Sounds Profitable - podcast cover

Sounds Profitable

Bryan Barlettaart19.com
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.
Last refreshed:
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Download Metacast podcast app
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

Podcasting's Trust in Sports, Live Tours Continue Growing, & More

Today in the business of podcasting: Jim Salveson on sports podcasting's powers, CMOs discuss 2026 priorities, podcasts on the living room screen, podcast live shows are pulling in the big bucks (and new audiences for venues), and Meta beefs up podcast promo capabilities on Threads. 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....

Jan 06, 20267 minEp. 723

700mil Hours of YouTube Podcasts, GenAI's Indie Pod Issue, & More

Today in the business of podcasting: the company stripping ads from podcasts for money, why AI doesn't recommend indie podcasts, video podcast production hiccups, 700 million hours of YouTube podcasts consumed on TVs in October, and all signal/no noise with music videos. 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....

Jan 05, 20269 minEp. 722

Podcasting's Creator Churn Problem, Netflix is Making Deals, & More

Today in the business of podcasting: podcasting's creator churn problem (and how to fix it), Oxford Road has had a couple studies this week, Netflix has been making deals, and Signal Hill Insights looks back at the year in research. 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 19, 202511 minEp. 721

Audio's UK ROI Moment, Netflix Licenses Barstool Sports Pods, & More

Today in the business of podcasting: Netflix signs several Barstool Sports video podcasts, graphs showing why YouTube is at the top of the media watch-time pile, and a look back at audio data for the UK in 2025. 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 18, 20255 minEp. 720

The Inventory and The Scale

Podcasting has a creator churn problem that needs fixing. Written and narrated by Tom Webster Edited by Bryan Barletta and Gavin Gaddis Audio editing by Gavin Gaddis Find the full article here on Sounds Profitable.

Dec 18, 20259 minEp. 719

The Year's Top Podcasting Data Trends, Audio Joins UK Creative Council, & More

Today in the business of podcasting: three big trends in podcasting data from this year, YouTube targets TV advertisers, Oxford Road and Podscribe find YouTube podcasts can be up to 25% worse at conversion than audio podcast ads, and podcasts formally get a seat on the UK Creative Industries Council. 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 17, 20256 minEp. 718

Indie Agencies on Audio, Podcasting's Liquid Content Era, & More

Today in the business of podcasting: 2026 ad spend expectations, indies growing as a power in audio spend, and podcasting's new liquid content phase. 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 16, 20254 minEp. 717

"OG" Podcasts Dominate Ad Performance, iHeart 🔜 Netflix, & More

Today in the business of podcasting: Oxford Road has a new ORBIT report about "OG" podcasts, new details surface about a reported upcoming iHeartPodcasts and Netflix deal, and why companies want "Storytellers" more and more these days. 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 15, 20255 minEp. 716

Podcasting's Creator Gap, Spotify Wrapped for Advertisers, & More

Today in the business of podcasting: findings from The Creators 2025, why Blue Wire Podcasts has focused athletes, Chartable has finally shut down, and Spotify Wrapped for Advertisers is here. 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 12, 20259 minEp. 715

TikTok Launches Video Podcast, Digital Audio's Brand Lift in Ireland, & More

Today in the business of podcasting: coverage of The Creators 2025, TikTok launches a video podcast tonight, and AudioXi looks at digital audio ad performance in a recent campaign. 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 11, 20254 minEp. 714

New Podcast Creator Research, YouTube Enhances A/B Testing, & More

Today in the business of podcasting: Sounds Profitable publishes The Creators study, Spotify Wrapped for Advertisers is here, why Blue Wire Podcasts favors athletes over influencer hosts, A/B testing for video titles has launched on YouTube, and The Washington Post is demoing an AI tool to generate "personal podcasts" recapping news. 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 10, 20256 minEp. 713

Chartable Officially Closes, WPP Ad Growth Forecast, & More

Today in the business of podcasting: Chartable formally shuts down, WPP raises their forecast for ad growth this year, and Tink Media publishes their annual Audio Delicacies list. 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 09, 20255 minEp. 712

Apple Podcasts' Show of the Year, Talkhouse Appoints Laura Mayer, & More

Today in the business of podcasting: Talkhouse signs Laura Mayer as Head of Podcasts, CRA members capture 33% of Australia's digital ad market, the six podcasts nominated for a Golden Globe next year, Apple Podcasts names their Show of the Year, and how startups are finding podcast advertising in a world where big brands are buying ads too. 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 08, 20256 minEp. 711

Keeping Podcasts Mobile, Patreon's Public RSS Feeds, & More

Today in the business of podcasting: "creator fade" is a problem for podcasting, avoiding video super-serving, Acast and Little Dot Studios team up for YouTube managed campaigns, and iHeartMedia launches a "guarenteed human" core branding message. 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 05, 202510 minEp. 710

Global Podcast Advertising Report, Creators Leaving Podcasting, & More

Today in the business of podcasting: 1/3rd of creators who try making podcasts leave the medium entirely, new Global Podcast Advertising Compass study, and the advertising industry looks forward to 2026. 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 04, 20255 minEp. 709

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 03, 20257 minEp. 708

Forget Podfade - Let’s Talk About Creator Fade

Sign up for How (and Why) to Budget for Podcast Awards in 2026 Churn is part of podcasting, but The Creators 2025 finds some creators are quitting more than just individual podcasts. Written and narrated by Tom Webster Edited by Bryan Barletta and Gavin Gaddis Audio editing by Gavin Gaddis Find the full article here on Sounds Profitable....

Dec 03, 20255 minEp. 707

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 02, 20257 minEp. 706

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 Down...

Dec 01, 20257 minEp. 705

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 25, 20257 minEp. 704

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 24, 20255 minEp. 703

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 SoundsProfitabl...

Nov 21, 202511 minEp. 702

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, 20258 minEp. 701

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....

Nov 19, 20255 minEp. 699

IAB AU Audio Advertising Survey, Influencer ROI Transparency, & More

Today in the business of podcasting: The deadline to submit to The Podscape is this Friday, Cloudflare outage plays havok with the internet, The Hollywood Reporter and Spotify post the hour-long roundtable with Golden Globes Best Podcast nominees, IAB Australia confirms dates for early 2026 events and survey for Audio Advertising State of Nation, Digidal looks at the growing sophisitication of influencer marketing, and Local Files Club brings a new twist to audio fiction monetization. Find links...

Nov 18, 20257 minEp. 698

Podcast Audiences Still Listen, Evolving Live Events, & More

Today in the business of podcasting: audio remains the primary mode of podcast consumption, how loyal is your podcast audience?, PAVE teams up with Katheryn Nicolai for special live event, the State of Podcast Business, and CRA announces CRA Audio ID. 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 17, 20258 minEp. 697

Indie Podcaster Report, Podcast Movement Evolutions @ SXSW, & More

Today in the business of podcasting: Podcast Movement Evolutions is going to SXSW next year, Netflix is looking to have a big library of video podcasts, the Independent Podcaster Report, how YouTube podcasts can help with AI search, and USC report finds podcasting's diversity problem at the top of the pack. 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 14, 202512 minEp. 696

Podcast Movement 🔜 SXSW, In-Store Audio Ad Conversions, & More

This "oops all quick hits" episode provides an essential overview of the latest developments in the podcast industry. It highlights Podcast Movement's shift to SXSW, PodScribe's in-store conversion tracking, ACAST's enhanced ad sponsorship process, and a holiday wish list for TuneIn. The episode also covers new reports on Australian podcast advertising trends, strategic network partnerships, and a significant executive appointment at Nielsen.

Nov 13, 20254 minEp. 695

Audio vs. Video Podcast ROI, Threads Improves Podcast Links, & More

A USC study reveals a significant lack of diversity among top podcast hosts, highlighting a potential disconnect with incoming audiences. The episode also details Spotify and NMPA's new audiovisual licensing portal for indie publishers, alongside a report comparing the production costs and ROI of audio versus video podcasts. Finally, it explores Netflix's ambitious plans for video podcasts and Threads' new visual enhancements for shared podcast links.

Nov 12, 20256 minEp. 694
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android