Through hundreds of conversations with global publishers, Audioboost has gathered quantitative and qualitative data that debunk the most common misconceptions about audio monetization. Below are our findings:
1. “Audio playback undermines display ad performance“
False. Studies conducted across 50 websites reveal that audio streaming does not significantly affect traditional display-ad KPIs.
- Session duration: +700–800% compared to sessions without audio (p < 0.01).
- Display/video impressions: +25% during audio sessions, driven by extended dwell time.
The more time users spend listening, the greater the opportunity for audio-on formats. Moreover, during audio sessions, users continue to interact with the page, triggering timed display and video creatives. Thus, the benefit of audio sessions extends beyond direct audio monetization to indirect gains through increased banner and video impressions
Implication: Audio extends visit duration and indirectly enhances the effectiveness of visual ad formats.
2. “A preroll is necessary to maximize audio revenue”
False. Inserting a preroll reduces on-demand content completion rates by 20%. Although prerolls are the simplest technical solution, they conflict with the promise of on-demand listening. Instead, strategically placed midrolls that preserve the text’s natural flow achieve higher ad acceptance, even among time-pressed listeners.
Implication: Contextual midrolls optimize both revenue and retention while respecting user experience.
3. “Text-to-audio conversion rates are negligible”
False. Analyzing over 500,000 news articles in the past year shows that up to 70% were played at least once. Commonly, conversions are measured by comparing page views to play counts, but these metrics lack correlation—due to asynchronous page loads and high bounce rates. A more accurate measure is the ratio of total sessions to total streams:
- Conversion rate (audio vs. sessions): 2–6% of sessions generate audio streams.
- Average plays per article: 17 plays per article.
Implication: Audio emerges as the most interactive format, outperforming clicks and scroll depth on a standard web page.
4. “Increasing audio-ad frequency boosts revenue”
False. More than two audio ads per session actually decrease attention and memorability by 20% (AVG).
- Optimal frequency: 1–2 ads per session maximize engagement and brand recall.
Higher frequencies prove, at best, ineffective and, at worst, disruptive.
Implication: Maintaining low ad frequency preserves advertising effectiveness and prevents listener fatigue.
5. “People too busy to read won’t listen either”
False. Audio sessions record an average bounce rate of 0.6%, compared to 7% for sessions without audio.
- Bounce-rate reduction: –97% with audio enabled.
This dramatic reduction shows that users often abandon pages simply because they cannot read at that moment. Offering an audio version retains these valuable users and deepens future loyalty.
Implication: Audio transforms potential drop-offs into active users, capturing an audience that would otherwise be lost.
Conclusion
These data confirm that a structured integration of audio not only preserves other ad formats but creates new monetization and long-term engagement opportunities.