Gamers don't just play games — they participate in and sometimes create virtual worlds. That means interacting with characters, conquering new challenges, and pushing the limits of their imaginations.
Gaming is an immersive experience — and audio is a big part of that. More and more businesses are recognizing the potential of reaching customers through gaming platforms and apps with in-game audio advertising. In fact, the number of users worldwide in the mobile games market is expected to reach 2.4 billion users by 2029. When it comes to ad revenue, mobile games are the clear heavyweights, producing 55% of the revenue share.
In-game audio advertising can be an innovative component of your strategy to connect with target audiences. And AudioGO makes it easy to create immersive audio branding experiences. Together, let's explore why your brand or ad agency should take advantage of this dynamic kind of advertising ecosystem.
Audio ads, as we know them, are played on audio-based media channels such as radio, streaming music services, and podcasts. They typically provide a "lean back" experience. Businesses use audio ads to promote their products or services to a specific target audience. It's an effective way to build brand awareness and drive sales.
In-game audio ads differ from the standard view of audio advertising because they are placed in more "lean-in" settings, where players heavily interact with different environments. Think of in-game mobile ads more like 3D audio, while traditional ads through audio streaming are more 2D.
But make no mistake about it, in-game mobile ads are still very much audio ads.
In-game audio ads offer another significant advantage over traditional video and banner ads by not interrupting gameplay. A YouGov study found that when in-game audio ads are executed with precision and care and don't disrupt gameplay in virtual environments, gamers don't mind them! Now that's a digital marketing goldmine.
Gamers are diverse people, ranging from casual players to hardcore enthusiasts. They are also highly engaged and passionate about the games they play. Research your target audience and learn what types of games they enjoy, what motivates them, and how they interact with games.
"Streamers" on Twitch (among other platforms) are another highly-popular addition to the gaming industry. Engaging personalities livestream themselves playing games, typically with a split screen so viewers can watch the gameplay and talk with each other in the live "chat." Gaming isn't just a hobby anymore, it's a broad community with niche genres, market trends, and trackable consumer behavior (even within gameplay). Marketers can, and should, use this to their advantage. Let's take a closer look at some tips for implementing audio ads in the mobile gaming sphere.
In-game audio ads should be short and engaging so they don't disrupt the player's immersive experience. Focus on creating memorable ads that leave a lasting impression on the listener.
Be aware that ad fatigue is a real phenomenon that can cause users to tune out. This is when consumers become overly exposed to the same advertisement. If the ad frequency is too high, they may become less interested, annoyed, or desensitized, causing them to ignore or disengage with the ad.
Keep things fresh, and don't overdo it, even if your primary goal is brand recognition. Also, don't be afraid to use sound design that complements the soundscapes that game developers have already crafted. It helps keep the vibes going.
Work with a partner that connects advertisers to mobile gamers by amplifying the in-game experience with non-intrusive audio ads. For example, our partner and in-game audio ad company Odeeo is integrated into hundreds of mobile games from leading global mobile studios such as MondayOff, Gamejam, and TapNation. They provide a safe brand environment with transparent traffic, desirable gaming content, and a positive user experience.
Odeeo allows marketers to target mobile users with dynamic ads based on criteria such as:
And don't be surprised if you happen to see their name in your publisher breakdown. They're already an integral part of our Audience Network.
Like any other form of advertising, you can measure the effectiveness of in-game audio ads and optimize them based on the results.
With AudioGO's reporting capabilities, you can get a personalized reporting dashboard that displays real-time metrics. Use data on user engagement rates, click-through rates, and conversions to determine your ads' performance and adjust as needed. Even better — you can boost your campaign's performance by precisely tracking user actions and conversions on your website with the AudioGO Pixel.
If you're not a mobile gamer, you might not catch the vision yet. Let's imagine an example.
In between her bus school routes, Kara, a 38-year-old suburban mom with a husband and 2 kids, likes to play a role-playing farming game on her phone while killing time in the grocery store parking lot. Mobile games aren't the male-dominated hobby that console games are. In fact, according to a recent survey, female players accounted for 54% of smartphone gamers in the U.S. in 2023.
The game's whimsical soundtrack, cute sound effects, and interactive content help her decompress between shifts of rowdy kids. She stays on a pretty tight budget, and is always looking for a great deal.
She uses the free version of the game, so after 5 minutes of gameplay she gets an audio ad for a chain restaurant that focuses on whole, fresh ingredients (like the ones she's farming in the game) where kids eat free on Wednesday nights. The ad uses kids' voices, not unlike her own, and a banner ad that showcases a tasty greens-and-grains bowl.
She now knows exactly where she's taking the family for dinner tonight. The kids end up loving it. They ask to go every Wednesday night. This is programmatic advertising paired with ad targeting working exactly like they're supposed to, and everybody wins.
In-game audio ads are a monumental opportunity for advertisers to reach a highly engaged and passionate audience.
By working with the right audio technology partners and strategically targeting the right audiences, advertisers (like you) can create valuable and memorable in-game audio ads that resonate with gamers, who can become valuable customers.
Ready to "hit play"? Take advantage of this exciting opportunity to connect with your gamer audience on a whole new level with AudioGO. Our network of audio publishers lets your business be heard by over 150 million unique listeners in the US and Canada, in English and Spanish.
Using our self-serve platform, get your marketing campaign up and running with as little as $250. Join the community of successful organizations using AudioGO. Simple setup, impactful results, and unparalleled reach — start today and find out how in-game audio advertising can work for you.
Odeeo is building the future of audio advertising solutions. Working with the world’s top mobile publishers and developers, Odeeo is creating a marketplace for audio advertisers to access an audience of 3 billion highly-engaged users globally through apps and games.