Radio or Spotify? Why Smart Marketers are Blending the Best of Both

August 1, 2025
Kellie Duffy, Paid Digital Media Specialist

Radio or Spotify? Why Smart Marketers are Blending the Best of Both

Traditional radio has been a foundational piece of the media mix for many years. It’s familiar, trusted, and deeply rooted in everyday routines. Radio was for brands that wanted to spread brand awareness and tap into local credibility.

But the way people consume audio has shifted tenfold. Audiences are no longer limited to tuning into their preset stations; they’re streaming curated playlists, listening to their favorite podcasts, and consuming content whenever, wherever. This shift in behavior has made streaming audio platforms like Spotify and Pandora essential for brands looking to connect with their consumers but with measurement.

The Power of Streaming Audio

Brands are globally increasingly investing in streaming audio because it’s a unique combination of personalization and measurement. According to Spotify, the average time spent per day with podcasts by adult listeners is 50 seconds—and that’s projected to increase by 4% to 52 seconds by 2026. Radio, on the other hand, is projected to go in the opposite direction: averaging 1:20 minutes per day in 2024, versus 1:18 minutes per day in 2026.

Advanced Targeting: Unlike radio’s broad reach, platforms like Spotify and Pandora allow for precise targeting by age, gender, location, behavioral interests.

Real-Time Optimization: Streaming campaigns can be adjusted on the fly. Marketers can test creative variations, shift budgets to top-performing audiences, and track KPIs like CTR, completion rates, and conversion events.

Higher Attention & Brand Recall: According to SiriusXM Media, 63% of listeners are more connected to audio ads than other formats. With fewer distractions and a screenless environment, streaming audio earns higher levels of engagement.

Spotify vs. Pandora: Key Differences and Uses Cases

While both platforms are powerhouses of audio advertising with unique capabilities, they serve slightly different purposes depending on campaign goals:

Spotify

  • Use Case: Fantastic for campaigns that are focused on brand-building and immersive storytelling, particularly to millennials and highly engaged audiences.
  • Strengths:
    • Spotify’s podcast network is rapidly growing, making it a key channel for sponsored content or host-read ads.
    • Offers Streaming Ad Insertion (SAI) for dynamic targeting within podcasts, enabling marketers to track impressions and interactions more accurately.
    • Strong playlist and mood targeting, ideal for aligning brands with specific emotions like “Chill” or “Workout”

Pandora

  • Use Case: Ideal for mass reach at a regional or DMA level, especially when pairing with terrestrial radio for a dual-channel strategy.
  • Strengths:
    • Part of SiriusXM Media, Pandora excels at massive scale and offers audio & display bundles, maximizing cross-device exposure.
    • Pandora’s rich first-party data from users allows for refined audience segmentation.
    • Both platforms offer companion banners and interactive ad units, making them the perfect addition to a full funnel strategy.
Radio Still Has Its Role, but Its Best When Integrated
A strong media mix always dominates, and for many campaigns, the best 0performance comes from reach with blending traditional and digital audio. A radio endorsement layered with an audience rich mix can reinforce and strengthen messaging across platforms.
This omnichannel approach helps marketers maximize both incredible scale and tight precision, ensuring they’re not just heard but also remembered.
The Takeaway for Smart Marketers
The most successful brands today are those that embrace both traditional and digital tactics. They’re not stuck in an “either-or” mindset. Instead, they’re partnering with the right digital agency or marketing company to build plans rooted in audience behavior and platform strengths.
Streaming audio isn’t a trend; it’s a daily habit of your audiences daily. And smart, strategic brands know that the real power lies in pairing it with what already works.
So, ask yourself: are you reaching your audience where they really are? If not, it might be time to hit play on something new.

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