Audio advertising is moving faster than ever, and the brands that embrace these changes are the ones seeing the biggest wins. With the rise of audio adtech, advertisers have more tools than ever to connect with audiences in impactful ways.
With all this innovation, where should advertisers focus, what trends are shaping digital audio, and how can brands make the most of it?
To answer these questions, I sat down with Garrison Dua, VP of Demand at AdsWizz, to explore how advancements in audio adtech are transforming the industry and what advertisers should expect in the near future.
Programmatic Audio Delivers Scale, Efficiency, and Personalization
How has programmatic audio advertising evolved, and what role does AdsWizz play in this transformation?
Garrison: Programmatic audio has grown exponentially, enabling advertisers to scale and optimize campaigns in real time. By leveraging automation, dynamic ad insertion (DAI), and host-read ads, brands can reach audiences in more engaging and efficient ways.
Additionally, advancements in AI-driven targeting and real-time bidding have further empowered advertisers to fine-tune messaging and maximize ROI. With increased personalization and seamless cross-platform integration, programmatic audio has become a vital part of any digital strategy aimed at connecting with today’s audiences.
Contextual and Privacy-First Targeting Are Redefining Relevance
What trends in audience targeting are shaping the future of audio advertising?
Garrison: We’re seeing a major shift toward first-party data and contextual targeting. At AdsWizz, 60% of our targeting dimensions are contextual, allowing advertisers to reach listeners based on mood, location, and even weather. This kind of hyper-relevant messaging enhances engagement while maintaining consumer trust.
Advancements in AI-driven contextual analysis are refining targeting precision, ensuring ads are both relevant and timed for maximum impact. As third-party cookies disappear, brands are turning to these advanced methods to engage consumers in a more meaningful, compliant way.
As brands navigate this terrain, they’re rethinking not just who they reach, but how they say it and when it hits. Dynamic creative optimization (DCO) and Synthetic Voice are reshaping audio advertising, allowing real-time testing of variations in tone, length, and calls to action. Combined with real-time inventory data from custom DSP dashboards, this agile, data-driven approach accelerates testing, cuts costs, and confirms audio as a high-performing channel.
Anonymized Data and Predictive Audiences Enable Safe Personalization
With privacy regulations tightening, how is AdsWizz ensuring advertisers can still deliver personalized campaigns?
Garrison: Privacy is a top priority. AdsWizz enables brands to maintain personalization without compromising user trust by leveraging anonymized data and predictive audiences. Through partnerships with behavioral intelligence firms, anonymized data helps predict audience demographics and preferences while ensuring personal information is never collected.
Comscore Predictive Audiences technology uses AI-driven models to segment and engage users in a privacy-safe manner, replacing traditional identifiers with data-backed insights.
To future-proof audience targeting, AdsWizz integrates with UID2 and ID5, ensuring advertisers can continue reaching their audiences in a cookieless world. Additionally, data clean rooms are providing a secure way to analyze and activate insights while maintaining transparency and compliance with privacy regulations.
Omnichannel Audio Is Breaking the Screen Barrier
How is the integration of audio with video and social media changing the digital advertising landscape?
Garrison: The lines between audio, video, and social media are blurring. Podcasts are often consumed on video platforms, and we’re seeing brands lean into this shift. By combining interactive audio ads with dynamic video placements, advertisers can create truly omnichannel experiences. Tools like second-screen retargeting and AudioPixel help unify these touchpoints—driving measurable outcomes, maintaining user privacy, and delivering personalized engagement across every screen.
AI, Automation, and Open Ecosystems Are Leading the Way
What’s next for AdsWizz and the broader audio adtech industry in 2025 and beyond?
Garrison Dua: Automation and AI will continue to drive efficiency, making campaigns smarter and more responsive. Programmatic podcast advertising is set to explode, and open ecosystems will gain traction over walled gardens. At AdsWizz, we’re focused on helping advertisers and publishers stay ahead of these shifts with cutting-edge tools that maximize engagement, brand safety, and monetization opportunities.
The Future of Audio Advertising: Smarter, More Personalized, and Already Here
After talking with Garrison, it’s clear that audio advertising is entering a new era, driven by automation, personalization, and seamless omnichannel integration. Brands that embrace programmatic innovation and privacy-first solutions will be the ones capturing audience attention in the most meaningful ways. With AdsWizz leading the charge, the future of digital audio isn’t just promising; it is already here.
Want to Dive Deeper into the Future of Audio Adtech?
Download The State of Audio Adtech Report 2025 for the latest insights on brand safety, transparency, and the innovations shaping digital audio.
by Daniel Einhorn, Senior Manager, Content Marketing
