Podcast News Digest: Magellan AI
There are lots of news topics affecting podcasters, and sometimes it’s hard to make sense of them all. Fortunately, The Podcast Host commits to removing obstacles between you and your ideal podcast. We can digest the big podcast news stories for you, so you know how this affects you. Then, we show you what to do with this information.
Magellan AI recently released its report of the top spenders, movers and shakers in podcast advertising for April 2021. The only surprise news here is Samsung went from spending nothing on podcast ads in March, to spending well over $1.4 million in April. Why the sudden change? Two words: Mother’s Day. Gadgets are the new jewelry, and a new phone lasts longer than flowers. Of the other big podcast ad buyers for the month, there aren’t any shocks. If you listen to podcasts, you’ve heard ads for Betterhelp. and ZipRecruiter.
What does this news mean for the average independent podcaster?
News about Samsung spending $1.4 billion probably doesn’t mean much if it’s not going directly into your pocket. But, there are some things you can learn from it.
Firstly, Samsung made an extremely smart move by advertising on podcasts. Samsung knows that if people are listening to a podcast, they’re more than likely to be listening on a phone. There, only a few clicks gets the audience to buy their gadgets. Matthew showed us, in his article about advertising your podcast with Overcast, that ads on that podcast listening app work. If a person sees the ad on Overcast, they’re already a podcast enthusiast, and can click on it immediately. It’s the shortest possible route between your target audience and your content. So, basically, Samsung’s big podcast news tells me that I should advertise my podcast on a podcast. If I don’t have a couple hundred bucks to spend on an Overcast ad, I can still do a trailer swap with another podcaster in my community.
Secondly, I can read this list, see which companies show interest in podcasts, and find out if they have an affiliate program. For example, Squarespace’s robust affiliate program advertises on podcasts so much that their name has become synonymous with podcast media.
If a company doesn’t mention an affiliate program on their website, a well-written email to their marketing department doesn’t hurt. Keep it short, sweet, and informative, just like how you’d pitch any potential sponsor.
Most importantly, look at the advertisers, their products, and the podcast categories they buy into. You shouldn’t bend your podcast topic or content to please an advertiser. Instead, see what companies buy into your topic, or a topic like yours. Samsung might not fit for your fly fishing podcast, but Molson Coors might surprise you.
Podcast News, Digested
It’s kind of fun to pick apart how these huge corporations spend money, see what you can learn from it, and use it. Samsung is finally learning what independent podcasters already know: podcasts build intimacy and trust. Podcasting doesn’t have to be confusing. If it is, we’re happy to help. Podcraft Academy can help you plan, record, edit, launch and promote your show. We can also take care of some of the tech for you, with Alitu. Let’s find new ways to grow your show.
