Streaming audio twice as “authentic” than TV for advertisers. Podcasts? Nine times. by Brad Hill
At the end of December, SXM Media released “Digital Audio Vs.,” an aggregation of data on the efficacy of digital audio as a marketing channel in comparison to other media. Highlights include the finding that digital audio listeners use it to tune out from CTV, with a majority of survey respondents saying they turn to audio to escape too much visual stimulation. On social media, podcast listeners say they find podcast hosts to be “more authentic” than other media figures online. According to data from Pandora’s 2023 Soundboard report, podcast audiences 18+ find podcasts 9 times more authentic and trustworthy than traditional TV. [Source]
iOS 17, a writeup by Pete Birsinger
As we enter into the new year, it’s important to stay abreast of the mechanics of podcasting. To that point, Pete Birsinger has posted a concise explanation on how iOS 17 has changed Apple Podcasts performance in the Podscribe Help Center. In addition to detailing how the behavior changed, Birsinger gives examples of campaign performance both before iOS 17 and after from Podscribe’s perspective. For more on the topic, a great companion piece is Livewire Labs’ post tracking the impact of auto-downloading in Apple Podcasts, which is periodically updated with new data. [Source]
Why Gen Z’s biggest podcasters are working from bed by Lilly Smith
With the rise of video podcasting, a new sub-genre has quietly formed: podcasting from bed. While audio-only podcasters are famous for recording anywhere and anywhere, several big names in relationship and personal advice podcasting are leaning into performatively casual podcasting. For instance, Hot Mess on Alex Cooper’s Unwell Network has its co-hosts all sitting on a bed holding microphones. Call Her Daddy films in hotel beds while on tour. By filming in bed, or lounging on a couch in pajamas, video podcasting’s newest generation of creators simulate the aesthetics of a casual conversation with friends. Tactics like this are video podcasting’s answer to further embracing the parasocial intimacy audio podcasts have mastered years ago. [Source]
The 5 trends that will shape sports marketing in 2024 by Alyssa Meyers
With the 2024 Olympics it’s shaping up to be a big year for sports advertising, with pre-game campaigns likely focusing on hype generation and spotlighting lesser-known athletes. Outside of the global games, sports media executives tell Marketing Brew they anticipate more spending on individual athletes over the traditional method of sponsoring a specific team or overall league. This pivot comes in large part due to social media and content creation allowing those athletes to establish strong personal brand identities. A crucial tool in that evolution is podcasting. Sports content is growing fast within the podcast industry, and keeping track of the big trends in sports advertising will further foster that growth. [Source]
Music streaming service SoundCloud tunes up for sale by Mark Kleinman
Audio streaming platform SoundCloud, founded in 2007, is being prepped for sale by owners Raine Group and Temasek Holdings for a potential auction. The possible sale potentially could come with a price tag of one billion dollars. SoundCloud received an investment of $75 million from Sirius XM back in 2020. While the platform didn’t begin life supporting podcast feeds, SoundCloud RSS feeds became an early affordable option for podcast hosts. As such, SoundCloud contains a wide collection of artifacts from throughout podcasting’s history. [Source]
…as for the rest of the news: Signal Hill Insights shares three potential game-changers from their 2023 research, Cumulus Media signs a deal with BiggerPockets, and iHeartMedia is launching a politically-focused podcast network.
