

Sounds Profitable
Bryan Barletta
The pace of change the podcast industry is undergoing is staggering. The implications for podcasters, hosting providers, podcast listening app developers, and advertisers and agencies are enormous. And so is the growth potential. Presented as a companion to the weekly newsletter of the same name, our podcast provides you with direct access to our narrated articles, interviews with industry experts, bleeding-edge research, and can't miss industry news recaps. That Sounds Profitable, right? Assumptions and conventional wisdom will be challenged. Easy answers with no proof of efficacy will be exposed. Because the thinking that got podcast advertising close to a billion dollars annually will need to be drastically overhauled to bring in the tens or hundreds of billions of dollars podcast advertising deserves.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 7, 2024 • 3min
Asking Tough Brand Safety Qs, Defining Creator vs. Influencer, & More
Here's what you need to know for today in the business of podcasting: the ad industry redefines influencing, big questions in brand safety, and The Podscape opens submissions.Find links to every article mentioned and the full write-up here on Sounds Profitable.

Nov 5, 2024 • 5min
Tracking Podcast Tracking, Super Bowl is Sold Out, & More
Here's what you need to know for today in the business of podcasting: the Super Bowl sells out, tracking podcast tracking, and lessons from advertising week.Find links to every article mentioned and the full write-up here on Sounds Profitable.

Nov 4, 2024 • 3min
Issues with Third-Party Pod Tracking, SXM's Podcasting Q3, & More
Here's what you need to know for today in the business of podcasting: a new UK podcast ranker, Q3 earnings from SXM, and how marketing executives are prepping influencers for the election.Find links to every article mentioned and the full write-up here on Sounds Profitable.

Nov 1, 2024 • 8min
Selling Podcasts with Curiosity, FTC Influencer Ad Crackdown, & More
Here's what you need to know for this week in the business of podcasting: new FTC crackdowns on false advertising, better podcast marketing, and shoppers are starting holiday prep earlier.Find links to every article mentioned and the full write-up here on Sounds Profitable.

Oct 31, 2024 • 5min
New IAB Guide to Selling Podcasting, Inspiring Curiosity in Podcasts, & More
Here's what you need to know for today in the business of podcasting: the curiosity gap and now to cross it, getting audio and podcasting on your brand's media plan, and what emotion AI can do for advertising as we know it.Find links to every article mentioned and the full write-up here on Sounds Profitable.

Oct 31, 2024 • 9min
Better Podcast Marketing and The Curiosity Gap
It’s one thing to use generic descriptions to explain a song or podcast, but there’s power in creating curiosity with a recommendation.
Written and narrated by Tom Webster
Audio edited by Newton Schottelkotte
Hosted by Spreaker
Sounds Profitable: Narrated Articles is a production of Sounds Profitable. For more information, visit soundsprofitable.com.

Oct 30, 2024 • 5min
Acast on the Podcast Pulse, False Endorsement Law Arrives, & More
Here's what you need to know for today in the business of podcasting: a new FTC law cracks down, podcasting advertising transcends audio, and why Prime Day could be different this year.Find links to every article mentioned and the full write-up here on Sounds Profitable.

Oct 29, 2024 • 3min
New Sonic Branding Report, Influencer Marketing's Political 🧳, & More
Here's what you need to know for today in the business of podcasting: a report card on beauty brands, why influencer marketing has gotten risky, and new partnerships.Find links to every article mentioned and the full write-up here on Sounds Profitable.

Oct 28, 2024 • 4min
Podcast Socials Drive Watch Time, Consumer Election Anticipation, & More
Here's what you need to know for today in the business of podcasting: a report on podcast watch time, how to get your podcast on platform lists, and election anxieties drive consumer purchasing.Find links to every article mentioned and the full write-up here on Sounds Profitable.

Oct 25, 2024 • 34min
[Feed Drop] From Competitors to Partners: The Story Behind the Industry's Biggest Union
This week Bryan Barletta guested on the Media Roundtable podcast, here's the episode! Original description for the episode is as follows: The Media Roundtable is back! This week, we're making waves in the podcasting world with a groundbreaking announcement that's set to reshape the industry.If you haven’t heard, Oxford Road and Veritone One, under Insignia Capital Group, plan to join forces to form the world's largest podcast and creator-based video agency. Starting immediately, Oxford Road’s CEO & Founder, Dan Granger, will lead both organizations.So with an eye to the future, Dan Granger (CEO, Oxford Road & Veritone One) sat down with Conor Doyle, (President, Veritone One) and Bryan Barletta (Founder & Partner, Sound Profitable) to talk through the big deal and why it’s such a big deal.The excitement in the room is palpable as Conor and Dan go from competitors to collaborators. They’re talking value-alignment, industry impact, and how it’ll help CAOs. Let’s dig in."Brands haven't really had a collective voice. And they're the ones paying everybody's bills. They should be at the top of the food chain." Dan Granger (CEO, Oxford Road & Veritone One)Values are Everything 💯- In early conversations, it was clear that Insignia was not your typical private equity group. Their alignment of values (transparency, not being defensive) and a proven agency track record showed the Oxford Road and Veritone One teams that a deal wasn’t just possible, it made all the sense in the world.Empowering Brands with a Collective Voice 📣 – One of the most significant benefits is giving brands a stronger voice in the industry. Bryan notes, "There's an opportunity for brands to have a bigger voice... Now being in a situation where we can challenge that and have that conversation with just the buyers." This forthcoming merger positions the newly combined agency to advocate more effectively for advertisers, shaping industry standards to better meet their needs.Unmatched Expertise and Resources 🚀 – Integrating Oxford Road's innovation and international traction with Veritone One's advanced technology and data capabilities, creates a powerhouse of expertise. Conor highlights the excitement of "setting the laser pointer" on new industry challenges, leveraging their combined strengths to drive growth and efficiency for clients.Strengthening Industry Partnerships 🤗 – Addressing concerns about consolidation, both Dan and Conor reassure that relationships with advertisers and media partners remain top priority. As Conor says, "We do not exist without either of those relationships... We're joined at the hip to make this work." The combined entity will aim to enhance collaborations that benefit publishers, creators, and brands alike.


