Eight ways to make your video and audio content unforgettable

Published: 18 Jun 2025

In an increasingly crowded marketplace, the competition for attention is tougher than ever. And as the media landscape continues to fragment, creating quality content is no longer enough. You have to be able to reach the right audiences, in the right way, and at the right time.

So, what should premium publishers be doing to make sure that their content stands out from the crowd? Here are eight expert tips from the AOP Associates to ensure that your video and audio content is captivating your audience.

Find the optimum balance that allows you to deliver quality content at scale.

In a saturated digital landscape, the publishers seeing the greatest success are those embracing a video- and audio-first mindset. While production quality is key, scale matters just as much. Ensuring robust video coverage—ideally 100% video coverage across every page—significantly expands monetisation potential and strengthens audience engagement. In many cases, this requires rethinking workflows: building editorial around standout video content, rather than treating it as a secondary asset. When done right, this approach not only elevates the user experience but delivers a measurable impact on revenue.

Alex Dawson-Smith, Global Director of Business Development, EX.CO

Building loyal community in a specialised area is more beneficial than focusing on broad appeal.

In an increasingly crowded digital marketplace, the key action for news publishers to make their audio and video content stand out is to develop a unique, authentic voice and forge a strong, loyal bond with a specific audience, to develop a devoted following for the niche they're going for.

Simply creating more content won’t suffice. Publishers must deeply understand a niche audience, crafting audio and video tailored to their interests, needs, and habits. This requires a clear value proposition: what unique perspective, expertise, or storytelling style sets your content apart from competitors?

Prioritising authentic connection and specialised content over broad appeal fosters a loyal community around your brand. This distinct identity and audience dedication ensure publishers’ audio and video offerings are not just consumed but actively valued and sought out in a noisy market. With the use of AI platforms, audio production is very affordable and incredibly fast to produce and that should allow publishers to focus more on identifying content that sticks, as opposed to spending tons of hours and resources on producing it. A good topic, a good copy and the right distribution channels should be the key priorities.

Jason Iliou, Regional Publisher Director, EMEA, Taboola

Make sure you’re getting the full picture by measuring brand outcomes.

CTV is moving fast – competition is growing, and brands are under more pressure than ever to prove ROI. For publishers, that means one thing: you need to show the real impact of your content. Not just views or completion rates, but what your video or audio actually does for a brand. Does it shift awareness? Consideration? Does it drive preference? And importantly, does it drive action?

If you’re not measuring brand outcomes, you’re missing the full picture. Some creatives will consistently perform better – but without the right data, you’ll never know why. The publishers that stand out will be the ones who can prove the value of attention and use those insights to build smarter, stronger content strategies.

Alysha Dino, VP Global CTV Revenue, Brand Metrics

Invest in off-platform amplification to drive discovery

Too often, publishers invest heavily in crafting incredible audio or video content, only for it to reach a fraction of its potential audience. Without a smart amplification strategy, even the best content can go unseen.

That’s why multi-channel, off-platform amplification is crucial, not just for editorial visibility, but for unlocking commercial growth. Relying on organic reach alone is no longer enough. Publishers should be thinking about how their content shows up everywhere, not just on their own site or owned channels. That means cutdowns on social, trailers in newsletters, native placements with partners, and amplification across trusted networks that extend reach and drive results.

We’re moving towards a world where audiences don’t visit websites, they consume content wherever they are. Discovery now happens in feeds, inboxes, and algorithm-driven streams, not just on homepages. A strategic multi-channel amplification strategy ensures content reaches new audiences, fuels monetisation, and stands out across formats and platforms or within editorial from lifestyle publishers.

If you're already investing in production, make sure discovery isn't an afterthought. Amplify early, and amplify everywhere, from walled gardens to the open web, where attention is won.

Tom Gunter, Co-Founder & Head of New Markets, Avid Collective

Stand out with consistent and high-quality data signals.

In today’s complex programmatic landscape, publishers must prioritise signal strength to make their video content stand out. This means enriching ad requests with high-quality data that boosts transparency, addressability, and buyer confidence. Content signals (e.g., genre, series, channel) help reach relevant audiences, while addressability signals (cookies, device IDs, first-party data) enable targeting, but must be delivered in a privacy-compliant way.

Implementing the Global Placement Identifier (GPID) and maintaining consistency across SSPs helps improve transparency and efficiency across supply chain. Quality signals like ads.txt and sellers.json enhance buyer trust across the supply chain.

Critically, consent management platforms (CMPs) must be properly managed, ensuring vendor accuracy and compliant signal transmission. Strengthening these layers unlocks the true value of inventory and gives buyers the clarity they need to invest.

Nia Auguste, Senior Manager, DSP Operations, Index Exchange

Act on data to build smart infrastructure that supports your content experience.

Publishers should combine strong content with smart infrastructure. That means acting on data (audience, performance, etc), delivering a seamless user experience with a reliable video or audio player, and using open-source with server-side capability like Prebid Video and Audio to stay in control. Prebid enables real-time competition for inventory and transparency in yield, with strong SSP support in video and growing adoption in audio. Publishers who combine quality content with the right tech and monetisation strategy are the ones who stand out.

Thuy Ho, Sales Manager, Relevant Digital

Deliver video and audio content in a seamless and premium environment.

In the current economic climate, in which there is an increasing focus on cost efficiency and lower funnel objectives, it’s often the creative experience which suffers most. For both organic and paid content, it’s crucial for readers that all videos look premium, feel relevant and offer a seamless and non-intrusive experience.

Publishers should maintain focus on quality by utilising creative tools to enhance and tailor video assets received from clients, and only partnering with vendors who can guarantee the videos delivered on their properties are of the highest quality and designed for the environment in which they are served.

Alex Ferguson, UK Publishing Director, Teads

Test, test, test.

In today’s crowded media space, publishers need to go beyond simply producing high-quality video or audio, they need to build a clear, consistent editorial identity that reflects their audience, adds genuine value, and feels native to the platforms their users are on. On top of that, the user experience needs to be smooth, with fast load times and smart, efficient monetisation. That means less latency, better viewability, and real-time ad control without needing loads of tech support. With the right tools to test and improve things over time, you give your content the best chance to stand out and perform.

Ronan Murphy, Country Manager UK, Pubstack