SoundCloud announces programmatic partnership with AppNexus

SoundCloud will be making its audio and video inventory available programmatically via AppNexus Marketplace, as the platform fights to emerge from the sizeable shadows of music streaming giants Spotify and Apple Music.

Buyers will be able to access 15 and 30-second audio and video spots – bought through open marketplace real-time bidding or through private deals – with which they can target users based on age, gender, geography, genre and device type.

According to the audio platform, advertisers will now be able to reach the right users at the right moment, wherever they may be.

Spotify now boasts upwards of 9.1m users in the UK, but according to Chris Blackburn, SoundCloud’s head of global sales and partnerships, SoundCloud offers a “highly engaged and influential” community of users, 60% of whom are in the millenial age bracket.

“We’re eager to leverage the strength of AppNexus’ global multi-format open marketplace and robust technologies to deliver a new solution to advertisers as we continue to expand our programmatic offering,” he added.

Audio and video inventory spend in AppNexus’ Marketplace has increased 65% and 133%, respectively, from April 2017 to April 2018 and as such, the adtech company’s president, Michael Rubenstein, has said he is “thrilled” to partner with the audio platform.