RAIN Notes: Thursday, October 26
Spotify Q3 details & quotes: Users, Podcasts, Audiobooks
Spotify released Q3 earnings this week. We covered basic money metrics elsewhere. In this post, we scrutinize information gleaned from the earnings call. Below, three main topics: User growth, podcasting, and the audiobooks initiative. Audiobooks were of particular interest to investors, partly because it was difficult to coax financial predictions about them. Click for lots of detail and quotes. Continue Reading
Podcasts & streaming music gain share in Q3 “Share of Ear” (Edison Research)
In the Q3 edition of Share of Ear, an Edison Research subscription product, podcasts gained a point to reach an all-time high of 11%. That’s the percentage of all daily time spent with audio among people age 13 and over in the U.S. AM/FM radio listening also gained a point. Click for details and the graphic. Continue Reading
Spotify ‘super excited’ over ‘stellar’ Q3. Profit attained.
Spotify’s Q3 earnings report gave the investor audience upbeat news and validation that the strategic adjustment made earlier in the fiscal year are working as hoped. Expenses down; user growth up. And … profit for the first time as a public company. Continue Reading
Consumers open to audio ads, and are sensitive to brand suitability (IAS study)
As part of a larger research series, Integral Ad Science (IAS) conducted a survey of 1,158 digital audio listeners in the U.S. to understand how consumers perceive and interact with advertising on digital audio platforms. The survey, called The Sound of Suitability, was fielded in June. A key focus is “brand suitability” — safe and dangerous advertising choices based on consumer responses to “risky” and “safe” ad types. Click for details, charts, and the download link. Continue Reading
Audacy asserts the star-making power of radio with “Launch” program
Audacy has started an artist discovery and promotion project called Launch, intending to boost careers of selected musicians. Three beneficiaries are selected. Continue Reading
Quill’s CoHost unit launches Prefix, a platform-agnostic audience insights tool
Podcast agency Quill announces a new data tool attached to CoHost, its analytics and audience insights platform. It can deliver audience demographics and B2B analytics describing companies which are listening to a podcast. Click for the details of this interesting piece of tech. Continue Reading
James Cridland’s International Radio Trends: Better user interfaces in cars change radio listening
by James Cridland
In his latest piece, guest columnist James Cridland notes an odd finding from Edison Research’s Share of Ear study: “AM/FM is still the #1 audio source; but total listening goes down by a third. Everything else – music streaming, podcasts – doubles.” It’s a user-experience (UX) effect, James claims: “Make it simpler to listen to other things, and people will.” He emphasizes the shared experience and human connection of radio. Also, interesting corporate manoeuvrings in Australia. And more. Continue Reading
Steve Goldstein: Sound to Screen: How to Shoot Video That Doesn’t Suck
by Steve Goldstein
In his latest guest column, Steve Goldstein gives the verbal stage to Steve Stockman, President of Custom Productions. He lays out a course of best practices for podcast videos. There is a difference between a podcast on YouTube and a YouTube podcast — and the difference lies in keeping the visual aspect interesting. “Video is a language.” This piece holds to high standards, but at low cost, and leans on the science of attention in visual presentations. An extraordinarily valuable and bracing interview. A must-read. Continue Reading
RAIN Notes: Monday, October 23
— A Default Winner (The Intelligencer)
— Expanding in DACH (Acast)
— Choosing The Best (The Webbys)
Gen Z much more likely than average to stream music every day (GWI)
Following on the heels of consumer insights platform GWI’s examination of Millennials (RAIN HERE), the consumer insights company sent us a study of preference in the young Gen Z cohort. U.S, Gen Z are nearly 70% more likely than the average American to use music streaming services every day. That translates to 46% of respondents. MORE. Continue Reading
Local digital ad spend projected at nearly half of total; national digital % is much higher
Local ad marketplace spending in 2024 is projected at $176-billion, according to BIA Advisory’s just-released forecast. Turning to a different source, we see a much higher digital percentage for total-U.S. ad spending. Click for details and charts. Continue Reading