Now Do This – Breaking Down Podscribe’s Benchmark Report with Pete Birsinger

In a brand new episode of the Media Roundtable, we’re going DEEP on data with Podscribe’s Q4 2024 Benchmark report. There’s a treasure trove of insights, so we’re sifting, questioning and transforming them into real action for all of you Chief Audio Officers out there.

Back on the host microphone is Oxford Road Founder & CEO Dan Granger, along with fellow Oxford Road luminary Neal Lucey. And we’ve brought back the absolutely best person to break down this report, Pete Birsinger, CEO & Founder of Podscribe. Together we’re talking ad lengths, iOS shake ups, and whether the juice is worth the squeeze for your audio picks. Let’s dig in.

“If you are an advertiser who tried podcasting in the last two years, and it wasn't all that you ever dreamed it would be, it might be time to revisit it soon... because the performance has gotten better.”

Digging the Download Dip 🙌- iOS 17’s change in automatic downloads caused some sensational headlines, showing a drop in downloads (h/t to Pete for leading the charge on highlighting the issue). But this is good news for CAOs. Actual listening impressions haven’t changed, our reporting just got better, and conversions are up.

The More You Tell, the More You Sell 🤑- Lots of great nuggets on best creative practices from the benchmark (✅ Baked-in, ✅ Host-read), but one that really stands out, is length of ads. Generally, according to the Podscribe data, the longer the ad, the better the performance. Of course, it’s worth testing for yourself to see where your most efficient ad units are (and to see if some clever host thought-starters can stretch the conversation).

Metrics and Price 🧐- Most of all, now that you know what generally performs better for the industry, you can price it accordingly. All of your audio options can be worth it–at the right price. According to the report, podcast beats streaming (1.4-1.8x), so if you’re paying the same CPM, you’re either getting a great deal on podcast or a bad deal on streaming. Make sure to track your metrics and ask for discounts when you don’t see enough value. (And shoot us a message if you need help!)

To see your Q4 in a whole new light, with some bold CAO moves, tune into the full episode by clicking the link below.

Bianca Gorodinsky