stage. Consumers are more likely to buy from brands they recognize, and streaming audio advertising gives you tools to build that recognition and familiarity over time. 

For instance, sequential advertising lets you set the stage and then tell a story across multiple ad spots, each one building on the last. It's the difference between a one-off impression and a cohesive narrative. Pair that with consistent touchpoints throughout the day, and you're reinforcing your message without wearing anyone out.

Keep it short and strategic 

While short-form ads can be effective for upper-funnel plays, don’t underestimate them for mid-funnel messaging. Ads in the 10-to-15-second range punch above their weight when it comes to purchase intent and positive brand associations. Think of them as reinforcements that keep your message alive between longer ad placements rather than standalone ads. Mixing ad lengths can drive stronger lifts across the funnel and balance out more detailed storytelling moments. 

Why streaming audio performs well for mid-funnel environments

Because streaming audio seamlessly fits into daily moments, it’s especially effective for consideration-stage campaigns.

Reach listeners during screen-free, high-attention moments

During everyday moments, digital audio reaches listeners when they’re away from screens. In fact, 62% of digital audio listeners tune in to streaming audio while running errands, 58% while driving to and from the grocery store, and 56% on the way to a retail store or mall. 3 These are people in buying and decision-making mode, and they're paying attention to the messaging they’re receiving during these moments. 

Audio-only ads get this exclusive attention because there's no visuals to scroll past, showing the dominance of this screen-free medium. Audio ads drive 50% more attention than benchmarks across video, TV, social, and display. 4 They also have a 49% better impact on long-term memory than AM/FM ads and outperform TV ads by 36% in memory impact. 5

Create familiarity without the fatigue

While consumers may be accustomed to visual ad formats, with some being prone to skipping past ads, streaming audio offers a different experience and promotes “theater of the mind.” Ad breaks can be shorter compared to more traditional channels, helping messages stand out. And with advanced targeting, you can deliver relevant ads that feel more aligned with one’s context. 

Ad types like rewarded ads add another layer of engagement. These give listeners an incentive, like uninterrupted listening, in exchange for their attention. This kind of value exchange builds goodwill and keeps your brand top of mind. 

How to measure consideration lifts in streaming audio advertising 

Measuring mid-funnel performance is key to understanding whether your campaigns are actually influencing decisions. Here's how to track whether your mid-funnel campaigns are actually working. Hint: You can conduct all of these with us as your partner. 

Location analytics

Want to know if your ads drove people to stores? Location analytics measures foot traffic to physical locations after ad exposure. If you're a retail or brick-and-mortar brand, this measurement type is valuable for connecting ad exposures to in-store behavior. 

Attribution studies

Attribution tracks what people did after hearing your campaign, like website visits, app downloads, form submissions, and purchases. Multi-touch attribution goes even deeper, showing how all the pieces of your campaign worked together to move people toward conversions. 

Brand lift studies

Brand lift studies are one of the most effective ways of measuring mid-funnel impact. These measure how people feel about your brand after hearing your ads. You'll get insight into ad recall, awareness, favorability, and consideration. It's a direct read on whether your messaging lands. 

Delivering upper- and mid-funnel impact for a cruise line advertiser

Here’s your concrete proof for how streaming audio delivers mid-funnel results. A cruise line advertiser came to us to drive lifts in brand awareness, ad recall, brand favorability, and brand consideration. The campaign targeted demographics that are likely to embark on cruises, including adults 45 and older, higher income households, and travel intenders across streaming audio. 

Here's what was pulled off: 6

• +7.2 pts lift in brand awareness

• +3.1 pts lift in ad recall

• +8.6 pts lift in brand favorability

• +4.1 pts lift in brand consideration

For adults 55 to 64, the results were even better:

• +15.7 pts lift in brand awareness

• +19.2 pts lift in brand favorability

• +5.6 pts lift in brand consideration

This success story is proof that streaming audio can deliver more than awareness but real mid-funnel results.

Influence mid-funnel audiences with SiriusXM Media

Streaming audio isn't just for getting your name out there. It reaches people when they're paying attention, builds familiarity without burning them out, and drives measurable lifts in consideration, preference, and intent.

If you want to move people from "I've heard of them" to "I'm advocating for them," we have the scale, targeting, and measurement to get you there.

Ready to see what mid-funnel results look like? Let's talk.

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