Heather Osgood: Do You Really *NEED* a CTA?

by Heather Osgood

Is call-to-action (CTA) always the best approach to podcast advertising? Not necessarily, and that is the subject of this guest column by Heather Osgood, Founder and CEO of podcast ad-rep company True Native Media. A more nuanced approach is sometimes suggested. And this comes with a reassurance: “The absence of a CTA doesn’t mean the absence of KPIs” (key performance indicators). Click to learn about the power of connection over direct action, and avoiding audience fatigue. Continue Reading

The 50/50 growth proposition in podcasting (The Podcast Marketing Academy)

The Podcast Marketing Academy (whose manifesto is HERE) has released results of a study conducted in Q1 this year: Podcast Marketing Trends. The field work interviewed 515 respondents, all of them podcasters. That group represents over two billion cumulative downloads and 28,000 produced episodes. The survey is characterized as “sadistically long and detailed.” This is Part 1 of our coverage. Continue Reading

Multiverses and influences: Acast Podcast Pulse study is released

Podcasting powerhouse Acast has partnered with Edison Research in a study called Podcast Pulse, supported by global agency Dentsu. Based on surveys of podcast listeners, this work is motivated by the perception that podcasting is shifting, especially on the listener side. Targeted to advertisers, this large, deeply researched, beautifully presented study advocates for a broader perception of podcasting and its listeners. Continue Reading

October podcast production continues 2024 dip (Listen Notes)

New podcast production skidded downward in October, establishing the sixth month trend of desultory trending. To be clear: Although no firm direction is established, the output  level of new podcasts is drawing a fairly stable line, as production seems to be settling after a January peak and gradual lessening during the year. Click for graphs. Continue Reading