Month: August 2022

Podcasts Are Coming To Twitter

~ jen

Twitter announced that podcasts are coming to Twitter. How is that going to work? Twitter provided some information to help clarify things. From Twitter’s about podcasting on Twitter:

Twitter helps people connect with unique and compelling voices around the world. With podcasts, we’re taking that connection to a whole new level.

Starting on August 25, we’re integrating podcasts into Twitter as part of our newly redesigned Spaces tab. We know that some discussions need more than 280 characters, and bringing people closer to the ideas, content, and creators they know and love is core to Twitter no matter where the conversations take place.

So how will it all work, and how can you check out Twitter’s new podcasts for yourself? Take a look below for everything you need to know about this exciting update.

Integrating podcasts into Twitter Spaces

Integrating podcasts into Spaces, where audio conversations happen on Twitter, is another way we’re continuing to invest in audio creators. To do this, in a simple and intuitive way that allows listeners to simply hit play and go, we started with a redesigned audio experience in the Spaces Tab.

This redesign introduces personalized hubs that group audio content together by specific themes like News, Music, Sports, and more. Now Twitter listeners will be able to access a more personalized selection of live and recorded Spaces discussing the topics that are most relevant to them.

But the selection doesn’t stop there. These new hubs will also feature the most popular and engaging podcasts from around the world. Our internal research indicates that 45% of people who use Twitter in the US also listen to podcasts monthly, so we’ll automatically suggest compelling podcasts to help people easily find and listen to the topics they want to hear more about. For example, if someone regularly interacts with Vox content on Twitter, they’ll probably see a Vox podcasts in a Spaces hub.

“Vox Media has a rich array of popular podcasts across many categories, and we’re thrilled that Twitter is expanding its audio capabilities to help more listeners discover them,” said Ray Chao, general manager of audio at Vox Media. “Whether its Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway’s ‘Pivot’, our daily news explainer ‘Today, Explained,” or ‘Stay Tuned with Preet Bharaha,” we’re excited Twitter is offering users and podcast fans an exciting new frontier.”

Want to build a more customized experience? Just give a podcast a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” to let us know if the content is more or less interesting to you.

Integrating podcasts into Twitter Spaces

Integrating podcasts into Spaces, where audio conversations happen on Twitter, is another way we’re continuing to invest in audio creators. To do this, in a simple and intuitive way that allows listeners to simply hit play and go, we started with a redesigned audio experience in the Spaces Tab.

This redesign introduces personalized hubs that group audio content together by specific themes like News, Music, Sports, and more. Now Twitter listeners will be able to access a more personalized selection of live and recorded Spaces discussing the topics that are most relevant to them.

But the selection doesn’t stop there. These new hubs will also feature the most popular and engaging podcasts from around the world. Our internal research indicates that 45% of people who use Twitter in the US also listen to podcasts monthly, so we’ll automatically suggest compelling podcasts to help people easily find and listen to the topics they want to hear more about. For example, if someone regularly interacts with Vox content on Twitter, they’ll probably see.a Vox podcasts in a Spaces hub.

“Vox Media has a rich array of popular podcasts across many categories, and we’re thrilled that Twitter is expanding its audio capabilities to help more listeners discover them,” said Ray Chao, general manager of audio at Vox Media. “Whether its Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway’s ‘Pivot’, our daily news explainer ‘Today, Explained,” or ‘Stay Tuned with Preet Bharaha,” we’re excited Twitter is offering users and podcast fans an exciting new frontier.”

Want to build a more customized experience? Just give a podcast a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” to let us know if the content is more or less interesting to you.

Testing the new Twitter Spaces, including podcasts

From Spaces and podcasts to newsletters and Notes, we’re working every day to improve the way people connect with creators and make Twitter the home of the most engaging conversations in the world.

The reimagined Spaces Tab, including the addition of podcasts, will be visible to a group of English-speaking audience on iOS and Android. Share your feedback with us to help us get it right, and keep your eyes (and ears) here for more announcements and feature releases designed to help you enjoy Twitter on your own terms.

Amplified Audio Debuts To Promote Niche Podcast Voices

~ jen

Creator of the world’s largest hospitality podcast network, Wil Slickers, announced Amplified Audio, a new on-demand digital audio company devoted to fueling the growth of voices in niche categories. In addition, offering end-to-end production and distribution support for creators, Amplified Audio brings a new, tiered fee structure to the market, designed to democratize access to high-value sponsorship deals.

“Podcasting continues to grow in popularity with all kinds of audiences, all over the globe,” said Amplified Audio founder Wil Slickers. “Hosts are in the ears, homes and cars of their listeners and can cultivate trusting relationships worth their weight in gold.”

According to Nielsen Podcast Ad Effectiveness data, 69% of podcast listeners said they became aware of a new product or service from podcasts, and two-thirds report having researched or purchased a product or service after hearing about it in a podcast episode, according to ComScore. Nielsen data also shows that host-read ads drive a brand recall rate of 71%, creating high levels of consumer interest, purchase intent and recommendation intent.

“The podcast medium is ripe for advertisers looking to increase visibility and access to extremely loyal, valuable customers,” continued Slickers. “Unfortunately, the industry’s pervasive CPM model – based on overall impressions – doesn’t work well for creators in hyper-focused, niche categories, which may have smaller listenership but significantly higher-than-average engagement and conversion.”

With more than two million podcasts in existence, it’s harder than ever to compete and thrive.

“Whether a creator or an advertiser, you must reach an audience passionate about your message to achieve measurable, lasting business results,” said Andrew Bate, founder of Safely.com, an Amplified Audio network sponsor. “Wil and his team have worked with countless professionals in the space – they not only know what works but also anticipate and plan for what’s to come.”

The new Amplified Audio family debuts with two special interest, niche podcast networks, Hospitality.FM and Business Audio Network, including nearly 50 ad-supported shows.

Slickers and his team are looking for creators with unique voices that desire expert help in cultivating community, streamlining production and increasing monetization. It is also searching for savvy brand sponsors looking for the perfect partner to amplify its brand’s voice. Interested parties can find more information at AmplifiedAudio.com.

AdLarge Adds Matt Turck To Leadership Team

~ jen

AdLarge announced Matt Truck has joined the leadership team as Head of Podcast Growth and Strategy. As AdLarge continues to expand its podcasting portfolio, Turck will oversee revenue development, partnership growth and contribute to the overall strategy of the podcast portfolio.

Turck, co-founder of Megaphone, acquired by Spotify in December of 2020 served most recently as the Head of Megaphone Publisher Solutions at Spotify, overseeing the development of podcast advertising supply. At Megaphone, Matt helped pioneer the digital transformation of podcast advertising, introducing audience targeting at scale, bringing data, measurement, and other digital tools to the podcasting space.

Prior to joining Megaphone, Matt was the Publisher of Slate and an early experimenter in podcast advertising, starting when Audible sponsored Slate’s Political Gabfest in 2008. He oversaw the development of the industry’s first branded podcasts, including GE’s Podcast Theater “The Message,” which held the #1 position in Apple Podcasts for several weeks. Prior to Slate, Turck spent 20 years with Time Incorporated, holding several prominent positions, including Publisher/President of This Old House and Associate Publisher of Time magazine.

“Partnering with Cathy and the AdLarge team for many years, I’ve gained enormous respect for their leadership in podcasting,” said Turck. “Now, I’m thrilled to be in a position to help Adlarge continue to shape the industry.”

Cathy Csukas, AdLarge Co-CEO commented on the announcement, “Matt brings an abundance of experience and expertise to the AdLarge team. With the speed at which the marketplace continues to move, it’s wonderful to have him on board to help us continue our expansion as well as provide exceptional service and products to the industry.”

Libsyn Expands Into Canada To Meet Growing “Podcasting As A Service” Demand

~ jen

Liberated Syndication Inc. (“Libsyn”), the leading ‘Podcasting As A Service’ platform, announced it has launched podcast advertising services in Canada as part of the Company’s continued expansion. Building on its investments in innovative platform and tools for creators across the entire podcasting journey, Libsyn has also appointed a seasoned expert and podcast ad sales veteran, Bob Kane, as Country Manager to lead its growth in the Canadian podcasting market.

Additionally, Libsyn’s AdvertiseCast, the industry’s premier podcast advertising marketplace, has signed iconic Canadian Sportscaster Bob McCown’s Podcast and Canada’s largest independent comedy podcast company, The Sonar Network, to exclusive deals. These new exclusives add to other AdvertiseCast titles available in Canada like Bigger Pockets Media Network, Darknet Diaries, Dr. Phil’s Phil in the Blanks, and The Optimal Living Daily Network, among others – in total delivering nearly 23 million Canadian downloads per month. To date, AdvertiseCast represents more than 240 exclusive podcasts and the marketplace includes a broader network of 3,000 shows. The marketplace offers advertisers the unique opportunity to access highly sought-after podcast advertising inventory at scale.

According to Infinite Dial 2022 Canada, podcast listening in Canada continues its growth to its highest point in weekly and monthly habits, leading both the U.S. and Australia with 43% of Canadians 18+ listening monthly.

“Our expansion into Canada marks an important step in our global growth strategy,” said Brad Tirpak, CEO of Libsyn. “With podcast listenership at its highest level yet in Canada and advertisers following suit to embrace the medium, we look forward to helping the full spectrum of Canadian podcasters by expanding access to both our industry-leading hosting and monetization tools and AdvertiseCast marketplace that links creators to advertisers.”

Libsyn is continuing investing in its platform strategy and leading the industry as the go-to destination for hosting, creation, distribution, and monetization solutions to power the creator economy. With its comprehensive and innovative ad tech tools and insights, Libsyn’s AdvertiseCast makes it easy for podcast advertisers to initiate and manage highly targeted and measurable campaigns, while providing maximum return for creators.

Podcast Radio’s Podcast Futures Conference To Take Part In New York

~ jen

Podcast Radio has announced an international conference which will be held as part of NAB Show New York.

Podcast Futures will be held on Wednesday 19th October at the Javits Center on 11th Avenue in Manhattan. Full details of speakers, sponsors and registration will be announced soon. The Podcast Futures thought-leadership event follows a similar successful conference in Westminster, London, in February.

Once again, the theme is Getting Podcasts Heard, with fresh insights into podcast consumption, monetization, trends and technology, including a special exploration of podcast integration into new platforms and vehicles.

Gerry Edwards, CEO of Podcast Radio, says: “We’re excited to be part of this massive, well-attended NAB Show New York organized by the National Association of Broadcasters. Our event will run parallel with the NAB Show New York’s first day.”

“The idea is to explore the biggest challenge facing the industry right now, whether you’re a corporate player or an indie, and that is quite simply getting your podcast heard. Podcast Radio uses the trust and familiarity people have in radio to help supersize podcast discoverability.”

Chris Brown, NAB executive vice president and managing director, Global Connections and Events, says: “Podcast Futures is an exciting addition to the line-up of dynamic conferences and exhibits in store for our return to an in-person NAB Show New York.”

“With its focus on providing a unique perspective of the podcasting ecosystem, Podcast Radio offers an insight into the latest trends reshaping audio entertainment and the cutting-edge programming that captures audiences’ attention. We look forward to exploring this evolving form of storytelling with Podcast Radio at NAB Show New York.”

Podcast Radio launched more than two years ago and has grown in listenership with a focus on increased use of smart speakers and digital devices. Over half its online listenership is in the U.S. The platform plays sample episodes of podcasts, clips from podcasts, as well as interviewing podcast producers and presenters.

The company raised investment earlier this year and plans for expansion into the US. Nation Broadcasting was a strategic investor.

Recently, Podcast Radio Business was launched, the first of a series of brand extension channels that will also include Podcast Radio Comedy and Podcast Radio Crime.

Acast+ Now Supports One-Time Payments

~ jen

Acast has expanded its Acast+ monetization options to allow podcasters to recieve one-time payments, in addition to recurring subscriptions. This new functionality gives podcasters added flexibility in the paid-for content they can offer their listeners through Acast+ – opening up possibilities such as one-off episodes or series, without requiring listeners to commit to ongoing payments.

Acast+, which fully launched in January 2022, allows podcasters to offer premium, exclusive benefits to paying subscribers – from ad-free streams to early access, bonus episodes and more. With the addition of one-time payments, Acast+ now supports creators with even more ways to monetize both new and existing content.

One-time payments are perfect for creators looking to test their audience’s appetite for premium content, podcasters whose shows are seasonal in nature, and those who want to create evergreen content – such as limited series or one-off episodes. This feature also enables podcasters who aren’t ready to commit to an always-on subscription offering to still earn revenue from paid-for content – an option especially important for creators who take holidays or artistic breaks.

Stacey Goers, Senior Manager, Product at Acast, said: “Since we launched Acast+, podcasters have been asking for a more flexible entry point – especially to trial Acast+, without needing to commit to creating bonus content for long term – and, with one-time payments, we’re able to give it to them.”

“We look forward to seeing podcasters launch new offerings using one-time payments. Whether you have a health podcast and want to launch a companion audio course, or want to package together your interview podcast’s greatest hits, one-time payments can really be whatever a podcaster wants them to be.”

Acast+ is generating new revenue streams for podcasts of all sizes, across the globe. Success stories have included thousands of subscribers signing up the Swedish documentary podcast, Sorry, Everything Went To Hell, and Ireland’s weekly The Tommy, Hector, and Laurita Show. This July, podcast heavyweights WTF with Marc Maron, Shagged. Married. Annoyed, and, RHLSTP with Richard Herring have also unveiled their own Acast+ tiers.

Acast+ allows podcasters to make money from podcast subscriptions and premium content, enabling them to develop closer relationships with their audience. Fans can listen to this content in nearly any podcast app they choose and enjoy additional benefits like Q&A’s and members-only communities. To learn more and to launch your Acast+ subscription now, go to http://acast.com/podcasting/start-podcasting.

Audacy and CBS Sports Digital Announce Content Distribution

~ jen

Audacy and CBS Sports Digital have announced a partnership where Audacy will be the exclusive, multi-year ad sales and distribution partner for CBS Sports’ leading network of award-winning sports podcasts.

“We are incredibly excited to be partnering with CBS Sports in the podcasting space – properties I know well from my time spent there,” said Ken Langara, Executive Vice President of Digital Sales, Audacy, “Adding this family of content to our roster provides Audacy with a number of the leading sports, fantasy sports and betting podcasts, areas we have enjoyed significant success to date and are important to our clients. This partnership could not come at a better time with football season fast approaching.”

“We are continuing to heavily invest in our podcast network and the creation of award-winning audio content at a time our network is experiencing sustained periods of audience growth and engagement,” said Jeffrey Gerttula, Executive Vice President, Digital, CBS Sports and CBS News and Stations. “We’re exited to partner with Audacy, an industry leader in ad sales and delivering premium opportunities for advertisers, to bring impactful interactions and campaigns to the podcast market.”

CBS Sports Digital has grown to reach more than 90 million monthly active users, making it the second-largest sports group in the U.S., and with more than 65 shows and nearly 100 million downloads in 2021, CBS Sports also has one of the largest multi-platform sports podcasts networks. Its shows include Pick Six, The Early Edge, Fantasy Football Today, the Cover 3 College Football Podcast and Attacking Third as well as the network of 247Sports podcasts.

Audacy’s podcast network reaches nearly one-third of all monthly U.S. podcast listeners, and over 40 million monthly listeners globally, in addition to over 30 million monthly sports fans across Audacy’s broadcast and digital assets. Audacy is the nation’s leading collection of radio play-by-play coverage with over 90 professional and Division 1 collegiate teams.

Global’s DAX Signs Sounder To Provide Automated Brand Safety Verification

~ jen

Sounder, an audio intelligence platform that builds powerful data solutions to unlock podcast monetization, brand safety, contextual targeting, and discoverability for audio content, announced it will provide its automated brand safety technology to DAX, the pioneering advertising exchange created and operated by Global, the Media & Entertainment group.

Global will leverage Sounder’s Audio Data Cloud and its best-in-class brand safety solution to ensure advertisers in the US can confidently and transparently invest in the expansive catalog of diverse content on DAX which reaches more than 110 million listeners every month.

Sounder’s brand safety solution will enable advertisers to purchase media across DAX’s robust podcast portfolio, including shows from Breakbeat Media such as Top Billin’ With Bill Bellamy, all backed by the assurance that they adhere to brand safety guidelines, including those outlined by the IAB and GARM.

Global also plans to share Sounder’s brand safety information with its network of creators and their editorial teams to help them shape future content.

“We’re thrilled to be providing a trusted brand safety solution for DAX’s advertisers, helping unlock more inventory and increasing the value of DAX’s audio content,” Sounder CEO and Co-founder Kal Amin said. “With Sounder’s Audio Data Cloud, we’re integrating a layer of data that is crucial for advertisers to feel confident taking advantage of the world’s high level of engagement with podcasts.”

Sounder’s Audio Data Cloud leverage proprietary speech recognition technology and powerful AI/ML models to enable large publishers to quickly gain access to auto-generated episode ratings, full transcripts, keywords, summaries, topics, and more across vast libraries of content. This actionable data allows publishers to maximize the value of their content catalog.

“Advertisers want to make educated audience buying decisions about what content is right for their brand and their customer,”said Les Hollander, CEO of DAX US. “Sounder’s brand safety solution lets us provide this information automatically, transparently, and at scale across our entire catalog. Automated brand solutions are now at the forefront of verifying the suitability of content and making podcast audience buying easier.”

As part of this partnership, brand-safe podcast inventory on DAX will be made available to the programmatic marketplace including The Trade Desk, the leading demand-side platform (DSP) use by many Global and DAX clients.

“Brand safety controls are critical components that our advertising clients have waited for to ensure they can safely invest in the programmatic podcasting marketplace,” said Tomas Rodriguez, Director of Audio Inventory Partnership at The Trade Desk. “With this technology we will be able to bring a wide array of brand marketer demand into podcasting, resulting in a better experience for listeners and more revenue for content creators.”

Triton Digital Announces Three Executive Promotions to Expand Global Growth

~ jen

Triton Digital, the global technology and services provider to the digital audio and podcast industry, today announced three new executive promotions. Oscar Sermeno has been promoted to Vice President of Market Strategy, Americas, Daniel Karlsson has been promoted to Vice President, Marketing Development and Global Strategy, and Michael Chien has been promoted to Vice President of Advertising Product Strategy.

“Triton Digital continues on a trajectory of rapid growth and global expansion,” said John Russo, President and CEO, Triton Digital. “These recent promotions within our leadership team will play an instrumental role in furthering Triton’s innovative spirit while maintaining operational excellence and expanding the company’s presence around the world. All while continuing to provide best-in-class audio streaming, podcasting, audience measurement, and advertising technology on a global scale.”

Oscar Sermeno is an expert in the field of international market development, with nearly 20 years of experience working through North and South America. He is known at Triton Digital for building strong strategic partnerships that enable customers to streamline workflows and optimize audio strategies. In his new role as Vice President of Market Development, Americas, Oscar will tap into his vast knowledge of programmatic advertising, digital audio measurement, and content distribution to expand publisher adoption across the United States, Canada, and Ibero-American countries.

With over 20 years of experience, Daniel Karlsson provides extensive digital audio and podcast knowledge to the Triton Digital team. He is known for his unmatched customer service skills, establishing long-standing relationships with his clients. Daniel supports his clients by helping them seamlessly execute their digital audio strategies through the provision of Triton’s innovative tools and services. As Vice President of Market Development & Global Strategy at Triton Digital, Daniel will lead the sales team of audio advertising technology, podcast and streaming services, and audience measurement solutions across Europe, Middle East, and North African regions.

As a key member of Triton Digital’s product team, Michael Chein has over 12 years of experience building enterprise SaaS solutions that serve the audio and advertising technology sectors. In his new role as Vice President of Advertising Product Strategy, Michael will oversee the management of Triton Digital’s advertising solutions and the product management team, ensuring that the right features and initiatives are undertaken with the appropriate resources, timing, and scope to delight Triton’s numerous publishers and technology partners. Most recently, Michael was a Director of Product Management for Jelli, where he played a key role in the integration of Jelli’s programmatic advertising solutions with Triton Digital.

These executive promotions further demonstrate Triton Digital’s dedication to growing its global team and continued expansion into global markets, as a world leader in the audio space.

Get Advertising For Your Podcast Today

~ jen

Podcasters looking for monetization opportunities look no further than Blubrry’s new programmatic advertising. Available to all Blubrry hosting customers today, regardless of your show’s size or how long you’ve been podcasting, you can monetize your show immediately.

You can easily set it, forget it, and earn revenue on every episode. Podcasters aren’t responsible for choosing the companies to advertise in their shows – it’s all programatic (automatic) and done with Blubrry’s ad partner SoundStack.

All you have to do is sign up. Most shows will begin receiving ad placements immediately, but volume will grow in the first 60 – 90 days as the advertising platform learns your posting patterns and matches your show’s episodes with the best advertisers.

Our partner, SoundStack, has been perfecting audio ad delivery since 2010, and is an expert in this unique technology. Blubrry started as an advertising agency for podcasters in 2005, before most people had even heard the term “podcast.” As we’ve evolved, so has the industry. Now, we’re excited to provide a simple but powerful advertising opportunity to help every podcaster put money in their pockets.

What to Expect

For Blubrry Publishers, users head to “Make Money” in the sidebar of the Podcaster Dashboard and accept the terms of service agreement. For PowerPress users, select “Make Money” from the PowerPress Settings tab. Don’t worry – we’ll only put ads in your show if you opt-in. You can always opt-out at any time.

    • Fill out the required information about your podcast(s).
    • Choose to enable your desired podcasts hosted by Blubrry.
    • WordPress/Powerpress users will want to Sync.
    • Companies can then bid on your episodes in real-time and deliver ads.
    • We expect earnings potential for CPMs to range from $5-$15. Those rates can vary from minute to minute

Programmatic Advertising Details

  • Learn more about how it all works before you dive in.
  • There are no download requirements.
  • There are no audience expectations.
  • It will typically take 60-90 days for your show to receive maximum fill rates.
  • Not every podcast listen will be monetized, as region, time, and inventory all play a part.
  • Payments are made monthly via PayPal, starting approximately 90 days from the time you begin after reaching a minimum commission.
  • The entire process is automated.

Excluded Categories

  • Politics
  • Gambling
  • Religion
  • Adult
  • Alcohol/Vaping/Cannabis

Note: Pro-hosting customers using our dynamic advertising insertion cannot simultaneously use programmatic advertising. Currently, only one tool works at a time, so please contact us for details.

All Blubrry hosting customers can start immediately. For those who are using PowerPress, we will update your media URLs through the sync function when you opt into programmatic advertising.

Are you interested in an example? Our company show, Podcast Insider, uses programmatic advertising. Tune in and hear a variety of ads, some of which might be geo-specific to the listener. Please contact our team on your website if you have further questions.

The Programmatic Ad Service page is available for review as well.