A recent study by audio ad agency Oxford Road suggests that vanity URLs, which are commonly used in audio advertising to track ad effectiveness, may not be delivering reliable results. Instead, the study recommends using website surveys to increase audio ad attribution by over 700%.
The study followed digital HR solutions company Bambee as they increased ad attribution from 1% to around 50% using a two-tiered survey method as opposed to relying on an audience using a vanity URL. The surveys would include questions about where customers heard about the product, with the second tier providing specific options such as the names of radio shows or podcasts where the marketer’s ad is running.
The report notes that vanity URLs only capture a limited number of listeners who hear an ad, remember the URL, and enter it into a browser to claim the offer, making it an unreliable method of tracking ad effectiveness.
According to Bambee CEO Allan Jones, the new survey method not only provides a powerful way to identify the shows where audio ads perform well, but also offers a privacy benefit, as it yields attribution insight without relying on ad tech or third parties. Overall, Jones believes that podcasts and radio advertising can bring immense value to a business, and if done correctly, can be an incredibly profitable channel.
