With the new Show.co’s Ad Builder tool, artists can easily create an ad capable of reaching Spotify’s massive listening population, with targeting based on the geography and genre interests of listeners. Here Chris Robley outlines some key tips for actually recording and producing these audio ads.

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Guest post by Chris Robley of DIY Musician

Guidelines and examples for musicians recording a Spotify audio ad.

With Show.co’s simple Ad Builder tool, your music and message can reach a huge audience on Spotify.

If you don’t know what the Ad Builder is yet, it can help you share your messaging with the right listeners on huge streaming platforms and premiere music websites. That includes millions of music fans on Spotify that you can target based on geography, genre interests, and more.

Sound good? When you’re ready to create your first ad campaign, follow the tips below.

Your Spotify audio ad campaign at a glance:

1. Create a new campaign in Show.co
2. You target the genre interests and location of the listeners you want to hear your audio ad
3. Upload an audio ad and corresponding image
4. Choose the destination URL for the ad (where do you want the listener to go after hearing the ad?)
5. Set a budget and duration for the campaign
6. Show.co will serve the ad to your target audience on Spotify, and you’ll see real-time data about the results

How to record your audio advertisement

We’ve put together a list of best-practices to make sure your audio ad is approved for placement, and optimized so you get the most return for your budget.

1. The length of your ad should be exactly 30 seconds long.
2. The audio should be in either WAV or MP3 file format.
3. Your ad should begin by fading in your background music (typically 2-3 seconds into the ad).
4. Depending on the length of your “Voice Over,” your ad should start with roughly 15-20 seconds of music and, if applicable, include the lead verse or chorus of the song.
5. Add your Voice Over (VO) around the 15-20 second mark. Your VO should be 7-10 seconds long.
6. Lower the volume level of the background music when adding your Voice Over so that listeners can clearly hear every word in the ad.
7. IMPORTANT: When writing the script for the Voice Over, include a call-to-action. A call-to-action is mandatory in all audio ads and directs the listener to do something, such as “click on the banner to follow me on Spotify.”
8. At the end of the VO, bring your background music volume up for a second or two and then fade out.

Sample scripts for a Spotify audio ad

Below you’ll see a few examples to give you an idea of how to script your own audio ads. Put these in your own words of course, in whatever style is most authentic to your artist brand.

When you’re releasing a new single, you might say:

“Hey, it’s [artist name] and you’re listening to my new single, [song name]. If you like what you hear, click the banner and follow me on Spotify.”

When you’re releasing a new album, you might say something like:

“Hey, this is [name] from [band name] and you’re listening to our new song [song name] off our latest release, [album name]. Click the banner to listen to our new album, available right here on Spotify.”

When you’re on tour and targeting a specific city, a typical ad would say: 

“Hey, this is [artist/band name] and I’ll/we’ll be performing on [date] at [venue] in [city, state]. Click the banner below to buy tickets now!”

When you’re on tour, you could say:

“Hey, this is [artist/band name] and you’re listening to my/our new single [single name]. I’ll/we’ll be performing live in venues across [country/state/region], click the banner below to check out exact dates and buy tickets now!”

Additional tips for audio ads

• Remember to state your artist name clearly, as well as the name of the single, album, playlist, merch, or concert dates you’re advertising.
• Avoid using too many voices. Multiple voices in the audio ad can confuse the listener.
• Avoid using sound effects. Keep the listener focused on your music and what you’re trying to sell.
• Preview your audio ad before finalizing the campaign. Click on the play button in the Ad Preview section of Ad Builder to confirm that your ad is correct.
• Lastly, be creative and have fun!

Chris Robley is the Editor of CD Baby’s DIY Musician Blog. I write Beatlesque indie-pop songsthat’ve been praised by No Depression, KCRW, The LA Times, & others. My poems have appeared in Poetry Magazine, Prairie Schooner, The Poetry Review, & more. I live in Maine and like peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, a little too much.