Megaphone provides tools to help video creators embed host-read video sponsorships ads directly in video episodes on Spotify.
This monetization offering enables you to manage host-read sponsorships segments in your video episodes without permanently baking them into your episode prior to upload.
There are two ways to manage sponsorship segments in your episodes:
New: A new location where a sponsorship has not been baked in already. You’ll upload your asset and sponsorship details in Megaphone.
Embedded: A location where a sponsorship is already baked into your episode. Since your asset is already baked-in as a part of your episode from a previous upload, you’ll simply identify the location and sponsorship details.
Eligibility
To set up Sponsorships, you’ll need to be a part of the Spotify Partner Program and be either a Producer or an Ad Ops Manager if you’re not the show owner or an admin.
There are no transactional fees when using Sponsorships on Megaphone.
Creating a sponsorship
You’ll be able to find Sponsorships under the Sponsorships tab in your sidebar on Megaphone or in the upload flow when you upload a video episode.
Using the Sponsorships tab:
Click Create sponsorship.
Fill in key details about the sponsorship, including name of the sponsorship, name of the sponsor, and show title.
Upload your sponsorship video file/asset.
Note: You’ll need to verify that the asset you’ve uploaded is host-read and not an advertiser-provided dynamic ad.
Schedule the days that your sponsorship will play or choose no end date.
Target the episodes that you’d like for your sponsorship to appear on.
Select the locations you want sponsorships to run within your selected episodes.
Review your selections and click Create sponsorship.
Head back to the Overview tab to check the status of your sponsorship in addition to show names, episodes, sponsor names, and expected end dates.
During a video episode upload:
Under the Create tab, click Edit ad locations.
Click Sponsorship.
Select your Sponsorship type.
If you select New, select your starting timestamp and apply an active sponsorship. In order for a sponsorship to play in this location, a booked sponsorship must be selected. No other sponsorships will play in this location.
If you select Embedded, select your start and end time within the episode in addition to giving the details of your sponsorship. To generate more granular reporting around your embedded sponsorships, input key details such as “sponsorship name,” “sponsor,” and “end date”. You must confirm that the embedded sponsorship is host-read and not an advertiser-provided ad.
Select the locations you want sponsorships to run within your episode. You can add up to two sponsorship locations per episode.
Review your selections and click Save to continue publishing your video episode.
Sponsorships that run through their end date will show as Completed under the Sponsorships tab.
Editing a sponsorship
Using the Sponsorships tab:
On the sponsorship you’d like to edit click the three-dot menu and select Edit.
You’ll be able to edit the sponsorship name, end dates, and episode targeting.
Updates can take up to 24 hours to reflect on other platforms.
Removing/archiving a sponsorship
Using the Sponsorships tab:
On the sponsorship you’d like to remove, click the three-dot menu and select Archive.
Click Archive.
You won’t be able to un-archive an archived sponsorship.
Understanding Sponsorships delivery
Sponsorships are delivered as part of your video episode on Spotify and are delivered as part of the audio version off-platform. Sponsorship segments deliver to all users across both video and audio, and are not personalized to listeners.
Once a sponsorship reaches its end date the sponsorship segment will no longer appear in your content – if it’s a baked-in sponsorship you’ve included, it will remain in your episode.
Specifications
Sponsorships video files need to adhere to the following specifications:
Supported file types: MP4, MOV, WebM, MKV, AVI, MPEG, OGG Video, 3GPP, FLV, and WMV.
Duration: No limit
Size: We recommend files up to 50MB
You can select up to 2 sponsorship locations per episode and cannot place a location within the first 30 seconds of an episode.