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About Us

Sounds Profitable is a collection of media properties — a newsletter, a podcast, and much more — that covers both strategic and tactical changes to the business of podcasting. We are committed to setting the course for the future of the audio business

Our Goal

Our primary goal with all the media we produce is to educate and empower the podcasting industry at all levels. Our aim is to provide:

Insightful Content about all aspects of the industry, from Bryan, Tom, and an incredibly diverse collection of the brightest minds in podcasting

Unmissable Events, where content producers, account managers, brand managers, and executives representing both buyers and sellers can interact, learn from each other, and make deals

Industry-Leading Research starting with The Creators, and Sounds Profitable Quarterly Research Series, to answer the most pressing industry questions, with free and open access for all

Peerless Advisory Services from Bryan and Tom, designed to keep your company in touch with the state of the art in the podcasting business AND brief us about your latest developments

Our Newsletters

Our newsletters have over 8,000 active subscribers from many countries across the world, the vast majority of which are based in the US. We have an average open-rate of around 55%, significantly above the average.

It’s read by senior podcasting industry management, including CEOs and divisional heads. Email subscriptions include users within:

  • Podcast producers (eg BBC, ESPN, NPR, NY Times, Wondery)
  • Podcast platforms (eg Amazon, Apple, Google, Pandora, Spotify)
  • Ad marketplace (eg Acast, AdsWizz, Midroll, Triton Digital)
  • Hosting companies (eg Art19, Captivate, Megaphone, Omny Studio) Podcast
  • Podcast attribution/analytics (eg Chartable, Claritas, Loop.me, Podsights)
  • Data Platforms (eg Liveramp, Magellan AI, Nielsen)
  • Advertising industry (eg Ad Results Media, Hearts & Science, Oxford Road, Veritone)

People of Sounds Profitable

Created by Bryan …

Sounds Profitable was created by Bryan Barletta, a seasoned professional with over 13 years in the ad technology space, including tenure at podcast companies Megaphone and Claritas. Bryan was part of the team that created the world’s first shakeable ad in 2009. Bryan would be more than glad to be a guest on your podcast or to speak or moderate a panel at your next event.

… with Tom’s partnership

Tom Webster is a Partner at Sounds Profitable, dedicated to setting the course for the future of the audio business. He is a 25-year veteran audio researcher and trusted advisor to the biggest companies in podcasting, and has dedicated his career to the advancement of podcasting for networks and individuals alike. He has been the co-author and driver behind some of audio’s most influential studies, from the Infinite Dial® series to Share of Ear® and the Podcast Consumer Tracker. Webster has led hundreds of audience research projects on six continents, for some of the most listened-to podcasts and syndicated radio shows in the world. He’s done a card trick for Paula Abdul, shared a martini with Tom Jones, and sold vinyl to Christopher Walken.

Also featuring Gavin…

Gavin Gaddis is a media critic, podcaster, and amateur ferroequinologist. They’ve been in the podcasting industry since 2017 and can’t seem to stop writing about it.

… and Manuela!

Manuela Bedoya is Sounds Profitable’s Head of Operations. She co-hosts The Download’s Friday edition, a weekly look at the most important news in the business podcasting.

If you are interested in becoming a partner of Sounds Profitable, please contact Bryan Barletta at Bryan@soundsprofitable.com. Visit our partnerships page to learn more.
Interested in featuring Sounds Profitable?
Check out our media assets or fill out our contact form to request a press quote.
This website is published by Sounds Profitable, Inc. (“us”, “we”) and is copyright © Sounds Profitable, Inc. Reproduction is prohibited without our written permission.

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Register for our upcoming webinar:

The Ad Bargain

For 2024, Sounds Profitable will once again lead the industry in producing research studies designed to help grow the podcasting space and increase monetization opportunities. The year kicks off very aggressively with what will be sure to be a widely-cited study, The Ad Bargain. The Ad Bargain is a broad, cross-platform survey of American consumers and their attitudes toward various ad-supported media channels. The title references the “deal” consumers make when they watch or listen to ad-supported media: a few minutes of their attention to brands, in exchange for free access to content they love. Podcasting has historically been the best “bargain” for consumers AND brands, with attention, willingness to consider, purchase behavior, and positive perceptions for companies that sponsor podcasts leading amongst other ad-supported media. This study will reflect the current state of the perception of ads in podcasts compared to CTV, social media, and other platforms.

Register for free