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
Dec 3, 2025 • 7min
Gen Z's News Problem, Advantages of Audio Podcasting, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: Gen Z has a news trust problem, video podcasters might be missing the advantages of audio, and podcast ad loads.Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Dec 3, 2025 • 5min
Forget Podfade - Let’s Talk About Creator Fade
Sign up for How (and Why) to Budget for Podcast Awards in 2026Churn is part of podcasting, but The Creators 2025 finds some creators are quitting more than just individual podcasts.Written and narrated by Tom WebsterEdited by Bryan Barletta and Gavin GaddisAudio editing by Gavin GaddisFind the full article here on Sounds Profitable.
Dec 2, 2025 • 7min
Acast UK Launches YouTube Program, Audio's Long Tail, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: The Podcast Show returns to London in Q1 2026, Acast and Little Dot Studios launch managed campaigns for YouTube podcasters in the UK, a look at opportunities for podcasting in 2026, and how podcast ads can best take advantage of big sale dates like Cyber Monday. Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Dec 1, 2025 • 7min
Public RSS on Patreon, LATAM Podcasting Report, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: the Podglomerate x Sounds Profitable webinar about budgeting for podcast awards submissions is next Wednesday, Triton Digital announces their 2025 LATAM Audio Insights report, Spotify is reportedly going to raise Premium prices next year, Patreon users can now host free open RSS podcasts, iHeartMedia makes a "guaranteed human" promise, and Derek Thompson reflects on how everything is "television" now.Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Nov 25, 2025 • 7min
Podcasting's No Longer a Side Gig, Premium Merch Possibilities, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: upcoming webinars from Sounds Profitable, an influencer is ending her 5-figures-a-year podcast, a Bloomberg report on the companies advertising on conservative podcasts, and GQ interviews Bill Nighy for his new advice podcast. . Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Nov 24, 2025 • 5min
Creator Ad Spend ⬆️ 26%, Amazon on Audio's Omnichannel Power, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: new IAB report on the creator economy, closing the sound gap, and how journalists can maximize connection with podcasting.. Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Nov 21, 2025 • 11min
Building Brands With Podcasts, Industry 2025 Reflections, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: today is the last day to submit to the Podscape winter update, Tom Webster discusses building a brand to sell with your podcast, IAB Australia announces first 2026 event dates and survey, The Podglomerate presents 22 industry leaders looking back at the year and forward to the next, tracking how loyal your podcast audience is, and Eventbrite partners with Listener.com. . Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Nov 20, 2025 • 8min
Two Different Kinds of Podcasting, Industry 2026 Predictions, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: the Podscape deadline is fast approaching, a look at Happy Dad seltzer and what it means for podcast branding, is video creating two different types of podcasting, podcasts are a highlight of Defector's annual income report, and what to do when a podcast reaches critical advertising mass. . Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Nov 20, 2025 • 14min
Clawing Their Way to Ownership: Why Some Podcasters Are Building Products Instead of Reading Ads
Submit to the Podscape (Deadline is end-of-day November 21st)A look at what happens when the creators themselves are the brand.Written and narrated by Tom WebsterEdited by Bryan Barletta and Gavin GaddisAudio editing by Gavin GaddisFind the full article here on Sounds Profitable.
Nov 19, 2025 • 5min
Bridging Live Events with Podcast Data, iHeartRadio Adds Shortform, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: Eventbrite announces new integration with Listener.com, Apple Podcasts reveals the Top Podcasts lists of 2025, Oxford Road releases the November ORBIT report, and iHeartRadio rolls out short-form video clips in their app. . Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
