Summary: Audio ads are highly effective for getting visitor attention, but for this reason they can also be very annoying to visitors and should be implemented with care.
Audio adverts are triggered by a script, similar to pop ups and pop unders. However, instead of the script opening a new window, it plays an audio file instead. This file can be anything from a short simple advertising message to a long sales pitch for a specific product. The actual execution of the advert will depend on the company doing the advertising. A major brand like Coca Cola would probably only use a short ad to emphasise their brand message and values, whilst a company selling a get rich quick product is more likely to use a long message emphasising the financial figures and benefits.
The main reason for using audio adverts is that they are harder for visitors to ignore. They will usually start to play as soon as the visitor reaches the site, and as they are audio they will always be heard, hence in theory giving a 100% conversion rate. For major companies such as Coca Cola, this will often be enough to earn the site owner some money. However, for more involved adverts trying to sell products, the audio advert may also have a link somewhere on the web page to another page, where the product can be bought.
The high conversion rate means that these adverts can be very effective. However, they can also be very annoying to visitors, particularly if the message is long and cannot easily be stopped or muted. As such, care should be taken when executing them, and users should be able to find the stop button relatively easily for any advert that is likely to last longer than a few seconds. Otherwise, the site owner runs the risk of visitors simply closing the page in frustration, reducing the long term monetary value of the site. Fortunately, for involved adverts that are longer in length, the stop button can be placed next to the link to the monetising site, hence helping to boost the conversion ratio and increase the profit from the advert.
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