Podcast advertisers overrate targeting, and other presumptions

Posted on by Brad Hill

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 →

The Wondery Reactions

Posted on by Brad Hill

Yesterday we covered rumors that established podcast production house Wondery had been shuttered. Then a more nuanced situation emerged: Amazon-owned Wondery will be reduced (110 staffers released) and repositioned in a different part of the parent company. Today, we collect public reactions from industry leaders.  Continue Reading →

Edison Research offers status badges for top-ranked podcasts

Posted on by Brad Hill

Edison Research enjoys unique status for its Podcast Metrics rankers of U.S. and UK podcasts. Since those rankers are derived from surveys, not from server-side download counts, no podcast in the world suffers a platform disadvantage. Now, Edison announces a Top Podcast badge, a bragging emblem for podcasts which rank in any of the three rankers published by Edison: Top 10, Top 25, and Top 50.
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What makes podcast ads effective? New research.

Posted on by Brad Hill

In Part 3 of its survey series The Advertising Landscape, podcast advocacy and advisement company Sounds Profitable sought to discover what advertising characteristics, attributes, and topics create a bond between listeners and sponsors. That bond could be manifested by a purchase, or a feeling of effectiveness, or writing down a promo code, or discussing an advertised product with others. Survey participants were also asked about ad effectiveness generally. Click for some of the results and the download link. Continue Reading →

Nielsen’s new radio measurement standard increases reported listening

Posted on by Brad Hill

In the Spring 2025 Nielsen radio ratings period, the measurement company reports “signifanct increases in listening across demographics and time periods. versus Fall 2024. he report represents the May-June-July period. The sudden apparent jump in listening is catalyzed by a change in the Portable People Meters, which now register three-minute listening periods qualifies as the defining standard for listening to a station Continue Reading →