Host-Read Ads (Audio)

Join Lisa Laporte, CEO of TWiT.tv, as she provides essential insight into measuring podcast campaign success on their network. Lisa explores the importance of understanding the unique nature of their tech-savvy, privacy and security-focused audience. She offers her best advice for setting up custom landing pages or offer codes for the network, while cautioning that relying solely on these tools can result in an incomplete picture of campaign performance. Tune in to gain valuable insights into maximizing your podcast ad campaigns with TWiT.

Host: Lisa Laporte

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/host-read-ads

In the latest episode of Host-Read Ads, TWiT.tv CEO Lisa Laporte discusses insights from Spotify's 2023 podcast trends report, highlighting stats on the influence of hosts, growth of older audiences, the importance of authenticity for brands, and more, relating it all back to TWiT's own podcast ad experiences and audience. She advises brands interested in podcast advertising to leverage the intimate trust and influence hosts build with listeners by embracing authentic messaging.

Host: Lisa Laporte

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/host-read-ads

In this episode of Host-Read Ads, TWiT.tv CEO Lisa Laporte speaks with Max Buschman, Senior Vice President of Partnerships, about building strong relationships with advertisers through active listening and understanding their goals.

Host: Lisa Laporte

Guest: Max Buschman

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/host-read-ads

In part two of their podcast advertising discussion, TWiT.tv CEO Lisa Laporte and VP of Partnerships Ryan Smith tackle strategies for brands already successfully advertising in podcasting to grow their campaigns. They provide tangible tips for sustaining growth while expanding reach by testing new relevant podcasts.

Host: Lisa Laporte

Guest: Ryan Smith

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/host-read-ads

In this episode of Host-Read Ads, TWiT.tv CEO Lisa Laporte interviews VP of Partnerships Ryan Smith on strategies for brands new to podcast advertising to test the medium without fear. Ryan provides advice on ideal testing cadence, determining what works and doesn't through testing, and being open to unexpected audience demographic results.

Host: Lisa Laporte

Guest: Ryan Smith

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/host-read-ads

Today I want to remind my audience about the power behind host-read ads and how including a personal endorsement, also known as a PE, increases traction for brands.

Host-read content continues to be a proven strategy for seasoned ad buyers, because it's the best kind of influencer marketing — and that's supported by Nielsen research which found host-read ads lead to stronger lifts in key equity metrics, such as a 67% increase in brand affinity.

In today's podcast landscape, Dynamic Ads have taken over- please do not believe all those agencies and networks who only sell DAs. As they tout, DAs are stronger and better than host-read ads. 100% false information, and I wish they would stop saying it.

Audiences listen to podcasts because they trust and want to hear from their favorite hosts. When an ad is host-read and authentic, there is a 50% increase to purchase from brands over DAs.

When the host-read ad includes a personal endorsement from the host - the brand affinity and conversions are even higher than an implied endorsement. Why? Because the trust is already established and with the host talking about how much they love a brand, the audience is more compelled to trust the brand too.

Want to work with the best podcast network that has a partnership team that can take your brand to the next level? Reach out today - [email protected].

Host: Lisa Laporte

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/host-read-ads

I want to remind brands and agencies that podcasts are on demand and not everyone simulcasts. Podcast ads are not TV commercials or radio ads that are seen or heard immediately. Therefore, you need patience and a strong message when advertising on podcasts, AND you must implement ALL podcast tools to gauge traction properly.

Reminder - in today's landscape, it's safe to say that it takes at least 12 touchpoints to turn a lead into a sale, and it's high time we all embrace this reality. The concept of "touchpoints" refers to the various interactions a potential customer has with your brand or product before they make a purchasing decision. The average touchpoint is considered to be 8, and even this can vary between 1 - 50 depending on the length of the buying stage.

Patience is mandatory if brands are going to buy podcast advertising. Why? Because brands have to allow people to download podcast episodes, listen to them, hear their brand elsewhere, or see it and then make a purchase. Too many podcast agencies are canceling ad buys before giving the ads time to reach their greatest impact. Agencies are not educating their clients on what it takes to be effective in podcast advertising. We had several this year cancel B2B contracts two weeks after the first ad dropped, stating "it didn't work." Well, of course, it didn't work - they did not set their client's expectations, nor did any of the agencies we work with implement the proper tools to truly measure impact. And if you are canceling podcast ads two weeks after the first ad drops, then you are wasting your client's money.

Here are the five recommended tools to properly understand the impact of a brand's podcast advertising campaign:

Lastly, you need patience. Podcast advertising works because fans trust their hosts, and they take time.

Host: Lisa Laporte

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/host-read-ads

Last week, I mentioned that I will be covering more than podcast advertising and that TWiT has pivoted to a one-ad model because podcasts moved to this structure several years back, and we were trying to stay with what performs best for our partners. We finally caved as it became a constant struggle to explain why our approach was better and the one ad model is now in place. Today, I am going to cover the lack of growth in podcasting and how it impacts independent networks.

The American podcast market has reached maturity, and the number of Americans who listen to at least one podcast monthly is no longer increasing. In addition, there is a trend towards consolidation as Spotify, iHeart, etc. are buying and launching podcasts, while pushing for DAI on advertising is squeezing out independent networks.

According to Forbes iHeartMedia's CEO Bob Pittman stated, "We're in the consolidation phase. So, the top podcasters get bigger, and it becomes harder and more fragmented for the smaller players to catch up. And I think that's exactly what you've seen as a trend line." He points to Serial, once the industry darling acquired by the New York Times for $25 million, now more of a cautionary tale because it was not worth it.

Even Libysn's Rob Walch, who presented evidence at the 2023 Podcast Movement, showed the active podcasts with 10+ episodes on Apple have remained around 400,000 since 2021. Therefore, with all the new podcasts starting since 2021 and old podcasts closing down, the number of active pods with over 10 episodes has remained flat.

In addition to the lack of growth, podcast ad tech is becoming invasive, and brands want to put tracking pixels everywhere. Brands also demand cheap CPMs with ridiculously short cancellation clauses, and they have unrealistic conversion expectations because they do not understand how it works and agencies do not educate them. All agencies care about is the bottom line. They don't even understand their brands growth goals because every time we ask, they have no idea. We care for our direct clients because we want our partners to grow, and the specialized attention they receive from us outshines everyone else.

If independent podcast networks are going to make it, then they must diversify. Here at TWiT, we cannot rely on podcast advertising anymore, it takes subscriptions, clubs, and fan support to make it all happen, and even then, we wear many hats to make it all work.

Subscribe to your favorite podcasts, support their sponsors, join their clubs, or pay for your content.

Thanks for listening, and have a great day.

Host: Lisa Laporte

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/host-read-ads

It's been a year since I started my Host-Read Ads podcast, and soon, I will be bringing my pod to TWiT as I plan to include more about the podcasting industry as a whole and feature relevant guests who can help guide brands through podcast advertising.

Today, I am going to talk about our decision to pivot our network from a two ad per advertiser per episode model to a one ad per advertiser per episode model. Here are the three reasons why we are making the change.

I want to be clear that moving to a one-ad model is not as effective as a two-ad model, BUT the industry has moved to be more like radio and TV by geotargeting DAI ads, etc. In order for TWiT to remain competitive, we have to move to this as well. Especially with every podcast network making steep cuts and laying off staff. We either pivot now and survive or join the other networks in layoffs.

Therefore, podcast fans, if you love a podcast, then please subscribe to the show, support its sponsors, pay for your content, or join podcast clubs. With advertisers demanding more ad tech, cheaper CPMs, and shorter cancellation policies, ALL podcasts must diversify revenue streams to survive.

Host: Lisa Laporte

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/host-read-ads

I am going to divert from my typical format and provide podcasters and podcast networks with another option to be an ad-supported network.

First, let me provide you with context - we were fully ad-supported when the pandemic hit in 2020, and we lost 60% of our advertisers in two weeks. We needed to pivot to survive and focus on what our audience wants. Podcast networks should be multi-dimensional to remain in the black, which means you are profitable and avoid struggling when advertising sales are down. Plus, with ad tech taking over podcasting - brands are demanding to get massive data about audiences, and everyone wants their own ad tech. This will turn off fans who do not want to be tracked remember they are listening to you because they want to hear what you have to say - not give advertisers all of their data. The sad thing is that podcast advertising is more than metrics, yet this is all brands and agencies want to focus on, and it's not why podcasting advertising is successful.

We took the time to vet several subscription services, and after reviewing features and benefits, we chose Memberful as our partner. We have been with Memberful for 2 1/2 years and are thrilled we picked them.

Here are four reasons why we went with Memberful and what you need to consider when selecting a subscription service.

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These show notes have been truncated due to length. For the full show notes, visit https://twit.tv/shows/host-read-ads/episodes/53

Host: Lisa Laporte