The AMP Accords arrive, establishing definitions and standards of podcast measurement

“This is the moment to get out of our own way, and move this industry forward.”
Dan Granger, Founder & CEO, Oxford Road

Podcast advertising agency Oxford Road has released a 48-page PDF draft document which seeks to define what a podcast is, how usage is measured, and how listener actions are attributed. Much more than a general knowledge workbook of how the podcast business works, this effort modernizes the podcasting/advertiser relationship, bringing aspects of validity and success metrics up to the general standards of the ad industry as a whole.

This work was presented at the CAO Summit on July 23, by Dan Granger, CEO of Oxford Road. Its online distribution does not confer finality; it is meant to gather feedback, encourage refinement, and lead to adoption.

Keystones

Three essential pillars of define and assess value in the framework of he AMP Accords. They are presented below as essential questions and answers.

• What is a podcast? The accords establish a universal definition: an on-demand show rooted in the spoken word that remains fully understandable as audio. The industry tagline for this rule is: “If it works with your eyes closed, it’s a podcast,” regardless of whether it is delivered via video or standard RSS.
• What counts as a “play? Moving away from basic download counts, a play is defined as one real person listening or watching for at least 30 consecutive seconds. This aligns standard metrics closer to how platforms like YouTube and Spotify already track audience engagement.
• Did the advertisement work? To measure actual return on investment (ROI), the framework pushes for an incrementality methodology using randomized holdout groups. This mirrors the measurement standards already utilized by major ad networks like Meta, Google, and Amazon.

This framework and its presentation are archived in a PDF archived HERE.

The project isn’t finished with the release of this draft. The following note is attached to the draft: “We will hand this document to the standards bodies, which is where neutral, durable standards get written.” But industry grass roots distribution and implementation are encouraged.