For local nonprofits and blue-chip brands alike, social justice is deeply ingrained into the fabric of their organization. But when you’re trying to spread the word about social issues or charitable efforts through digital marketing, it can be hard to break through the media clutter, especially on social media platforms. That’s where audio steps in.
Digital audio for cause marketing provides the megaphone your organization needs to connect with engaged audiences. In this article, we'll talk about how to strategically use audio ads so you can get the most out of your advertising budget. Let's dive in!
Cause marketing is an advertising campaign designed to raise awareness for an organization, social issue, or service. Both non-profit organizations and businesses use cause marketing. When the California wildfires ravaged the West Coast in January 2025, countless organizations and brands responded with media campaigns to show their support.
Cause marketing works locally too. A community hospital could launch an ad campaign to raise awareness for updated flu vaccinations. A non-profit might advertise for volunteers or donations, and to promote events. For brands, cause marketing can burnish a company’s reputation and drive action. Consumers will reward brands for practicing great corporate social responsibility. One McKinsey study found that over the course of five years, products with a connection to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) accounted for 56% of all growth.
Audio is intimate and engaging, which makes it ideal for raising awareness for any cause or campaign. According to Nielsen, on average, Americans spend 20% of their day with digital audio content. According to Edison Research, an estimated 228 Million (79%) have listened to online audio in the past month. They’re on digital platforms listening to everything from music streaming to podcasts, sports, news, and comedy.
Podcasting, in particular, is red-hot, with an estimated 158 million Americans listening to podcasts weekly.
With digital audio advertising, marketers can connect to engaged listeners in a variety of locations. Digital audio users are streaming at home and in their cars, over smart speakers, and on smartphones.
If you get your message to these listeners, they’re likely to take note and take action.
Once you've done some market segmentation and figured out exactly who needs to hear your message, you can start working on creative content that appeals to them.
Gone are the days of advertising strategies that relied solely on broadcasting clever audio jingles to the masses, hoping it would stick with someone (anyone). Now, ad tech can make sure your ad hits the exactly right ears at the exactly right moment, making listener engagement a much easier beast to tackle.
At AudioGO, we help local and national non-profit organizations and brands effectively advance their causes. We’ve teamed with public health organizations and census organizers, just to name a few.
Simply put, audio branding works. Businesses and non-profits can reach their intended audience in granular detail. AudioGO’s platform can target customers, volunteers, and donors by geographic area down to the Zip Code. We can also target by gender, age, and genre of content. AudioGO ads run across the most popular digital audio services, including:
Worried digital audio advertising will be too difficult or expensive? AudioGO’s platform is easy-to-use and affordable. You can buy an audio ad campaign starting at $250, and we charge a flat fee of $18 per CPM.
If you need help creating an ad, our team can help. Just submit a script and AudioGO will tap our network of writers and voice hosts to produce an ad within 24 hours. It’s that easy.
Whether you're an non-profit organization, a business or an ad agency that represents one, digital audio can connect your cause with the most active audience. These consumers are engaged and passionate — just the people your organization needs to advocate for your cause, spur action and raise awareness.
Let's imagine a fictional, but very plausible, example of how cause marketing through audio channels can work well through the power of programmatic advertising.
Samantha is driving home from work, and lets out a big yawn. She normally has an afternoon cup of coffee, but she just realizes that she forgot to have one today. As she listens to her favorite podcast about startups, a commercial break with a voiceover comes on.
"What if every cup of coffee you drank helped change someone's life? At Changed Grounds, we believe in making a difference — one cup at a time. For every bag of our ethically sourced coffee you buy, we donate 10% of profits to providing clean drinking water to communities in need."
The sound design, both the music and vocal intonation, is uplifting and hopeful.
"With every sip, you're not just waking up to a better day — you’re helping others wake up to a brighter future. This month, our partner organization, AquaHope, is building wells in rural villages across East Africa, bringing clean, safe water to thousands of families. Your morning ritual can be the change you want to see in the world.
Visit Changegrounds.org and use the code SIPHOPE for 20% off your first order. Together, we can make every cup matter"
Samantha’s always been passionate about social causes, and the idea that something as simple as her daily coffee routine could help people in need resonates deeply.
Once home, she grabs her phone and types in "Changedgrounds.org" to learn more. As she explores the website, she reads stories of families who now have access to clean water because of the donations. She’s not just buying coffee; she’s part of something bigger.
Samantha makes a purchase, using the SIPHOPE code for the discount.
In this hypothetical case, the advertiser had targeted a young, professional, female commuter who might be trying to start her own company — that's someone who's probably drinking a lot of coffee. Geographically, the advertiser targeted an up-and-coming progressive, urban area, where there's lots of young people who care about social justice issues. It's a strategic match of brand alignment, demographic targeting, brand messaging — the perfect example of campaign effectiveness in action!
The great Fred Rogers once said to "look for the helpers." And when you partner with AudioGO, you'll be able to find them quickly and affordably.
Whether your goal is brand awareness, consumer engagement, or sales, AudioGO provides audio analytics that help you evaluate and fine-tune your campaigns. We help you find out where you're getting the most traction and highest return on investment. Get started today with AudioGO in three simple steps: set your budget, upload your ad, and choose your audience. It's just that easy.
For more information see our ad solutions for nonprofits.