Give Your Customers a Thrill with Ads on Horror Podcasts

Curiosity. Suspense. Anticipation. Horror fans crave that adrenaline rush—and advertisers can tap into the excitement to reach audiences when they’re most engaged. Horror is one of the most popular and influential entertainment genres worldwide, producing some of the most iconic titles and icons in literature and film, captivating fans for centuries. 

Half of Americans Are Horror Fans

Horror has come a long way—from scaring audiences with creatures and monsters, to making hearts race with supernatural and psychological thrillers, to imagining a dystopian future with zombies and apocalyptic events. The breadth and depth of the genre generates mass appeal, attracting audiences of all ages. According to a YouGov Horror Movies Poll, 49% of Americans reported that they “love” or “like” horror movies. Yep, that’s right—half of the US population. And these days, horror fans can indulge in podcasts, too. In fact, more than one in three horror movie genre viewers have listened to a podcast in the past month.

Podcasts Are the Classic Genre’s New Twist

There’s no better medium for connecting with an engaged fan base than podcasts. And it’s not surprising that podcast listeners love a good scare. In fact, one in four podcast listeners watch horror movies in theaters, over half of them say they see a movie in theaters instead of watching it at home because they get to appreciate the special effects, visuals, and sound quality. There’s no doubt that the shared theatrical experience is unmatched when it comes to scary movies. 

Horror Genre + Podcasts = A Terrific Match

With strong roots in oral storytelling, tales of terror go back to the earliest civilizations. That’s why podcasts and horror content are the perfect match. Hosts in the genre continue the campfire-story tradition to develop strong narratives, naturally building suspense, and leveraging sound effects to evoke emotional responses that make audiences feel alive. 

Horror Listeners Have a Variety of Interests

The good news for advertisers: Horror fans have more interests than just gore and goblins. Their hobbies and interests range from music and live entertainment, to traveling, fashion, and more, which means various brands can take a stab at reaching this audience.

Horror Fans Jump into Action after Hearing Podcast Ads

Horror content energizes podcast listeners. They’re highly engaged, leaned-in, and on the edge of their seat, with horror podcasts setting the scene for your brand. This means that advertisers have a perfect opportunity to break through the noise and resonate with this captive audience and influence their actions. And don’t be scared—because these listeners are fully opting-in to this content, brands have seen great success when advertising within horror shows across the SiriusXM Podcast Network.

Spook-tacular Success with Horror Podcasts 

A recent SiriusXM Podcast Network campaign for a telecom advertiser proved the power of horror podcasts to establish positive brand perception and generate actionable intent. This campaign leveraged a mix of mid-roll and post-roll ad placements to reinforce brand messaging, incorporated pre-produced ads to extend reach at scale, and targeted horror and true crime fans through contextually relevant themes and content on The Last Podcast On The Left.

The Tale of the Full-Funnel Success

A SiriusXM Podcast Network campaign with show-level placements in the horror podcast Last Podcast On The Left  generated full-funnel significant lifts for a condiment advertiser. This campaign leveraged audience targeting to pinpoint horror genre listeners and established an audience connection through authentic host-read ads to influence listener action and intent. The  creatives featured clear brand messaging and a strong-call-to action that helped amplify brand messaging. Ads on Last Podcast On The Left successfully drove double-digit significant lifts for purchase intent and recommendation intent, highlighting the efficacy of horror podcasts.

Reach Engaged Consumers with Horror Podcasts

Whether they're fans of horror movies, scary stories, or even real-world true crime coverage, there's a terrific podcast ready to entertain the 49% of Americans who enjoy the genre. Check out SXM Media’s latest horror and true crime podcasts. If you’re ready for the ultimate thrill, let's talk about adding horror podcasts to your next campaign.