
Sounds Profitable
The pace of change the podcast industry is undergoing is staggering. The implications for podcasters, hosting providers, podcast listening app developers, and advertisers and agencies are enormous. And so is the growth potential. Presented as a companion to the weekly newsletter of the same name, our podcast provides you with direct access to our narrated articles, interviews with industry experts, bleeding-edge research, and can't miss industry news recaps. That Sounds Profitable, right? Assumptions and conventional wisdom will be challenged. Easy answers with no proof of efficacy will be exposed. Because the thinking that got podcast advertising close to a billion dollars annually will need to be drastically overhauled to bring in the tens or hundreds of billions of dollars podcast advertising deserves.
Latest episodes

Jun 27, 2025 • 10min
Lessons from Cannes, Covering Demos w. Podcasting, & More
This week in the business of podcasting: the power of Health & Wellness and Self-Improvement podcast consumers, how podcasting can cover demographic blind spots, lessons from Cannes Lions, and YouTube content coming to Spotify video. Links to every article mentioned can be found here on SoundsProfitable.com.

Jun 26, 2025 • 7min
Purpose-Driven Podcasting, Spotify Eyes YouTubers, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: unlocking the power of purpose-driven podcasting, how podcasting can cover demographic blind spots, non-podcast video on Spotify, and how indie agencies are competing with holding companies for creatoe measurement and ad tech. Find links to every article mentioned right here on SoundsProfitable.com

Jun 25, 2025 • 9min
Germany's Podcast Demographics, How YouTube's Algorithm Works (Kinda), & More
Today in the business of podcasting: YouTube is a great place for podcasters to get visibility but not necessarily the perfect fit for every podcast, companies weigh in on the Spotify Partner Program after six months of operation, how under-represented sports are using advancements in tech to build their own streaming stack, what demographics are thriving in Germany's podcasting scene, and YouTube gives a peek behind the recommendation algorithm curtain. Find links to every article mentioned, including signup for tomorrow's webinar, right here on SoundsProfitable.com

Jun 24, 2025 • 8min
Podcasts on Smart TVs, Attention-Getting Audio, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: what podcasting gets right about attention, smart TVs rise the second-most-used device to consume podcasts, Crunchyroll has a new companion podcast produced with Sony, why there's a CPM slump growing in the CTV market, and AudioUK calls for UK government to enshrine podcasts. Find links to every article mentioned - and our webinar signup, here on SoundsProfitable.com

Jun 23, 2025 • 8min
How Podcasts Covered Hard News, Canadian Podcasters Lobby Gov't, & More
This week in the business of podcasting: Influencers grab some spotlight at Cannes Lions, how news podcasts covered the breaking news of the U.S. bombing Iran over the weekend, two senators allege Spotify is using a loophole to pay lower music royalty rates, a coalition of Canadian podcasting companies band together to ask the government to consider podcasts CanCon, and Tubi is adding hundreds of episodes from YouTube creators under their Tubi for Creators project. Find links to every article mentioned, including the webinar signup, right here on SoundsProftiable.com

Jun 20, 2025 • 10min
Taking Podcasts on the Road, Lessons from Cannes, & More
This week in the business of podcasting: Tom Webster looks at the power of live events hold for podcasting, we look at news coming out of Cannes Lions, and things are looking up for digital audio going forward in 2025.Register for the next Sounds Profitable webinar here. For links to every article I mentioned, visit the episodes' page on SoundsProfitable.com

Jun 18, 2025 • 8min
Creators @ Cannes, Amazon's Prime Ad Load, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: the under-utilized benefits of podcast live events, creators are in the conversation at Cannes, reducing risk as download popularity drops, Amazon has doubled their Prime Video ad over 18 months, and researched-back strategies for high-impact marketing as a nonprofit.Registration for the upcoming webinar can be found here. All of the links mentioned in today's episode can be found here on this episodes' page at SoundsProfitable.com.

Jun 17, 2025 • 8min
Ads on WhatsApp, SiriusXM on MMM, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: Audion and xpln.ai's report shows blending digital audio with in-video audio increrease brand recall and message recall, Reuters and the University of Oxford have new study about news content, SiriusXM is partnering with Innovid for better MMM, CNN is rebranding CNN Audio to CNN Podcasts, and WhatsApp is adding ads for the first time.Catch every link mentioned right here on SoundsProfitable.com

6 snips
Jun 13, 2025 • 8min
YouTube's Place in Podcasting, Telling Stories with Pixels, & More
Discover the impact of tracking pixels on podcast campaigns. Dive into discussions about YouTube's evolving role in podcast discovery and how Amazon is introducing private auctions to Prime Video. Gain insights into the latest features added by Apple Podcasts during WWDC. Uncover vital updates that could shape the future of podcasting and advertising.

Jun 12, 2025 • 9min
Mattresses and Metrics
Tracking pixels are awesome at what they do, but like any tool there's also a way to misuse them and podcasting should remain conscious of that. Written and narrated by Tom WebsterEdited by Bryan Barletta and Gavin GaddisAudio editing by Gavin GaddisFind the full article here on Sounds Profitable.