Google is making it easier for publishers to monetise their podcasts and other audio offerings, introducing programmatic audio in its Ad Manager offering.

Under the changes, Google Ad Manager will now include features like Dynamic Ad Insertion for audio, programmatic monetisation and audio forecasting capabilities.

“With these new audio features, publishers gain opportunities to monetize their digital audio content, advertisers are able to reach more relevant audio audiences, and listeners can experience better quality ads,” said Google Ad Manager product manager Carol Walport.

Google first introduced programmatic audio tools in 2018 in DV360.

The new offering will also make it easier for advertisers to connect with audiences across a range of different devices.

Walport gave the example of a person interacting with a music streaming app on their phone and then being delivered a relevant video ad.

“These features help audio publishers deliver the right ad format to the right device at the right time, allowing them to provide a high-quality ad experience for users while maximizing revenue,” Walport added.

Audio streaming giant Spotify is on board with the new initiative, taking a Programmatic Guaranteed-first approach to selling its streaming audio inventory.

It follows prior deal with Spotify, Pandora and iHeartMusic to provide better programmatic audio solutions.

With digital audio revenue now representing around four per cent of the total US digital display market – marking a 21 per cent increase in revenue from 2018 to 2019 – programmatic is set to become an increasingly important tool for publishers looking to monetise their content.

According to IAB Australia CEO Gai Le Roy, Google’s latest move into programmatic audio reflects this growing demand.

“Although the programmatic element for both streaming audio and podcast ad investment has been growing alongside market growth, product improvements such as those announced by Google Ad Manager to improve the ability for both publishers to monetise inventory and for agencies to have more advanced tools will help the market step up to the next level,” Le Roy told B&T.

“For buyers it will help with forecasting, encourage a better range of fit for purpose creative, data enhancement and allow for richer comparisons with other programmatic channels.”

With audio still in many ways caught between traditional and digital media, a more pronounced shift towards programmatic will allow digital teams to take ownership of audio advertising.

“Who controls audio buying in agencies differs between agencies, some have the responsibility sitting in their traditional broadcast team and others within the digital team,” Le Roy continued.

“Development of audio programmatic tech offerings will definitely help the digital buyers take more advantage of audio inventory but it will also make it easier for traditional teams to help radio buyers expand their reach and range of investments.”