Spotify audio ads
The format that carries most of the reach on Spotify. We write it, cast it, record it, mix it to spec and buy the media behind it.
Audio ads, from blank page to live campaign
Audio ads run between tracks on the ad-supported tier, when listeners are not looking at their screen. That is the opportunity and the constraint. There is no visual to lean on, so everything depends on the writing and the performance.
Scripting
Written to Spotify's recommended length so the read has room to breathe. Multiple routes per campaign, not one option presented as a decision.
Voice and recording
Casting against the audience rather than the brand book, directed properly, recorded and delivered with alternate takes.
Music and mix
Beds and sound design that carry the message, mixed and mastered to the platform loudness target of minus 16 LUFS.
Audience planning
Genre, contextual playlist, podcast topic, demographic and location targeting mapped to the job each ad set is doing.
Companion assets
The clickable 600 by 600 companion image, plus Canvas loops where a moving visual adds something worth having.
Testing and iteration
Enough variants at launch to learn from, then new production on a rolling basis as the winners become clear.
Write for the ear, not for the page
A script that reads well silently often collapses when spoken. We test every route out loud before it goes anywhere near a booth, because the only version that matters is the one a listener hears while they are doing something else.
Thirty seconds is not a short brief, it is a hard one
Spotify recommends no more than around sixty five words for a thirty second ad, and about a hundred for a sixty second one. Most first drafts come in well over that, which is why so many audio ads sound rushed. Cutting to fit is the work.
| Specification | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Maximum length | 30 seconds for music and podcast streaming ad insertion |
| Long-form option | Up to 60 seconds in selected markets, skippable after 30 seconds |
| File types | MP3, WAV or OGG |
| Bit rate | 192 kbps minimum, 320 kbps maximum |
| Sample rate | 44.1 kHz |
| Loudness | Minus 16 LUFS, plus or minus 1.5 LUFS |
| Channels | Stereo |
| Maximum file size | 50 MB |
| Companion image | 600 by 600 pixels minimum, 1:1, JPEG or PNG, up to 200 KB |
| Script guidance | Around 65 words for 30 seconds, around 100 words for 60 seconds |
Platform figures and specifications quoted across this site come from Spotify Advertising and Spotify's published quarterly results. They change, so treat them as a starting point and check the current documentation before you plan a budget.
What we produce for every audio campaign
An audio ad is not one file. It is a script that survives being read aloud, a voice that suits the audience, a bed that does not fight the words, a mix that meets the platform loudness target, and a companion image that earns the tap.
We deliver all of it, in enough variants that the first two weeks of the campaign teach you something.
- Multiple scripts per campaign, written to length rather than trimmed to fit
- Voice casting and direction, with options rather than a single take
- Music and sound design that supports the message instead of decorating it
- Mixing and mastering to minus 16 LUFS stereo, delivered in the accepted file types
- Companion display units at 600 by 600 and above, matched to the script
- Canvas loops where the visual adds something
Frequently asked questions
How long can a Spotify audio ad be?
Spotify accepts a maximum of thirty seconds for music ads and for podcast ads delivered through streaming ad insertion. Longer form music ads of up to sixty seconds are available in selected markets and are skippable after the first thirty seconds.
How many words fit in a thirty second Spotify ad?
Spotify recommends no more than around sixty five words for a thirty second ad, and around a hundred words for sixty seconds. Going over is the single most common reason an audio ad sounds rushed and stops landing.
What technical specification does the audio need to meet?
MP3, WAV or OGG, between 192 and 320 kbps, at a 44.1 kHz sample rate, in stereo, mastered to minus 16 LUFS within 1.5 LUFS, and under 50 MB. We deliver to that as standard.
Do we need a companion image?
Yes, and it is worth taking seriously. The companion display unit is what a listener taps if the ad works, so it should carry the offer clearly. Minimum 600 by 600 pixels, square, JPEG or PNG, up to 200 KB.
Can you use our existing radio ad?
Sometimes, though it usually needs a remix to meet Spotify's loudness target, and often a rewrite. Radio creative tends to assume a broadcast context and a different listening posture. We will tell you honestly whether the asset is worth adapting or replacing.
Do you write in British English?
Yes, by default. Scripts, casting and pronunciation guidance are all UK first unless the campaign is targeting another market, in which case we adapt.
Other things we handle
Ready to scope this properly?
Two minutes on the enquiry form and we will come back with a view on whether this is the right channel for the objective, and what it would take to run it well.