Amazon Music has introduced synchronized, navigable transcripts to selected podcasts. We test the new feature, and find it well executed on the whole, delightful to use, and an important usability innovation. Click for details. Continue Reading
Spoken word audio is a distinct media category. How much has it increased in the last year? “It’s a lot!” hints Edison Research and partner NPR. The industry will get that number and a raft of others in the new edition of The Spoken Word Audio Report, presented as a live webinar. Click for details and free registration. Continue Reading
Jottings of Note
— Shifting Conversation (Afros & Audio)
— Deep Cover (Cumulus Media & Imperative Ent.)
— Two out of Three (Eric Nuzum)
Veritonic has sent around notice of an addition to the analytics company’s audio advertising effectiveness reporting — it is brand lift, the recollection and perception of a brand and its messaging. Launch partner Katz Digital Audio used the new technology in a podcast campaign purchased by a U.S. state to increase Covid vaccination favorability. Click through for the case study. Continue Reading
AdvertiseCast has released its always interesting report on cost-of-advertising as measured by CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions). CPM is a benchmark of podcasting’s steady value to advertisers, and a measure of podcasting’s unique values in a marketing campaign. Click through for the numbers. Continue Reading
Jottings of Note
— Don’t (Forbes on podcast music)
— Profound Fakery (“We Interrupt This Broadcast”)
— Missing (Spotify/Parcast)
Checking Listen Notes, we see that about 12,000 new podcasts were created in October, far below the 30,000+ shows launched in September, which was substantially lower than August (43,000). It’s part of trend fluctuations strongly influenced by Covid during the past two years. Click through for monthly and annual perspectives. Continue Reading
Jottings of Note
— Not Enough of a Good Thing (Spotify)
— Heat (Amazon Music)
— Money Upfront (DARKO)
In an interesting and inventive crossover, all of Audacy’s Top 40 stations will play a portion of Treat, a “podcast movie” produced by C13Features, on Hollywood night. C13Features is a unit within Audacy-owned Cadence13. It’s an homage to old-time radio drama … and, of course, a powerful podcast promotion. Click for details. Continue Reading
Magellan AI has released its Q3 Podcast Advertising Benchmark Report, revealing and fascinating as previous editions. In it, we see key metrics pointing to vigorous growth of podcast ad spending, in volume, dollars, and new advertising brands entering the space. Continue Reading
In yesterday’s initial coverage of Spotify’s Q3 earnings report, we noted that the word “podcast” was used 17 times in the company’s official release, while the word “music” was used 10 times. In the hour-long earnings call, the emphasis was even more on podcasting, which was mentioned 48 times, while “music” was spoken a mere eight times. Hence the emphasis on podcasting as a business priority in the global leading streaming audio platform. Click a lot of info and quotes. Continue Reading
The second annual Xfronts was held today as a virtual promoting the indie layer of podcast publishers and networks to advertier brands and agencies. Click through for highlights, pics, and links. Continue Reading