Sounds Profitable
Bryan Barletta
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 15, 2025 • 5min
"OG" Podcasts Dominate Ad Performance, iHeart 🔜 Netflix, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: Oxford Road has a new ORBIT report about "OG" podcasts, new details surface about a reported upcoming iHeartPodcasts and Netflix deal, and why companies want "Storytellers" more and more these days.Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Dec 12, 2025 • 9min
Podcasting's Creator Gap, Spotify Wrapped for Advertisers, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: findings from The Creators 2025, why Blue Wire Podcasts has focused athletes, Chartable has finally shut down, and Spotify Wrapped for Advertisers is here.Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Dec 11, 2025 • 4min
TikTok Launches Video Podcast, Digital Audio's Brand Lift in Ireland, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: coverage of The Creators 2025, TikTok launches a video podcast tonight, and AudioXi looks at digital audio ad performance in a recent campaign. Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Dec 10, 2025 • 6min
New Podcast Creator Research, YouTube Enhances A/B Testing, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: Sounds Profitable publishes The Creators study, Spotify Wrapped for Advertisers is here, why Blue Wire Podcasts favors athletes over influencer hosts, A/B testing for video titles has launched on YouTube, and The Washington Post is demoing an AI tool to generate "personal podcasts" recapping news. Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Dec 9, 2025 • 5min
Chartable Officially Closes, WPP Ad Growth Forecast, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: Chartable formally shuts down, WPP raises their forecast for ad growth this year, and Tink Media publishes their annual Audio Delicacies list. Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Dec 8, 2025 • 6min
Apple Podcasts' Show of the Year, Talkhouse Appoints Laura Mayer, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: Talkhouse signs Laura Mayer as Head of Podcasts, CRA members capture 33% of Australia's digital ad market, the six podcasts nominated for a Golden Globe next year, Apple Podcasts names their Show of the Year, and how startups are finding podcast advertising in a world where big brands are buying ads too. Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Dec 5, 2025 • 10min
Keeping Podcasts Mobile, Patreon's Public RSS Feeds, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: "creator fade" is a problem for podcasting, avoiding video super-serving, Acast and Little Dot Studios team up for YouTube managed campaigns, and iHeartMedia launches a "guarenteed human" core branding message. Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Dec 4, 2025 • 5min
Global Podcast Advertising Report, Creators Leaving Podcasting, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: 1/3rd of creators who try making podcasts leave the medium entirely, new Global Podcast Advertising Compass study, and the advertising industry looks forward to 2026. Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Dec 3, 2025 • 7min
Gen Z's News Problem, Advantages of Audio Podcasting, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: Gen Z has a news trust problem, video podcasters might be missing the advantages of audio, and podcast ad loads.Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Dec 3, 2025 • 5min
Forget Podfade - Let’s Talk About Creator Fade
Sign up for How (and Why) to Budget for Podcast Awards in 2026Churn is part of podcasting, but The Creators 2025 finds some creators are quitting more than just individual podcasts.Written and narrated by Tom WebsterEdited by Bryan Barletta and Gavin GaddisAudio editing by Gavin GaddisFind the full article here on Sounds Profitable.
