Tips for Your Holiday Podcast Campaign—and Proof They Work

It’s the most wonderful time of the year—family, friends, and loved ones gather from near and far to give thanks, revel in the delight of the winter holidays, and embrace the fresh start of a new year. And as they’re preparing for the festivities, shopping in store and online, and traveling to and from celebrations, 62% of podcast listeners say they continue to listen to their favorite podcasts during the holiday season.

Podcasts Offer Some Chill During the Holiday Bustle

Podcasts provide passive entertainment during the busy holiday season, reaching listeners as they cook, shop, and travel—all of which are great times for advertisers to reach audiences with seasonal messaging and promotions.

Follow the Data to Holiday Campaign Success

With preparations for the gift-giving season well under way, podcasts are a powerful channel to help advertisers reach consumers with holiday messaging. And with the economic fears and inflation woes of 2023, it’s critical for brands to hit the right tone to inspire action. To help advertisers build campaigns that will resonate, we polled podcast listeners to gauge their sentiment around the 2023 holiday season. 

Here’s what we found.

Shopping Now and Waiting for the Big Days

Consumers are looking to control holiday expenses, so they’re planning to shop throughout the season. And podcast listeners are no different, with 58% saying they’re spending extra time researching products to find the best price. While two in three podcast listeners plan to prepare by shopping early to spread out expenses, one in two podcast listeners say they plan to wait until Black Friday or Cyber Monday to start their holiday shopping to score deals on big-ticket items.

This means that brands and retailers should be prepared for consumers to have more intentional buying strategies with a focus on price and quality over quantity. Brands should also adopt a flexible retail calendar as consumers plan to spread out costs across the year, but also plan to lean on retail events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. 

Weighing Their Options and Shopping Around

With endless choices and tightening budgets, consumers are going to be more selective when it comes to holiday spending. In fact, 43% of podcast listeners say they plan to shop at multiple stores to compare prices. As a result, brands need to be strategic with their advertising this season and consider ways they can enhance the holiday shopping experience. 

Looking for Deals and Special Perks

While it’s not surprising that shoppers are on the lookout for sales and special offers, finding the right combination of discounts, exclusive perks, and freebies can help brands stand out. Podcast listeners have some specific items on their wish lists, including free shipping on any purchase amount (75%), loyalty rewards and savings (50%), free gifts (45%), personalized offers (44%), early and exclusive access to sales (44%), and free and extended returns (40%).

Influenced by Podcast Ads

The good news: Podcast listeners are heavily influenced after hearing a holiday ad on a podcast. That means, brands can spread the word about sales, generate interest in products and services, and inspire action. 

Delivering Holiday Podcast Campaign Results

Podcasts deliver heavy dividends for advertisers looking to reinforce their messaging this holiday season. And we have the results to back it up.

Cross-Funnel Connection

A cross-platform campaign fostered connection with parents and holiday shoppers for a big box retailer. Leveraging a mix of Streaming Select Mobile Audio Placements on SiriusXM Streaming Network and Podcast Select Placements on SiriusXM Podcast Network, the campaign used holiday-themed creative messages to promote exclusive, early access for members to drive awareness and purchase intent.

Double-Digit Lifts

• +10 pts in Unaided Brand Awareness

• +16 pts in Online Ad Awareness

• +12 pts in Brand Favorability

• +14 pts in Purchase Intent 

Multicultural Campaign Success

A cross-platform campaign drove cross-funnel lifts for a big box retailer with multicultural audio streamers and podcast listeners. This campaign leveraged a mix of Streaming Select Mobile Audio Placements on SiriusXM Streaming Network and Show-Level Placements on SiriusXM Podcast Network. With strategic audience targeting to include big box shoppers and parents, the campaign used authentic host-read ads to generate strong brand recognition and intent among listeners. 

Big Impressions

• +12pts in Aided Brand Awareness

• +5pts in Brand Favorability

• +7pts in Consideration Intent

Make an Impression this Holiday Season and Beyond

Brands have the perfect opportunity to showcase their holiday advertising and amplify their brand messaging through key point-of-purchase moments with podcasts. And there’s no better way to connect with a captive, engaged, leaned-in audience.

So, are you ready to use podcasts for your next holiday advertising campaign? Let’s talk, and cheers to podcasts!