You might know her as the host of Call Her Daddy. Or as the powerhouse behind a multi-million dollar Spotify deal. Or as the first podcast host whose documentary, “Call Her Alex”, premiered at the Tribeca Festival. But what you might not know is that Alex Cooper has dropped some seriously valuable wisdom about podcast advertising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As marketers, when a creator at the top of her game offers even a glimpse behind the curtain, we take notes. So today, we\u2019re sharing three real tips from Alex herself, plus a bonus insight from the RedCircle team. Whether you’re already running podcast ads or just thinking about it, here\u2019s what you can learn from one of the most influential podcasters in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a recent Threads video1<\/sup> , Alex casually dropped a golden nugget while filming her day: she puts extra effort<\/em> into video ad reads. Why? Because they sell better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe sell-through rate is so much higher when I do video ads,\u201d<\/em> she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For advertisers, this is your cue: if the podcast you\u2019re partnering with offers a video version, ask for a video ad read<\/strong>. You may need to budget a bit more for the added effort, but the return can be well worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a recent appearance on the Boyfriend Material<\/em> podcast, Alex shared that she once turned down an $8 million brand deal2<\/sup> because it didn\u2019t align with her values. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think it’s important to say no to sh*t,” <\/em>she said. \u201cBecause then you just lose your f**ing credibility.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mic. Drop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a major reminder for brands: podcast audiences care deeply about authenticity<\/strong>. So do podcast hosts. The more aligned your product is with their voice and values, the more likely they are to actually want<\/em> to endorse you, and the better it\u2019ll land with their audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fun fact, RedCircle\u2019s proprietary vetting process aims at finding that exact authentic brand\/podcast match. Try it out<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n When Alex sat down with CBS Mornings3<\/sup>, she explained how she builds trust with her guests before asking anything juicy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I ask those questions, but there’s a lot that goes into it prior to that… I’m reading the room, I’m being self-aware.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n That same dynamic applies to ad reads. Podcast hosts know their audience. They know how to deliver a message without sounding like a billboard. So while it\u2019s great to give them talking points, don\u2019t hand them a script<\/strong>. Let them riff. Let them build the vibe. That\u2019s when the magic happens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alex Cooper didn\u2019t build an empire by chasing CPMs. She built it by building trust<\/strong>. And that\u2019s exactly what makes host-read podcast ads so powerful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When a listener hears a recommendation from a voice they already know and trust, it hits different. That kind of influence can\u2019t be bought off a programmatic exchange. It has to be earned. And when it is, your brand gets invited in, not just blasted out.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alex Cooper may be one of one, but the lessons she\u2019s dropped are universal:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might know her as the host of Call Her Daddy. Or as the powerhouse behind a multi-million dollar Spotify deal. Or as the first podcast host whose documentary, “Call Her Alex”, premiered at the Tribeca Festival. But what you might not know is that Alex Cooper has dropped some seriously valuable wisdom about podcast […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1370,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[13],"tags":[28,27,43,24,25],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1335"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1335"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1335\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1374,"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1335\/revisions\/1374"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1370"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1335"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1335"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redcircle.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1335"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}2. Say No to the Wrong Fit (Even If It\u2019s $8 Million)<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
3. Let the Host Do Their Thing<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
4. Influence Trumps Impressions<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nWrapping It All Up<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\n
<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n
\n