Guidelines for audio creatives

You can serve audio creatives by assigning them to audio line items. Review best practices and common requirements for audio creatives to serve on Display & Video 360’s supported exchanges.

Best practices for audio creatives

Best practices: Check mark icon For the best performance, follow these recommendations.

​Download the Audio Ads Best Practices PDF

Creative considerations

1. Understand your audience

Research shows a personalized message is more engaging across mediums.

2. Consider the context

  • Understand platform specs and which ones support companions.
  • Consider how people listen to content on different platforms.

3. Keep it brief and memorable

  • Shorter clips have higher recall.
  • Include a clear call to action.
  • Repeat the brand name 2–3 times.

4. Be thoughtful with sound

  • Balance the mixing between voiceover, music, and other sound effects.
  • Use storytelling techniques for engagement and recall.

Audio best practices

1. Use a consistent tone and tempo

  • For 30 second ads, aim for 55-75 words
  • For 15 second ads, aim for 40 words

2. Be conversational

A friendly tone transitions listeners between entertainment content and ads.

3. Include a call to action

Give listeners a chance to engage. A direct call to action drives higher clickthrough rates.

4. Tell a story

Transport the listener through the use of subtle effects and environmental sounds that create imagery in the mind.

5. Create multiple versions

Develop a variety of audio ads tailored to unique audience preferences.

Dos & Don'ts

Do

Don't

Use simple background music that sets an emotional tone and doesn’t compete with the voiceover. Incorporate jarring sounds effects (alarms, air horns) or cheesy jingles which could annoy listeners.
Use a balanced mix of sound elements. Use multiple voices, which can confuse listeners.
Incorporate music only if it complements the message. Be intrusive, consider audio goes directly into a listener’s ears.
Consider using music similar to your audience’s preferences. Try to explain every benefit your product or service provides — stick to what’s most relevant for the audience.
Incorporate audio elements and storytelling techniques that transport the listener through sound.  

Companion best practices

Use a companion to reinforce your message

  • A visual companion is the strongest connection back to the brand.
  • Use the brand logo, repeat the call to action, and other elements that reference the audio ad.

Save time by uploading companions with audio

Content requirements

To run on Display & Video 360, all creatives must follow the creative content and policy guidelines.

Asset requirements

Audio file

File types .ogg, .mp3 
File size Up to 1 GB if hosted on Display & Video 360. To meet specs across exchanges, always upload a source file with the highest possible quality. Individual exchanges may have different maximum file sizes, so plan accordingly.
Landing page URL Required.
Duration Audio creatives support a variety of durations. For access to most inventory, use a duration of 15 or 30 seconds.

Companion asset

Requirements and supported companion types vary by publisher, check publisher ad specs for the most up-to-date information.

File types .jpg, .png, .zip
File size You can upload image creatives with a maximum file size of 10 MB. There's no file size limit for HTML5 .zip files, but keep in mind that publisher specifications may require smaller file sizes.
Dimensions Vary by publisher
Maximum dimensions 4096 × 4096
Display & Video 360-hosted If you upload and host audio creatives in Display & Video 360, you can assign display creatives with image or HTML5 assets as companions.
Campaign Manager 360-hosted If you upload audio creatives to Campaign Manager 360 and sync them to Display & Video 360, you can add companion creatives in Campaign Manager 360. The companion will sync to Display & Video 360 along with the creative.

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