The Programmatic Glossary
A practical glossary designed to help marketers, advertisers and ad-tech professionals understand the terminology that powers programmatic advertising
Ad Formats
Audio Advertising
Programmatic ads that play within audio content, such as streaming music platforms, podcasts, digital radio, and audiobooks. hear a short audio clip, often with an accompanying banner ad displayed on screen.
HOW IT WORKS
Audio ad inventory is bought and sold using the same programmatic infrastructure as display and video -via RTB (Real-time bidding) auctions. Advertisers target listeners based on demographics, content type, time of day, and listening behaviour. Ads are typically 15 or 30 seconds and play between , podcast episodes, or podcast segments.
EXAMPLE
A fitness brand wants to reach people who listen to workout playlists. It targets audio ad inventory on Spotify and podcast apps, serving 15-second audio ads to listeners during their morning runs. The targeting ensures the ad plays to the right audience at the right moment.
RELATED TERMS
Connected TV (CTV) | Digital out-of-home (DOOH) | Programmatic advertising | RTB
★ LIMELIGHT INSIGHT: Audio is part of Limelight's omnichannel programmatic offering, alongside CTV (Connected TV) and DOOH (Digital out-of-home), enabling partners to monetise and access inventory across multiple digital touchpoints.
