Interested in Sponsoring The Mobile Robot Podcast?
Let’s take a look at how podcast advertising/sponsorship works, and how you can participate to communicate your message to our audience.
Ad Copy Creation
First of all, the ads on The Mobile Robot Guide podcast will be host-read content. This means that the podcast host will read your ad copy on-air. This actually provides more authority to the message as it comes through the host voice. However, you will have control over the messaging and ad copy that is read on-air. Our podcast producer will work with your team to finalize and approve the copy.
Call to Action Design
Podcast ads work differently than social media ads. First of all, podcast listening is different than browsing social media or reading a webpage. Podcast listeners typically listen while doing other activities like working out or driving. While we will include sponsor links in the show notes and podcast page, it’s difficult to track if a listener follows through from a podcast referral. Designing a call to action should be simple and easy to remember. The same is true for URL’s which might be read online. Consider using vanity or shortened URL codes for listeners to remember as your call to action. If you want to communicate a special discount code, make it a single, easy to remember word.
Advertising Slots
There are three “slots” in each podcast episode for ad messages. They are:
- Pre-roll Ad (15 second slot) – runs after podcast intro, but before the actual guest interview content. Ad copy should be limited to less than 30 words or 200 characters. Ad copy will start with: “This episode is sponsored by COMPANY XYZ…” We limit pre-roll ads to 4 advertisers (4 separate ads in any given podcast).
- Mid-roll Ad (60 second slot) – runs during a break in the featured content or between content elements, approximately mid way through the episode timeline. Ad copy should be limited to less than 120 words or 800 characters. Mid-roll ads are limited to a single advertiser.
- End-roll Ad (30 second slot) – runs near the end of the podcast, after the main interview or primary content is complete but before the outro, during the show wrap-up. This is the most affordable slot as a small percentage of listeners may depart at the end of the primary content. Ad copy should be limited to less than 60 words or 400 characters. End-roll ads are limited to two advertisers.
The Mobile Robot Podcast show format is to produce episodes of length 20-25 minutes, including all intro, outro, ads and interview content.
Figure 1 below illustrates where a specific podcast ad will run during the podcast timeline.
Figure 1 – Here’s a sample podcast audio waveform. This illustrates where each of the different types of podcast ads will run during a podcast episode.
How Podcast Advertising / Sponsorship Works
The Mobile Robot Podcast is offering two opportunities to get your message to our audience: sponsorships and advertising.
Podcast Sponsorship
If you would like to co-produce and own an entire, specific podcast episode, we will interview your selected guest and the podcast sponsorship message will be reserved exclusively for your content. This will be a single episode sponsorship and your message and sponsorship mention will be associated with the podcast in perpetuity. This will include the pre-roll and end-roll content (no mid-roll interruption in a sponsored podcast). Listeners will be alerted that the episode is an exclusive sponsored podcast.
Cost to sponsor a specific podcast is: $500
Podcast Advertising
The primary option for advertising is to select and book an ad slot in the normal podcast schedule. Here’s how podcast ad rates work:
Each podcast ad slot has a specific base rate. This base rate is the rate to book a specific ad slot. Ads are charged on cost-per-thousand impressions. So the actual ad rate for a given episode will be calculated as the BASE RATE x CURRENT DOWNLOAD COUNT MULTIPLIER.
NOTE: Currently, ad content will remain attached to the episode at which it was created with, although this may change in the future, if we grow to the point that we can deploy dynamics ads. This means that you pay once and that ad continues to work for you, even as the podcast audience grows.
Podcast sponsors will also get a mention and logo placement on The Mobile Robot Podcast webpage, during the period of active ad engagement.
Podcast Ad Base Rates
The current ad slot base rates are (these rates are subject to change):
Pre-roll (15 second) : $18
Mid-roll (60 second) : $20
End-roll (30 second) : $10
Podcast Download Count
The current average podcast episode download count is: 50+
The current podcast CPM multiplier is: 1
Ad Budget Burn down
If you engage in an advertising relationship with The Mobile Robot Podcast, you’ll set a predetermined podcast budget. This budget will be allocated for the agreed ad slot on a weekly basis, and will burn through the budget at the calculated ad rate.
Minimum ad budget is: $100
For example: to book a mid-roll ad slot with a $200 budget,
Starting from 0 downloads (multiplier 1x), the cost in:
Week 1: $20 for episode 1, ad budget remaining: $180
Week 2: $20 for episode 2, ad budget remaining: $160
Week 3: $20 for episode 3, ad budget remaining: $140
Week 4: $20 for episode 4, ad budget remaining: $120
<now assume that we break the 1000 download/week threshold, multiplier is now 2x>
Week 5: $40 for episode 5, ad budget remaining: $80
Week 6: $40 for episode 6, ad budget remaining: $40
Week 7: $40 for episode 6, ad budget remaining: $0
Have questions? To book an ad slot contact us: sales AT mobilerobotguide DOT com