How to Target Niche Audiences with Podcast Advertising

Podcasts have redefined the way brands connect with audiences, offering an unmatched level of intimacy and authenticity. And for advertisers, podcasts open the door to the right listeners at scale. One of the channel’s biggest strengths is its ability to target niche audiences beyond just their age and gender. Your brand might be looking to reach highly-educated, DINK households. Or maybe your target audience is diverse pop culture fans based in the southeast. Hint: You can find them all here on the SiriusXM Podcast Network. 

Where there’s a niche interest, there’s a niche podcast that fulfills that need. Dive into why you should consider podcasts to reach niche audiences, how to find the right show, and how to make sure your message strikes the right chord once you do.

Why Podcasts Are Ideal for Niche Targeting

Looking to reach a highly specific audience with your audio ads? Look no further than podcasts. This medium is unique for its ability to form loyal communities around diverse hosts, topics, and stories that matter most to fans. Whether it’s science enthusiasts eagerly awaiting a new episode of StarTalk Radio or pop culture lovers watching Call Her Daddy on YouTube, fans turn to podcasts to gain knowledge, be entertained, and become a part of an online and IRL tribe. 

There is a show for every demographic, interest, and lifestyle out there. What’s more, the SiriusXM Podcast Network offers precise and innovative targeting tools that allow brands to get as granular with their audiences as they choose to be. So, not only is your perfect listener out there, they’re also incredibly easy to reach.

How to Identify Your Niche Audience

Understand Your Listener

Before planning your next campaign, take a moment to learn more about your perfect listener. Are they new parents seeking honest advice? Fantasy sports buffs who never miss an episode of a favorite show? Or working professionals catching up on industry news during their commute?

While demographics (age, gender, location) are important, these data points are just the beginning. Psychographics (interests, behaviors, and values) and listening habits (where, when, and how often) can give you a much greater picture of how your audience engages with content—and how you can best reach them. 

Find Audience Overlaps 

Remember—a majority of podcast listeners tune in to more than one show. Fans may check out the latest episode of Crime Junkie for their daily dose of true crime and jump straight to Morbid for more mysteries, investigations, and human stories. Or, your ideal listener might switch between widely different shows like Ologies with Alie Ward and Pretty Lonesome. 

Your target audiences are multi-dimensional and will likely have coinciding interests. Being able to find these connections means meeting your audience at multiple touchpoints and being present where meaningful conversations happen.

Leverage Advanced Targeting 

After you get a feel for who your listener is, it’s time to meet them in their natural habitat. We offer powerful, advanced targeting tools to ensure your message lands with the right listeners. 

• Audience: Start by reaching your listeners based on age, gender, income, or family status. Next, target audiences by state, city, designated market area (DMA), or zip code, to ensure your ads are locally relevant

• Contextual: Serve ads to listeners based on the genre, topic, or content that’s relevant to your business and aligns with your brand

• Inventory: Leverage full control of where your ads may run, and specify any preferences for pre, mid, or post-roll inventory

• Behavioral: Predictive Audience delivers cookie-fee targeting across hundreds of audience segments based on granular consumer behavior 

Thanks to our partnerships with Barometer, Comscore, and others, we offer hyper-precise targeting that aligns with the latest brand safety and suitability standards. No matter how niche your target audience is, we have the right capabilities to reach them.

Finding the Right Podcasts for Your Niche

Factor in Age and Generation 

Broadly speaking, podcasts may speak differently to baby boomers, millennials, and Gen Z. One generation might be more likely to use this medium as an audio-only news source, while another may appreciate them for the entertainment value and video formats. 

For example, Call Her Daddy and Rotten Mango are powerhouses when it comes to attracting a younger audience. The combination of genuine storytelling, on-point humor, and relatable hosts are what drive these shows and resonate with Gen Z and their need for authenticity. Understanding generational trends and what listeners seek in podcasts can help brands meet their audience not only where they are, but where they are the most engaged.

Consider Your Audience’s Interests 

Niche podcasts attract committed fans with interests across technology, business, health and wellness, and pop culture. For example, The Fantasy Footballers appeals to a predominantly male, sports-obsessed crowd. It’s the perfect opportunity for a brand looking to reach a highly engaged and receptive audience that lives and breathes sports on a daily basis.

Customizing Your Podcast Message for Niche Listeners

Appeal to Die-hard Fans with Host-Read Ads 

Podcast hosts inspire an incredible amount of listener trust. In fact, 70% of listeners value the transparency and authenticity of their favorite creators. An endorsement from a creator is likely to be perceived as a friendly recommendation from a person your listeners admire and trust. So, host-read ads are a wonderful way to build deep and lasting connections with your audience.

Use Video Formats 

Do you still think of podcasts as an audio-centric medium with zero visuals? That’s so 2020. Today, audiences crave podcast content across media—and that includes video. Almost half of listeners are video podcast viewers, with two in three saying they enjoy seeing the reactions and emotions of hosts and guests. This shift offers new opportunities for video ads and visual storytelling, from YouTube ads to video host reads. And for your brand, it means an opportunity to appeal to more senses and reinforce your messaging with memorable, eye-catching assets.

Experiment with Ad Placement 

With so many formats and placements to choose from, advertising on podcasts is both flexible and versatile. Get to know the three types of ad placement:

• Pre-roll: Placed at the beginning of the show, these ads are efficient and more affordable than other types. Pre-roll ads are especially suitable for brands who are newer to podcast advertising. 

• Mid-roll: Placed in the middle of the episode, these ads come with the highest audience engagement and are perfect for longer creatives. 

• Post-roll: Placed at the end of the episode, these ads offer great conversion rates and benefit from the fact that many podcast listeners are multi-tasking while tuning in.

Use Metrics to Adjust Your Strategy 

Hitting the right note is critical, especially when targeting niche audiences. Don’t be afraid to experiment and adapt your strategy as needed. Podcast advertising offers advanced measuring capabilities, both at the show and network levels. 

To reach your target audience, prioritize metrics like listener demographics. You can measure this via hosting platforms, surveys, and polls so you can be sure you’re advertising to the right listeners. Use these insights to optimize your targeting, play around with creative, and double down on the shows or networks that help you reach your goals. 

Get Started with SiriusXM Media 

Ready to connect your message with the right ears? As the #1 podcast network for adults ages 18+, we offer up the solutions, data, and expertise to align your brand with engaged and ad-receptive fans—no matter how small your niche is.

From strategizing, to execution, to measurement and beyond, we’re here to help you create a campaign that’s as unique as your listeners. Let’s talk.

There’s More Podcast Advertising Opportunities Where That Came From