By Ryan W. Bailes

TL;DR for busy owners: Audio ads are short, targeted, and less cluttered than TV/streaming—so people actually hear you. Start with :15–:30 ads, target by city/radius + interests/shows, set frequency caps, and track with promo codes, vanity URLs + UTMs, and a simple test vs. control city.

Why audio now (East Texas & Houston)

  • Lower ad clutter → more attention. Listeners perceive podcasts and AM/FM as less crowded than TV/streaming, so your message has room to land.
  • One buy, big reach. Spotify’s Audience Network places your ads on Spotify and partner podcasts with audience + show/topic targeting in one plan.
  • Modern delivery. Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI) lets you update offers quickly and target precisely.

What “programmatic audio” means (plain English)

  • Streaming music: Pre-recorded ads that play between songs.
  • Podcasts: Pre/mid/post-roll ads placed by audience or by specific shows/episodes (e.g., via Spotify Audience Network).
  • Companion visuals: A square image/CTA appears while the ad runs so people can tap.

Targeting you actually get

  • Where: DMA (Houston), city/radius, or ZIP skew
  • Who: age, gender
  • What they like: interests (Food, Family, Business), genres, topics, or specific shows
  • Custom: your site visitors (pixel), CRM/email lists, and lookalikes

Texas-ready targeting recipes

Houston (Personal Injury — Leatherwood Law)

Geo: Houston DMA; add proximity around courthouses/trauma centers; optional ZIP skews for case value

Audience/Context: News, true crime, business; adults 25–64

Mix: 60% podcast audience targeting / 40% music audio

Creative: Calm + clear + direct CTA (call/tap)

(Attorney Advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.)

Listen: Leatherwood Law (:30)

Leatherwood Law — sample Houston PI spot.
Having trouble? Open the audio file.

Tyler (One-location Dine-In — The Grove)

Geo: 3 to 8 mile radius around the restaurant location

Audience: “Food & Dining,” “Family,” evening/weekend listening

Creative: Daypart variations (Fri/Sat date night; Sun brunch) + rotating secret word offer

Listen: The Grove (:30)

The Grove — dine-in promo with secret word.
Having trouble? Open the audio file.

Texas B2B Services (Lead Gen — Bailes + Zindler) ← core recipe

Geo: Texas statewide; bid up Houston / DFW / Austin / San Antonio; add radii around CBDs, coworking hubs, medical centers, and industrial parks

Audience/Context: Entrepreneurship, SMB, marketing/tech/finance/ops podcasts; productivity music; retargeting + lookalikes

Format mix: 70% podcasts (precision) + 30% music audio (scale)

Dayparts: 6–10a & 4–7p commutes; Sun 5–9p “plan the week”

Creative framework: Problem → Outcome → Mechanism → CTA with one action and a vanity URL (see the one-page plan)

Offer (to match script): See the one-page plan for “fast, trustworthy websites + AI-ready SEO” at baileszindler.com/radio (no code required)

Landing/CTA notes: The vanity page (/radio) should prominently link to the One-Page Plan above the fold (button or link), with optional trailer below.

Measurement:

  • Primary (hard): One-Page Plan clicks, contact/booking/call clicks from the plan page
  • Secondary (soft): Brand search + direct traffic lift using match-market (e.g., Austin/Houston test vs. SA/DFW control)

Frequency caps: 2/day, 5/week; optional sequential (:15 teaser → :30 follow-up) 24–48h later

Script (ready to record):

“Leads slowed down? Your site might be the bottleneck. At Bailes Zindler, we build fast, trustworthy websites and AI-ready SEO that win ‘near me’ moments across Texas. Expect more calls and booked consults, with fewer bounces. We get there with speed, clean structure, and local relevance—and we show the numbers every week. See the one-page plan at Bailes Zindler dot com slash radio (baileszindler.com/radio). Bailes Zindler — digital that works here.”

Vanity URL + UTM example: /radio?utm_source=spotify&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=tx-b2b-radio

Listen: Bailes + Zindler (:30)

Bailes + Zindler — B2B lead-gen spot.
Having trouble? Open the audio file.

Creative that works (keep it simple)

Best lengths

  • Use :15–:30. Spotify Ads Manager accepts up to :30; longer mid-rolls exist on direct buys, but :30 holds attention best.

Upload specs

  • MP3, 44.1 kHz, ~192 kbps, plus a square companion image for clicks.

Read & frequency tips

  • Say your brand + promise in the first 5 seconds.
  • Pick one CTA (tap/call or vanity URL—not both).
  • Write for the ear: short words, present tense. Say “twenty-five percent,” not “25%.”
  • Cap frequency so you don’t annoy people (start ~2/day, 5/week per listener).

3 plug-and-play scripts

1) HOPC (Hook–Offer–Proof–CTA) — Leatherwood Law (Houston PI)

“Injured in Houston? Call Leatherwood Law—experienced, aggressive, compassionate. Free consultation. You pay no fees unless we win. Tap now to call, or visit LeatherwoodFirm.com/injury. Leatherwood Law—we take your injuries personally. (Attorney Advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.)”

2) Moment → Benefit → Specifics → CTA — The Grove (Dine-In, secret word)

“Tonight, dine in. The Grove Kitchen & Gardens—garden lights, lively patio, seasonal plates, craft cocktails. Reserve now or walk in on Old Jacksonville Highway. Perk: say ‘Delmonico’ for 10% off food—dine-in only; excludes alcohol & tax; limited time. Tap to reserve. The Grove—dine in, slow down.”

3) Problem → Outcome → Mechanism → CTA — Bailes + Zindler (B2B)

“Leads slowed down? Your site might be the bottleneck. At Bailes Zindler, we build fast, trustworthy websites and AI-ready SEO that win ‘near me’ moments across Texas. Expect more calls and booked consults, with fewer bounces. We get there with speed, clean structure, and local relevance—and we show the numbers every week. See the one-page plan at Bailes Zindler dot com slash radio (baileszindler.com/radio). Bailes Zindler — digital that works here.”

Budgets & pacing (what to expect)

  • Pricing: Plan ~$15–$30 CPM for pre-produced podcast ads. Host-reads cost more (you’re paying for the show’s influence).
  • Start small: 1–2 geos × 1–2 audience groups × 2 creatives.
  • Refresh fast: If the opener isn’t pulling by week 3, swap it.

Measuring lift (without a data team)

Pick one “hard” KPI and one “soft” KPI.

Hard / Attributable

  • Promo codes by market (HOU50 vs ETX50)
  • Vanity URLs + UTMs (e.g., /radio, /pod) → watch sessions, add-to-cart, orders
  • Store actions: call clicks, map taps, online reservations

Soft / Incrementality

  • Match-market test: e.g., Houston (test) vs San Antonio (control) with everything the same except audio
  • Brand lift studies for recall/awareness/intent (e.g., Spotify Brand Lift)
  • Future MMM: Save basics with each flight: spot type (DAI vs baked-in), placement (pre/mid/post), host-read vs pre-produced, daypart

Pro move: Audio + podcast + companion images often beats single-format on brand lift.

Landing-page checklist (message-match & speed)

  • Repeat your first line from the ad (so listeners know they’re in the right place)
  • One primary action (book/order/call) + a “Save offer” secondary (email/SMS)
  • Proof pack: star rating, fast response pledge, simple guarantee
  • UTM → CRM: pass source/medium/campaign into hidden fields
  • Speed: pass Core Web Vitals; compress hero; inline critical CSS

FAQs (quick answers)

What is programmatic audio advertising?

Automated buying of streaming music and podcast ads with audience/geo/context targeting, frequency caps, and quick creative swaps.

How long should my ad be?

:15 or :30. Spotify Ads Manager takes up to :30; :30 is the sweet spot for recall.

What does it cost in Texas?

Expect ~$15–$30 CPM for pre-produced podcast ads; host-reads cost more.

Do I need a jingle?

No. A clean voiceover + light music bed + one SFX is plenty.

Should I cap frequency?

Yes. Keep daily/weekly caps tight to avoid fatigue (e.g., 2/day, 5/week to start).

How Bailes + Zindler helps (Texas-specific)

  • Creative kit: 2× :30s + 1× :15 cutdown, companion art, message-matched landing page
  • Targeting plan: Houston DMA + East Texas radius recipes ready to launch
  • Attribution: promo codes, vanity URLs/UTMs, simple match-market readouts
  • Dashboard: weekly reach, frequency, completions, brand/search lift indicators

Internal links

Sources (names + links)