The Power Of Host-Read Ads In Podcasting

If you're a podcast superfan or indie podcasting, you already know the information I'm about to impart. Hang in there because we will get into a specific example in the article. 

 Host-read podcast ads are highly effective due to their ability to create a personal connection and build trust with listeners, leading to higher engagement and better recall. These ads feel more like a recommendation from a trusted friend than a traditional advertisement.

According to a study by SiriusXM Media, podcast listeners tend to be loyal to their favorite hosts. In fact, one in three podcast listeners 18+ say that the host is like a friend. With this type of connection in play, listeners are more likely to be receptive and take action based on a recommendation from someone they admire and trust. 

That's the podcast host. 

The SiriusXM Media Study states: "When a trusted voice tells a memorable story about your brand, it sticks with listeners. In a past case study, we found that the audio-only ad drove 67% in unaided recall and +10pts in brand familiarity. And when you compare host reads versus pre-produced and announcer-read ads, host reads resulted in a +10 higher unaided recall."

 Host-read ads are seamlessly integrated into the episode, matching the natural flow of the show. Just as a host finishes recounting a story, they may take a short ad break in the middle of the episode to discuss a new product they’ve been loving. Unlike other ad types with voice talent, host-read ads can feel like more of a part of the discussion. The conversational delivery keeps listeners engaged without distracting from the content, creating a disruption-free experience that enhances ad reception.

Now, let me provide a specific example. In addition to Ear Worthy, I am also a self-published author. As such, like an indie podcaster, monetizing your self-published book is entirely the author's responsibility. I've written six nonfiction books and seven novels. Sales have ranged from 4,000 for The COVID Hotel to 20 for Cardinal Rules & Other Tales. My two best-selling novels have been For The Love Of Books (2,740), and Away From Home (2,400). 

Just like with an indie podcasters' evergreen list of episodes, a self-published authors' backlist usually generates little or no attention or sales.  For self-published authors, the road to constant sales with their evergreen list of books is to create a series. That strategy is often employed with romance novels, mystery novels, and spy novels. Otherwise, once the marketing blitz for your current book flames out -- usually due to a lack of money -- your book starts to sell in the single digits.

 Away From Home came about because of the October 2017 series of 250 wildfires that started burning across the state of California. These fires killed 44 people, hospitalized at least 192 others, and displaced more than 37,000 animals. The story unfolds as six of those animals – four cats, a bird, and a dog – are left homeless by the rampaging fires and decide to embark on a dangerous journey to find a new home.Away from Home was released in May 2021. Sales were brisk for a few months, then the spigot turned off, and I sold one novel a month. 

I assume that the L.A. fires in January reignited readers' interest in the novel, and sales spiked for a month. Before the campaign with Amanda's 6 Degrees of Cats, I sold one novel last month in June.

I wanted to generate new sales for Away From Home, so I contacted Amanda B., creator/host of one of the best indie podcasts around, 6 Degrees of Cats. The show looks at cats in history, mythology, and culture. I highly recommend it, even if you don't like cats. You'll enjoy the history, the cultural lessons, and the deep dive into mythology. 

Amanda B. was selected to a cohort of 10 out of 18,000 applicants to go through Spotify's first Sound Up podcast accelerator for women and non-binary podcasters of color in 2018. As a musician, she has supported international performing artist Peaches onstage for The Samantha Bee Show’s 2017 Not the White House Correspondents Dinner broadcast and released a sophomore full-length album with her rock ‘n’ roll band Leathered. 

What that all means is that this woman is seriously talented in a multitude of ways. 

Continuing the narrative, I contracted with Amanda to record a host-read ad to market Away From Home. When the third season of 6 Degrees of Cats launched on June 17th, I was anxious to listen to the show, but also to hear the host-read ad for Away From Home. 

When I heard Amanda's host-read ad, I was blown away. At 15:22 in the first episode, you can hear the host-read ad by Amanda. Amanda added to the ad and made it much, much better. Her silky, reassuring voice creates a mood that would make listeners want to buy the book.

And they have bought. After two episodes of 6 Degrees of Cats, Away From Home has recorded 134 books sold, mostly e-books, but some in the trade paperback format, where the most significant profit margin exists. To a self-published author like me, that's an impressive achievement, and it's all thanks to Amanda. 

As a struggling self-published author, you can be sure of one marketing strategy I will employ. I will contract with Amanda of 6 Degrees of Cats to record a host-read ad for my latest book. If the money is available, I may even contact her to read the audiobook. 

I'll end today and offer three conclusions. First, you already know. Podcast host-read ads work. They sell products and services. Second, you need to find the right podcast to match your product or service. For example, it didn't take a genius to conclude that having a cat-themed podcast was an ideal landing spot to sell a novel about cats. 

Third, you need to find the right podcast host. I was fortunate to know Amanda from 6 Degrees of Cats. She is so lyrically polished, with such noble simplicity and quiet grandeur. I am now in the process of writing a follow-up to Away From Home. I already know that the novel will be dedicated to Amanda from 6 Degrees of Cats.