Steve Goldstein:Wondery Folds Into Audible — What It Signals About Podcasting’s Future

by Steve Goldstein

In his latest column, Steve uses a Q&A format to assess industry shock of Wondery folding into Amazon-owned Audible. “This move appears to be more than a corporate reshuffle,” Steve asserts, “It signals a broader strategic shift.” Good or bad for podcasting? Has Amazon lost interest? How does the future look? Do small and niche shows get left behind? One thing for sure: Podcasting is now unmistakenly a mainstream business, where strategy, structure, and ROI take the lead. A must read. Continue Reading

Libsyn creator earnings leap YoY, along with expansion of the ad program

Comprehensive podcast creator/advertiser platform Libsyn announces a substantial rise in creator earnings, while expanding its Automatic Podcast Ads program across its whole platform. In good news for smaller shows on Libsyn’s platform, the company has discarded the previous 2,000-download minimum to be included in the Automatic Podcast Ads program. Also — a handful of new podcasts have joined the platform. Continue Reading

Podcast advertisers overrate targeting, and other presumptions

In what seems like an exhaustive exercise in debunking commonly held presumptions, a study released by the Audio Active Group (fronted by Westwood One and Cumulus Media), we see an argument that podcast advertisers overestimate the business-building power of audience targeting. At the same time, they underestimate the power of creative — how the advertisement is conceived, written, recorded, and produced. Click for very interesting metrics produced by Podscribe research. Continue Reading

Steve Goldstein:The SEO Collapse: Did Podcasts Replace Late Night?

by Steve Goldstein

In Steve’s latest column, a detailed and interesting analysis of an historical moment. “Stephen Colbert’s exit from The Late Show is more than a changing of the guard. It’s a flashing red signal that the entire late-night ecosystem is being upended. The space late-night TV once owned has changed rapidly, with podcasts playing a central role in that transformation.” “Podcasts aren’t just taking the mic. They’re taking the moment.” Continue Reading

True Native Media intros podcast repping for new podcasts; maintains high-end service

Podcast representation company True Native Media has introduced an entry-level service called PodRamp. It is tailored to help small shows enter the market and accelerate their growth. The goal, for both podcast and platform, is to grow the shows’ audience to qualify for PodPremium, True Native’s existing and cornerstone program. Continue Reading

Steve Goldstein:The SEO Collapse: What Podcasters Need to Do Right Now

by Steve Goldstein

The word “essential” has been assigned to Steve Goldstein’s column more than once. Not meaning to be hyperbolic, we think this piece is super-essential. Identifying a key change in internet usability — today’s AI-enriched search results — Steve applies consequences to podcast search and discovery, which is undergoing momentous format changes and shifting results. It is a risky sea change for podcasters. Steve provides five essential best practices from structuring the show to formatting the transcript. Did we mention the word “essential”? Continue Reading