And the Podcast Goes Boom
The explosive year in podcast advertising…as told in GIFs
We’ve nearly made it to the end folks…have you caught your breath yet?
If you have whiplash from the breakneck speed at which the podcast industry is evolving, you’re not alone. This was a pivotal year for podcasting — big investments were made, listening surpassed a major milestone, and advertisers took notice. Marketers’ perception of the medium has shifted from “why should we be in here” to “I need to get my brand in here, ASAP.” Let’s take a look back at some of the major 2019 moments in podcast advertising.
It was the deal that set the tone. Spotify makes its big bet on podcasts, announcing the multi-million dollar acquisitions of Gimlet and Anchor in February. Throughout the year, the streaming platform will make moves to not just integrate podcasts but put them front-and-center.
Panoply Media pivots to tech. The company rebrands to Megaphone, honing in on its hosting and dynamic ad insertion services.
Edison Research’s 2019 Infinite Dial reveals that podcast listening has surpassed 50% of the U.S. population. We also see the largest gains in monthly listening in the study’s history. Have we finally arrived?
IAB and PwC drop their findings from the FY 2018 Podcast Ad Revenue Study. Currently, revenue is expected to hit $1 billion in 2021…but some think that day may come even sooner.
Also from the report…The number of direct response ads slips as brand awareness campaigns and branded content grow in share. We see this trend continuing in 2020 as new advertisers come into the fold.
Long-time podcaster, Tim Ferris, embarks on a little experiment. In lieu of accepting ads, he announces a number of subscription tiers starting at $10. After about a month, he switched back to an ad-supported model. Why? Fans really, really missed those ad reads!
Nielsen launches the Podcast Listener Buying Power Service using Scarborough data to entice prospective brands with meaty research on the podcast listener’s spending power.
2019’s Podcast Movement boasted a number of monetization and marketing-focused sessions and panels. Podcasters braved the sweltering Florida heat to show that they mean business.
Two concurrent industry events — Advertising Week and the NAB Radio Show — make conversations around podcasts a priority. Traditional media is getting some serious FOMO vibes.
The first She Podcasts LIVE unites in Atlanta to inspire a new — and more diverse — wave of entrepreneurs.
At the Podcast Upfront, we put our data pants on as presenters showcase podcasting’s strongest qualities to the ad community. Focusing on more than just content with research, case studies, and improving capabilities.
Super listeners (AKA podcasting listening’s most loyal cohort) are not sick of those ads. In fact, they really like host reads and sometimes even buy the product.
Podcast startups aren’t the only ones getting love from investors. Agency and early supporter of audio, Ad Results Media, inks a deal of their own with Shamrock Capital. Congrats!
