Libsyn Rebrands AdvertiseCast to Libsyn Ads; Fuels Next Phase of Podcast Advertising Growth
As of today Libsyn is beginning a rebrand of the AdvertiseCast Marketplace into Libsyn Ads. The new brand will make it debut at Podcast Movement: Evolutions in Los Angeles next week. LibSyn’s Vice President of Marketing Rich Romano says the new Libsyn Ads brand simplifies interactions with customers and prospects alike. Libsyn will be on the Podcast Movement: Evolutions expo floor in booth #15 March 26th through 29th. And for those attending, don’t forget to swing by the Sounds Profitable partner lounge, just across from the Paramount coffee bar! [Source]
Owning Podcasting’s Responsibility by Bryan Barletta
Podcasting’s intimacy can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, audiences having a direct connection with a creator lends to stronger engagement. On the other, that engagement also means creators are more likely to hear complaints as things change or as interest in podcast advertising grows. While ads are easy to skip, there’s more of a personal impact when a beloved program broadcasts a bad ad. This issue isn’t unique to podcasting, and other forms of advertising can get away with murder when it comes to poorly-implemented ads, but podcasting doesn’t get that luxury. It’s the responsibility of every publisher to own each ad placement, be it baked-in or dynamically inserted. The call is coming from inside the house, and the onus is on podcasting to refine our tools and minimize bad ad placements. Transparency and ownership are keys to the growth of podcasting. [Source]
Survey: More Finns are willing to pay for podcasts to listen to at home and even in the sauna
Podcast and audiobook company Podimo has debuted their annual survey of Finnish podcast behavior. The 2024 survey commissioned Norstat to interview 1,025 Finns age 15-64 who listen to podcasts at least once a month. According to the findings, 62% of Finns who listen to podcasts are willing to pay for them if it meant the creator would be paid for their work or if the price was affordable enough. This stat is up 13% from last year’s 49%. They’re also active and loyal listeners, by large, with 72% of respondents listening at least weekly and 37% listening at least once a week. 26% of respondents say they always listen to every episode of their favorite podcasts. [Source]
Why Brands Should Prepare for the Rise of Super Fans by Paul Hiebert
While fandom and people showing enthusiasm for their favorite media and pop culture is no new development, data from Deloitte shows younger generations are more likely than older ones to say their favorite movie franchises, musicians, and video games are important aspects of their self-image. Musicians trend highest, with 19% of baby boomers agreeing compared to Gen Z’s 58%. How can podcasting harness this public and self-image shift? Look no further than Brand Fans, as Tom Webster covered back in October. 41% of respondents, representing 106 million Americans 18+, would be likely to listen to a podcast about a favorite brand. Podcast listeners are only slightly more likely to listen to a podcast starring a favorite celebrity. There’s untapped potential, especially with brands known for having die-hard fans. [Source]
…as for the rest of the news:
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The New York Times Audio premium subscription app has broken 1 million downloads,
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Magellan AI’s February advertiser data shows 12 of the top 15 advertisers are repeats from January (and Sports was by far the top genre, likely due to the Super Bowl)
Research Database Snapshot
Source: Bloomberg
What it says: Bloomberg-collected follower counts for the top 15 most-followed podcasts on Spotify.
What it means: The Joe Rogan Experience remains firmly in the lead with a nearly 10 million follower lead on TED Talks Daily, and places 2 through 10 are in a tight pack with only a few hundred thousand followers’ difference.
Why it’s cool: For the first time in a podcast app, Spotify now shows the number of followers per podcast on most podcasts (Sounds Profitable included). Ashley Carman of Bloomberg compiled this chart of top podcasts, with the newly released data.
