Spotify Ads Manager Platform Launched in India, Brings Self-Serve Advertising to Businesses

Spotify, the global streaming giant, launched its Ads Manager platform in India on Tuesday. First introduced in select global markets in July 2024, the self-serve advertising system allows businesses to create, manage, and measure campaigns directly on the streaming service. Spotify is offering multi-format ads across audio, video, and visual via the Ads Manager. By eliminating agency intermediation and the requirement of a large budget, the platform lowers the entry barrier for the country's small and medium enterprises (SMEs), as well as early-stage or bootstrapped startups.

Spotify Expands Ads Manager to India

In a press release, the streaming giant announced the expansion of the Ads Manager platform to the country. Notably, the advertisement system is the rebranded version of the Spotify Ad Studio, which was first released in 2017. The arrival of Ads Manager in India will help the platform reach small to medium-sized advertisers by removing the existing friction points. Interestingly, the platform comes a year after the company launched the Spotify Ad Exchange (SAX) in India.

Spotify Ads Manager allows advertisers to run campaigns across audio, video and display formats, delivered through music and podcast content on the streaming platform. Campaigns can be set up without managed service or agency involvement, with payments supported by credit cards, prepaid options, and invoicing for ad credits. The company said the platform is designed to simplify campaign execution, enabling advertisers to launch campaigns within minutes and adjust them based on performance.

“With Spotify Ads Manager now live in India, we are making it possible for brands of every size[..]to reach these audiences directly and drive measurable impact. And for India's musicians, labels, artist managers, and podcasters, this is equally significant — Spotify Ads Manager gives them the tools to promote their work and connect with a global audience directly from India,” said Arjun Kolady, Head of Sales at Spotify India.

The self-serve platform offers targeting capabilities based on user behaviour, including listening context, mood, and real-time activity, as well as demographic data. The platform also includes built-in tools for campaign optimisation. A split testing feature enables advertisers to test multiple versions of creatives and compare performance metrics such as click-through rates and completion rates. An automated bidding system uses machine learning to adjust bids in real time to improve budget utilisation.

Spotify said advertisers can create campaigns directly within the platform using built-in creative tools. These include options to upload existing assets, generate audio ads, or use AI-based tools for script writing, voiceovers, and music mixing. The company also highlighted the use of multi-format campaigns, combining audio, video and display ads.