

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 8, 2023 • 8min
Audio to Pass $75 billion, ANA Finds Missing Adspend, Programmatic Summit Recap, & More
Here's what you need to know from this week in the business of podcasting: The Fastest Growing Languages in PodcastingPodcast Download Fall 2023, Cumulus Media and Signal Hill InsightsSpotify Announces LayoffsANA Study Finds Nearly 2/3rds of Ad Dollars Never Reach Intended AudiencesQuick Hits: The Partial Attention Economy of Video Podcasting by Tom Webster. Surveyed podcast audiences say they’re media-agnostic when it comes to how and where they consume podcasts. Tom examines what this means for podcasting. Speaking of video and podcasting, don’t forget to register for Sound You Can See: Podcasting’s Video Dilemma, which debuts in a free webinar at 2:00 p.m. CST on Wednesday, December 13th. Libsyn Unveils November 2023 Podcast Advertising Rates, and 5 Developments to Watch in 2024. Along with the latest AdvertiseCast average CPM for a 60 second podcast ad, CRO Dave Hanley shares five things to keep an eye on next year. Deloitte: Audio Market to Surpass $75 billion in 2024. In addition to the overall number for audio advertising, Deloitte predicts podcasting has a fair amount of untapped potential for per-user revenue growth. Podcasts aren’t as doomed as they look. But some of the best ones are by Scott Nover. A look at the last year for Spotify, as well as big-picture reflection on the issues facing more cost-intensive journalistic and investigative podcasts.Podcast Companies Begin to Advertise Like Hollywood Studios by Katie Deighton. Wondery is taking a page out of the Hollywood playbook, promoting the new Grinch podcast with a pop-up event in a Los Angeles mall.

Dec 7, 2023 • 5min
Podcast Language Diversity, ANA Finds Missing Adspend, Programmatic Summit Recap, & More
What Are the Fastest-Growing Podcast Languages? by Becca Butcher‘We have to test or you’re dead next year’: Overheard at the Digiday Programmatic Marketing Summit by Kayleigh BarberPodcasts aren't as doomed as they look. But some of the best ones are by Scott NoverOnly around a third of ad dollars reach ‘intended audiences,’ ANA finds by Ryan Barwick…as for the rest of the news: Tidal announces a layoff of 10% of its staff, and more Digiday coverage of the Programmatic Marketing Summit in which a panelist breaks down integrating programmatic tracking into the creator economy.

Dec 6, 2023 • 6min
The Partial Attention Economy of Video Podcasting
When asked if they listen to full podcast episodes, watch full episodes, or watch clips, audiences surveyed gave a resounding “yes.” Tom Webster breaks down what that means for podcasting and how we should act on it.Written by Tom WebsterEdited by Bryan BarlettaAudio edited by Gavin GaddisHosted by ART19Sounds Profitable: Narrated Articles is a production of Sounds Profitable. For more information, visit soundsprofitable.com.

Dec 4, 2023 • 4min
Audio to Pass $75b, Spotify Announces Layoffs, NPR Hires Campbell, & More
Spotify Cuts 1,500 Jobs, CEO Ek Says Streamer Must Be Leaner by Lucas ShawDeloitte: Audio Market To Surpass $75 Billion In 2024.Libsyn Unveils November 2023 Podcast Advertising Rates, and 5 Developments to Watch in 2024…as for the rest of the news: NPR hires former Gimlet executive editor Collin Cambell to oversee podcast strategy, PodPod reports the BBC is investing more in podcasting as part of a digital pivot, Marketing Brew examines why advertisers are excited about attention metrics, and Horizon Media has outlined 10 Gen Z subcultures for marketers to think about when targeting campaigns.

Dec 1, 2023 • 9min
RAJAR's MIDAS Study, Podcast Guests Generate Revenue, Trader Joe's Podcast Advantage & More
Here's what you need to know from this week in the business of podcasting: RAJAR: UK Podcast Weekly Reach Has Doubled Since 2017Ad Revenue Growing Faster Than ExpectedPodcast Guesting Drives Defector SubscriptionsBranded Podcast Enables Better Coverage, Connection With FansQuick Hits:Putting Success In Your Way With Video by Tom Webster. With the growth of video podcasting, it’s time to re-examine how podcasting thinks about audiences watching podcasts instead of listening. Tom Webster breaks down the differences, and how the two aren’t mutually exclusive.Age of Audio: A Tale of Modern Audio Storytelling. Podcast producer Ronald Young Jr. has published a trailer and IndieGoGo campaign to fund the completion of a documentary about the evolution of narrative audio in podcasting, featuring interviews with notable podcasters like Ira Glass, Avery Trufelman, and our very own Tom Webster. How audience-first creative is amplifying audio and video campaigns for 2024 by Alex Donics. Spotify’s global director of demand marketing talks through the power of effective advertising and highlights the key ingredient of a well-produced, authentic ad creative. Realm & IGN Strike Podcast Deal Including Scripted Adaptation Of Justin Roiland Videogame ‘High On Life’ From Squanch Games by Peter White. Audio fiction production company Realm has signed a deal with IGN to produce podcasts based on video game IP. Given the size and connections of IGN, this could lead to a whole new niche of licensed audio fiction based on video games. New Podcast Audience Profiles Now Available for Publishers in the Australian Podcast Ranker. Triton Digital and Commercial Radio & Audio have announced new podcast audience profiles are now available with the launch of Podcast Metrics Demos+

Nov 30, 2023 • 5min
Ad Revenue Beats Expectations, Black Friday Goes Omnichannel, New Podcast Documentary, & More
Here's what you need to know for today in the business of podcasting: Strong online sales show Black Friday was an ‘omnichannel event’ by Alex VuocoloAd revenue is growing faster than expected, per analyst by Ryan BarwickDigiday+ Research: Publishers’ programmatic revenue didn’t shake out the way they’d hoped, but it’s still a bright spot How audience-first creative is amplifying audio and video campaigns for 2024 by Alex Donics…as for the rest of the news: The trailer and IndieGoGo campaign for Age of Audio: A Tale of Modern Audio Storytelling are now live (spoiler alert: Sounds Profitable’s own Tom Webster makes an appearance), Magellan AI has published their October 2023 top movers and shakers in podcast advertising, and AdExchanger proposes programmatic CTV is in its ‘consolidation phase’ (a phase podcasting has already experienced and matured from).

Nov 29, 2023 • 6min
Podcasting's Multiplatform Future, Ad Market Growth Continues, Chili's Sonic Branding & More
Here's what you need to know for today in the business of podcasting: Podcasting’s Multiplatform Imperative by Steven GoldsteinInnovid study examines impact of measurement and optimization gaps across CTV campaigns by Antoinette SiuGoogle’s Search Partner network comes under fire in research underlining brand safety vulnerabilities by Ronan ShieldsWhy Chili’s brought back its baby back ribs jingle by Alyssa Meyers…as for the rest of the news: MediaPost reports the ad market has grown for its fourth consecutive quarter, the 2023 edition of Spotify Wrapped is here, Signal Hill Insights’ Jeff Vidler discusses what makes podcasts a unique ad medium, and we’ve got a bushel of Apple charts: Podnews has aggregated the top Apple Podcasts show around the world, and Adam Bowie breaks down the U.S. top Apple chart to compare it to similar rankings from other sources.

Nov 29, 2023 • 7min
Putting Success In Your Way With Video
With the growth of video podcasting, it’s time to re-examine how podcasting thinks about audiences watching podcasts instead of listening. Tom Webster breaks down the differences, and how the two aren’t mutually exclusive.Written by Tom WebsterEdited by Bryan BarlettaAudio edited by Gavin GaddisHosted by ART19Sounds Profitable: Narrated Articles is a production of Sounds Profitable. For more information, visit soundsprofitable.com.

Nov 28, 2023 • 5min
Australian Audio Spend Up, Stripping Podcast Ads, IGN's Realm Deal, & More
Here's what you need to know for today in the business of podcasting: Auddia Announces Intent to Strip Ads From PodcastsDigital audio ad spend in Australia up 16.2% September quarter 2023Realm & IGN Strike Podcast Deal Including Scripted Adaptation Of Justin Roiland Videogame ‘High On Life’ From Squanch Games by Peter White…as for the rest of the news: Apple shares the most popular podcasts of the year, and Adam Bowie takes a look at the RAJAR Midas report.

Nov 27, 2023 • 6min
UK Podcast Reach Doubles, Guest Hosting Drives Revenue, Trader Joe's Podcasting Play, & More
Here's what you need to know for today in the business of podcasting: Rajar Midas: podcasts double weekly reach in six years by Ella SagarThe shifts that will impact 2024’s video ad landscape by Jennifer KingDefector Annual Report, September 2022 – August 2023How Trader Joe’s, Erewhon, and H-E-B, have cultivated a cult following Women more disengaged with news than men…as for the rest of the news: The Podcast Show 2024 is now accepting session and speaker submissions until Friday, December 8th (and in case you were wondering: Sounds Profitable will be in attendance), Livewire Labs has published an in-depth analysis of the impact of auto-download changes to Apple Podcast in iOS 17, and AdNews interviews Spotify’s head of sales for Australia and New Zealand.