Podcast Monetization Just Got Smarter

If you didn’t already know, Spreaker is leading the way in terms of podcast monetization, specifically programmatic advertising.  In reality, there is no other platform with an equal offering and revenue generation potential for programmatic like us. And now it is easier than ever to monetize your podcast with Spreaker.

Our ad network has the highest performance in terms of revenue. Not only that, but we consistently bring innovative features to the table. These features are not only new to our platform but unmatched in the podcasting market. Now is the time for you to monetize your podcast. 

But before we delve deeper into what we offer, let’s start at the beginning. What is programmatic advertising?

Programmatic Advertising: A Definition

Programmatic advertising refers to the marketplace where the automatic buying and selling of podcast advertisements occur. To get into a little more detail programmatic is a digital, data-driven way to sell ads that involve different entities. One entity that offers an ad spot (audio content) and several others that bid for that ad spot (advertisers). Programmatic involves an electronic auction, where there are requests for bids and bid offers just like a traditional auction but without the person in a suit shouting out prices at the speed of light!

Programmatic advertising allows you, the podcaster, to take the guesswork out of making money with your podcast. Instead of seeking our own sponsors or advertiser, with Spreaker, you are able to use our built-in programmatic marketplace. Our marketplace is full of advertisers who are ready and willing to automatically deliver targeted and relevant ads on your podcast. It is as simple as flipping a switch.

Programmatic ads can help podcasters sell 100% of their inventory, domestically and internationally. So, for example, if 30% of your podcast listeners are from France, then Spreaker can serve them specific ads for that specific region.

Myth: Programmatic is Disruptive

Whereas across other sectors we are seeing trends that show that individuals are less receptive and tolerant to advertising, this continues not to be the case with podcast listeners. In fact, when it comes to ads, podcast listeners are more engaged and higher converting than any other advertising medium.

Podcasters are creating communities around their shows and developing authentic relationships with their listeners. Podcast audiences are becoming loyal listeners. This means that if a host endorses a specific product, listeners will, more often than not, trust that endorsement.

And that is what makes podcast advertising powerful and profitable. 

These listeners — also referred to as “Super Listeners” as PodcastOne and Edison Research calls them — are usually difficult to reach with traditional advertising, but are quite open to ads from podcasting. In a study conducted by Morning Consult more than half (52%) of podcast listeners said they’d be more likely to try a product or service if it’s recommended by the host of their favorite podcast.

Not although advertising in podcasts has been perceived by some as being disruptive, what we have found in our experience is that this is only the case when they are not managed correctly. In reality, programmatic ads can be seamlessly stitched into strategic breaks in a podcaster’s content. Furthermore, advertisers are becoming increasingly better at recording ads in a tone of voice that creates a pleasant and engaging listening experience. So how can you monetize your podcast?

Podcast Monetization with Programmatic

Programmatic advertising is the future of podcast monetization. While some content creators are worried that it will jeopardize the intimacy of the audio experience, we see a lot of positives for podcasters, advertisers, and listeners.

Let’s look at an example. At Spreaker, we have a program called Spreaker Prime, one of the only podcast programs out there that is fully committed to supporting the growth of up-and-coming content creators by increasing their podcast’s exposure and maximizing podcast monetization.

Our program is for talented independent podcasters and networks who really want to monetize their content. One of the ways they do this is with programmatic advertising. Our prime members aren’t podcasters who each have millions of listeners. In fact, to be part of the program you simply have to have 5,000 downloads per month. And yet some of our prime program members have had the opportunity to earn a living from podcasting. Josh Hallmark, host and producer of Our Americana, True Crime Bullsh**, and The Karen & Ellen Letters, finally had the chance to make a full-time income off of podcasting thanks to Spreaker Prime.

So how can you harness the power of programmatic and monetize your podcast?

That's where Spreaker comes in. 

Dynamic Ad Insertion

Spreaker’s dynamic ad insertion allows podcasters to insert an ad anywhere in a podcast episode – pre-roll (beginning), mid-roll (middle), or post-roll (end). Spreaker makes this so easy with our ad software as you can either manually choose points in the episode where you want your ads inserted or you can simply click a switch that auto-optimizes all ads in a particular episode.

Spreaker Pro Tip: Where your podcast listeners are located matters in terms of your revenue-making potential.

Advertising revenue comes from, well, advertisers. A region-based company that only sells within a specific market territory is only looking to advertise to people within that territory. 

In other words, advertisers have specific target audiences in mind when they invest in podcasts. In countries where podcasting advertising is booming, like the United States, there are more companies using podcasts as an advertising medium meaning the ad possibilities are much larger than in smaller markets where podcast advertising isn’t as common. This sometimes means that a podcaster can have hundreds of thousands of downloads, but because most of those impressions are located outside of regions where advertisers are investing in they aren’t earning the same as if their listeners were from the US. 

Silence Detection for Ad Markers

The first iteration of our automatic insertion ad tool was created to be really simple. We designed a system that analyzed the episode and determined the best ad placement and ad load. Ads were placed evenly spaced within the episode.

All the podcaster had to do was to finetune the ad placement to avoid breaking a sentence in two. This usually meant shifting the ad a few seconds earlier or later based with help of the player and its zoomable waveform.

But we wanted to make it even more intuitive and easy for you to monetize your podcast.

As a result, we developed a system that analyzes your podcast episodes and finds specific moments of silence. It then ranks all of these based on the duration, the distance between each silent spot, and its position within the episode.

No finetuning required! No more sentences cut midway! The silence detection is a game-changer in programmatic ad insertion and means your content is completely undisturbed, the listener experience is superb and you can earn money from your content with peace of mind. 

Triple Ad Markers

It is common practice to use a double ad break within your podcast contest, this means one ad spot within your waveform which plays two ads back-to-back usually these ads are 30 seconds each.

Triple ad breaks are something our podcasters have been requesting from us for a while now, so we listened. With Spreaker, podcasters can choose to add single, double, or even triple ad breaks within their content. This gives podcasters more control of the number of ads and breaks in their episodes and allows you to increase your revenues with the click of a button. 

The Power of Programmatic in Podcast Monetization

If you want to monetize your podcast, then the time is now. As advertising revenue swells year-on-year, the opportunities and approaches to monetization are shifting and becoming increasingly accessible, leaving the traditional models of sponsorship behind.

There is no better time to start considering podcast monetization than at this exact moment. But let’s be clear. You can start monetizing from the beginning, but this doesn’t mean that you can monetize your show from day one. See the difference? 

As soon as you can, you start to lay the foundations for monetization which is a strong community of listeners and the right hosting platform. Then you will begin to see the benefits as your audience grows. The trick is to think of it as a long game. Start monetizing now, by turning on programmatic ads in Spreaker, but at the same time, develop a long-term business plan. It will be hard, and you’ll have to hustle, but if you stick with it in a smart and authentic way, then you will eventually get there.

And if you aren’t part of the Spreaker family, then we would recommend migrating your podcast to Spreaker, especially if you have a full catalog of shows. Why? Well, because you can start making money almost immediately by placing ads in your entire back catalog. 

In the end, podcasts have become the media’s next giant growth market.

So the question remains, are you taking full advantage of programmatic advertising, or are you leaving money on the table.