Another Conversation With Ourselves

I was happy to attend the RAIN Online Advertising Summit, in New York City, on February 28th. In was a very insightful event The event was relevant, smooth, insightful…and it’s great seeing so many of us with a passion for the industry. But….I couldn’t help but be struck by the fact that most in attendance, as typical for podcasting events,  were professionals already fully embedded in the online audio industry.

What’s my biggest pet-peeve? 

The industry continues to talk to ourselves, sharing success stories amongst industry insiders, those of us that ‘get it’. We need to break out of our own habitat.

The Inadvertent Teasing of TopPodcast.com

While hiding my lanyard inside my jacket, not ready to publicly disclose to the world who or what #TopPodcast Digital Enterprises is, I got a kick when Thomas Mancusi, of AudioBoom, essentially teased to the audience what the industry needed…a unified site for discovery…an online hub to coalesce the medium.

It publicly validated, once again, our project and the benefits we are providing.

My Event Highlight: The Mac Weldon Attribution Discussion

I loved the fascinating panel put together by co-sponsor & the aforementioned audioBoom, and Thomas Mancusi (VP, Sales & Dev). As noted in the event program, the panel showcased ‘a holistic view’ of the unique value of on-demand audio, bringing together program creators and brand advertising agencies in this anecdote-driven panel discussion about marketing opportunities in podcasting.”

Collin Willardson, the Marketing Manager for Mack Weldon, shared this powerful message:

• Mac Weldon knows who every listener is, what they specifically buy, and what show they are coming from

Why this statement matters? 

Mac Weldon is one of the brands that is constantly recognized as a huge proponent of podcast advertising. But the brilliance behind their advertising success is not necessarily the podcast buy itself (it is a HUGE part, yes, testing to find the right show that delivers activations).

However, through the lens of our digital eyes, it’s the attribution strategy that Mr. Willardson executes on the back-end of every podcast that intrigues us the most. Here’s why:

• Their success in tracking every product the prospective buyer is clicking on and knowing who they are (capturing the visitor/buyer)
• Collecting the purchase history & knowing what shows drove what listeners to buy which products
• Following each visitor, after they hit the web landing page, through a complex digital strategy, that takes podcast advertising to the next level

My Takeaway:

• While we know Mac Weldon doesn’t want to disclose their trade secrets to such a public audience, they aren’t shy about promoting the success they’ve had with podcasts advertising. And it’s impressive.
• To penetrate digital market share, podcast advertising should no longer be sold as a ‘stand-alone’ product
• Publishers are leaving money on the table by not bringing complex integrated marketing strategies in-house, making podcast advertising truly an integrated strategy

It’s a mindset #TopPodcast Digital Enterprises brings to the table…elevating any on-demand buy far beyond the brilliance of a traditional podcast campaign. Please feel free to explore our Podcast Business Center for more information.

Podcast Listeners Feel They Have No Choice But To Support Sponsors

Another impressive highlight was listening to Payne Lindsey, Executive Producer of “Up & Vanished“. It was remarkable, hearing analysis from his insider perspective. He said:

Listeners (of podcasts) have a different respect for podcasters instead of radio hosts. If it weren’t for sponsors, podcasts wouldn’t operate. And many listeners feel if they don’t support the brands, then they feel the podcast may go away.

Why this matters?

It’s compelling insight that we must drive beyond our walls…to brands, to digital buyers, to the agencies that weren’t in attendance…that mantra must be heard!

• No other medium connects brands to an audience like podcasting
• The lean-in experience should not be compared apples to apples, to digital analytics or reporting
• A live-read or endorsed product, in a podcast, is the purest form of native advertising

To be clear, Dennis Robinson articulated a fact that most beyond our industries walls don’t know. What he said matters! I just wish there was a better way to reach those beyond our industry. I’m working on that as we speak.