Updated June 2026
This guide covers everything brands need to know about advertising on streaming audio and TV platforms — from how it works, to which platforms offer the best opportunities, to what it costs. Whether you’re new to streaming ads or looking to expand your current strategy, this is your starting point.
With the advent of streaming, advertising on entertainment channels has become more affordable and more accessible than ever. Media consumption has dramatically shifted away from conventional channels like cable and AM/FM radio towards paid streaming providers for both television and audio. In turn, businesses big and small have a lot of options when it comes to reaching consumers in more targeted and cost-effective ways.
Although many of us can remember purchasing CDs from electronic stores or gathering in front of the TV in anticipation of a show’s newest episode, younger generations have grown up with the luxury of having all of the latest music easily accessible through their mobile devices and entire seasons of their favorite shows ready to stream off of internet-connected TVs. Of course, the use of streaming platforms is hardly restricted to any single age demographic. Today, cord-cutting is the norm rather than the exception, with the majority of American households subscribing to at least one streaming service.
The era of streaming is here, and prospective advertisers have a wealth of choices in platforms with remarkably affordable rates. Before getting into why you should advertise on streaming, however, it is important to first understand what streaming audio and TV actually is.
What Is Streaming Audio and Who Are the Providers?
Digital or “streaming” audio simply refers to the streaming of audio files over the internet. Its most popular forms include music, radio, and podcasts. Notably, unlike downloaded content that stores an entire audio file (like an MP3) onto your device, streaming audio delivers the data continuously in small packets as the audio plays, or “streams.” So long as your device has a stable and strong enough internet connection, the packets will keep flowing in and you will experience uninterrupted listening without any frustrating buffering.
Music Streaming Platforms
Currently, the top music streaming platforms in the US are, in order:
- Spotify
- Apple Music
- Amazon Music
- YouTube Music
Unfortunately for advertisers, Apple Music is 100% ad-free. However, while Spotify, Amazon Music, and SoundCloud all offer premium, ad-free subscriptions, the free versions of their product do allow for ads. YouTube Music has grown significantly since absorbing Google Play Music and now competes directly with Spotify and Apple Music. Like most major music streaming services, YouTube Music offers a premium, ad-free subscription alongside a free version that does contain advertisements. TikTok has also emerged as a major audio and video platform with robust advertising options, particularly for brands targeting younger demographics.
Radio Streaming Platforms
Radio streaming is another booming industry with tens of millions of active users. The major providers offering slightly different services are:
- Pandora
- iHeartRadio
Pandora creates curated “stations” for users based on their listening preferences and is more akin to other music streaming platforms in that it offers a free version with ads and a premium version without ads. In contrast, iHeartRadio is completely free and offers users custom stations similar to Pandora in addition to access to over a thousand real radio stations worldwide. All of the real radio station access comes with advertisements.
Podcast Platforms
Finally, podcasts are another fast-growing sector of audio streaming. The major providers are:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- Amazon Music / Audible
Apple Podcasts remains the dominant platform for podcast listening. Spotify has invested heavily in podcasts and offers both free (ad-supported) and premium (ad-free) tiers. Amazon Music and Audible have also grown their podcast libraries significantly. In addition, you can advertise on podcasts directly, where the host takes time to promote your business, products, or services to their listeners. Because 80% of podcast listeners regularly listen to the entire episode — one of the highest engagement rates for any medium — advertising on podcasts is reliably rewarding. Learn more about our podcast advertising services.
What Is Streaming TV and Who Are the Providers?
Unlike cable or satellite television that requires coax cables and satellite dishes, respectively, internet, over-the-top (OTT), or “streaming” television requires a device capable of being connected to the internet. This could be a smart TV, gaming console, or other connected TV device. Streaming TV works functionally like streaming audio in that your device is continuously receiving data packets as you watch. The stronger the internet connection, the less likely you are to encounter buffering.
On-Demand Streaming
Streaming television can be categorized as either “on demand” or “live TV.” On demand streaming gives users anytime access to expansive libraries of TV shows and movies. The major providers, in order, are:
- Netflix
- (Amazon) Prime Video
- Disney+
- Hulu
All four major on-demand platforms now offer lower-cost, ad-supported subscription tiers, significantly expanding inventory for advertisers. This is a major shift from just a few years ago when Hulu was the only option — today, brands can reach audiences across all of the biggest streaming platforms through television advertising.
Live TV Streaming
Live TV streaming is rife with advertising opportunities. Live TV streaming allows users to watch live television stations via an internet connection as opposed to the traditional models of cable or satellite. The biggest live TV streaming providers are:
- Hulu + Live TV
- Sling TV
- YouTube TV
Sports-focused live TV streaming platforms such as Fubo TV and ESPN+ are rapidly growing as well. Hulu + Live TV is especially popular with consumers because it can be bundled with both Disney+ and ESPN+. Notably, all of these platforms carry ads. Although live TV streaming connects users to the same television networks as cable and satellite, the advertising space is separate and controlled by the providers — giving brands precise targeting capabilities that traditional TV cannot match.
Connected TV Devices
CTV advertising gives brands the targeting precision of digital with the impact of television. This includes smart TVs, gaming consoles, and specialized external devices. Some of the most popular devices include:
- Roku
- Apple TV
- Amazon Fire TV Stick
- Google Chromecast
While you cannot advertise on these systems directly, they all house applications for both on demand and live TV streaming. Our television advertising team works with brands to plan and place CTV campaigns across the most relevant platforms for their audience.
Why Should You Advertise on Streaming?
Now that you understand the “what,” it’s time to get down to the “why.” Advertising on streaming provides businesses with an abundance of benefits unique to its form of media delivery. Among the greatest advantages over traditional channels of audio and television are: (1) Targeting, (2) Affordability, and (3) Accessibility.
1. Targeting
An increasingly essential component of a modern marketing strategy, targeting enables you to concentrate your advertising efforts on a specified segment of customers based on targeted characteristics. There are four main types of market segmentation: demographic, psychographic, behavioral, and geographic. Demographic segmentation divides consumers by age, gender, education, marital status, race, and/or religion. Psychographic segmentation groups people by their values, beliefs, interests, personality, and/or lifestyle. Behavioral segmentation clusters potential customers by their purchasing habits and/or brand engagement. Geographic segmentation deals with location and can be broken down from country all the way to neighborhood.
With advertising on both streaming audio and television, businesses are uniquely positioned to take advantage of consumers’ detailed online profiles. This allows for a level of targeting unavailable on traditional channels like AM/FM radio and television where market segmentation is limited to geographic at best. On streaming, businesses have the freedom to craft compelling ads tailor-made for specific buyer personas representing consumers who are more inclined to listen to their pitch and purchase their product.
Furthermore, advertising on streaming affords businesses the ability to employ the highly beneficial strategy of retargeting through paid social advertising. Retargeting enables you to deliver ads to consumers who have already demonstrated interest in your business or product through some form of engagement online. Because streaming is ultimately web-based, businesses can retarget individuals who may have visited their website but not yet made a purchase by promoting reminder advertisements to them across the streaming audio and TV platforms they use. Retargeting has a substantial return on investment because it focuses on closing sales that are already in progress — a level of personalized advertising that is simply not possible with traditional channels.
2. Affordability
For the majority of businesses, advertising on radio — let alone television — has traditionally been viewed as outside of the budget. This assumption was not misplaced: the cost of advertising on radio in a big city can be upwards of $5,000/week while a single 30-second ad buy on local television can run $30/CPM or more. In a major market, costs can quickly reach tens of thousands of dollars.
Streaming advertising defies conventional wisdom on cost. Streaming audio CPMs typically range from $15–$30 depending on platform, targeting, and format. Connected TV (CTV) CPMs generally fall between $25–$45, which while comparable to local TV, come with the significant advantage of precise audience targeting and measurable results. Rates vary based on platform, audience size, targeting parameters, and whether you are running audio, display, or video formats.
Beyond the cost itself, streaming allows you to exert greater control over your budget. Because streaming occurs on an individual, anytime basis, costs can be clearly defined and restricted. With time-slotted, mass-consumption media, viewing numbers fluctuate and can only be estimated. With streaming, you know exactly what you are spending and can measure exactly what you are getting in return.
3. Accessibility
The third and final benefit streaming holds over traditional channels is accessibility. For advertisers, accessibility directly entails having a greater number of options in both provider and price point. Streaming audio ads and television have more platforms to choose from and more variance in cost than conventional radio and TV. This means that non-brand name businesses have a viable means of seriously expanding their reach with consumers in a highly purposeful and cost-effective way.
The accessibility of streaming for consumers themselves provides a substantial indirect benefit to advertisers that will only grow as time passes. Paid music subscriptions have grown from just 1.5 million a decade ago to hundreds of millions globally. More Americans now have at least one streaming video subscription than a traditional pay-TV subscription. Streaming is not just the future — it is the present, and advertisers would be wise to follow consumers in taking advantage of its reach.
Conclusion
Streaming audio and television have permanently changed the advertising landscape. The targeting capabilities, budget flexibility, and audience reach that once belonged exclusively to major brands are now accessible to businesses of every size. Whether you are exploring podcast advertising, connected TV campaigns, or a full streaming media strategy built around your brand’s goals, the opportunity to reach engaged, targeted audiences has never been greater.
If you are ready to explore what streaming advertising could do for your brand, reach out to our team and we will put together a strategy built around your goals.
