YouTube expands audio and podcast advertising for brands

Alphabet Inc's YouTube will expand ways for advertisers to reach music and podcast listeners and viewers on connected televisions, the company said on Monday.

The announcements come as the advertising industry has struggled amid record-high inflation and supply-chain disruptions, which have caused some brands to pull back on marketing budgets.

That has led advertisers to become "laser-focused" on the types of marketing that will reach new customers and drive product sales, said Debbie Weinstein, vice president of global advertiser solutions for Google and YouTube, in an interview.

"They want to know what works and how they can double down," she said.

The streaming video platform said it will expand audio advertising globally to allow brands to market to people who use YouTube to listen to music or podcasts.

Although YouTube is better known for watching video, the platform is the second-most popular service for listening to podcasts, the company said, citing a report by Edison Research.

The platform will also sell a new package of advertising placements called "Moment Blast" which will allow a brand to have prime positioning on some of the most popular content on YouTube when users are watching videos on internet-connected TVs or other devices. Brands can purchase the package to "own" major moments, such as sporting events or product launches, Weinstein said.