Of course, you’d want to keep the momentum going after successfully finishing, but how exactly do you go about doing that? The simple answer is to continue your campaigns. This article walks you through what you can do to keep your campaigns successful!

Metrics to Keep an Eye On

Metrics are essential to understanding how and why your podcast advertising campaign is working. There are plenty of metrics to watch, but the most important ones for podcast advertising, in particular, are those telling you where your customers are coming from. You can achieve this in a handful of ways!

By Conversions

One of the best ways to determine whether your campaign was a success, and to track future success, is to review conversion metrics such as Promo Code/Vanity URL uses and employ pixel tracking (both of which you can do through RedCircle!)

A “tracking pixel” is a small snippet of code that allows you to gather information about visitors to your website. Tracking pixels often appear as a long URL string. Why is this important to podcast advertisers? Well, this provides the brand running the campaign information confirming that the ad was served. Brands will often use an “Impressions Tracking Pixel” to track the number of listeners their ad has reached. 

You can use these tracking pixels to see if the listeners visit your website in the future. Tracking pixels essentially drop on the listeners’ networks where the podcast impression occurred and lets you know when one of these listeners visits your website in the near future.

Promo Codes and Vanity URLs provide a direct look at how many customers followed the call-to-action (CTA) from the selected podcast’s ad(s). You can evaluate the strength of their ad by the number of folks who purchased from your site using the provided promo code or vanity URL.

By Website Analytics

But what if your campaign was more about brand awareness than purchases? That’s where website and social media analytics come into play. 

One way to track brand awareness is through direct traffic vs referred (referral) traffic. See how many visitors came to your site from links from the podcaster, perhaps through their show notes or even social media mentions.

Speaking of social media, you can check out the number of visits, follows, and engagements your brand received during and after the podcast campaign. These metrics are especially important if the podcaster interacted with your brand on social media in some way.

By Self-Reporting

And finally, you can just ask your visitors why they decided to check you out with a simple survey. You can create a survey that asks the age-old “how did you hear about us” question and see if the podcasts you worked with pop up. 

Provide Plenty of Feedback

A truly excellent way to continue your fantastic podcast advertising campaigns is to provide your partner podcasters with feedback! They won’t know what is and isn’t working if they’re not given that information. Our Advertising Team is always ready and available to work with you to share that feedback. (You can contact them here!)

And check out our blog post on how to set your partner podcasts up for success!

Keep Building the Relationship

If you found a podcast that works for your brand, then be sure to nurture that relationship! It’s vital to create a good working relationship with your partner podcasters so that you both benefit from the collaboration.

We encourage both our podcasters and our advertisers to go into campaigns with a partnership mentality. Meaning that you’re both working towards a common goal with these campaigns! Our blog post on setting up your partner podcasts for success also covers all the different ways you can build a relationship with podcasters. From providing constructive feedback to giving them the resources they need to do a stellar job, there’s plenty that you can do to create a fruitful partnership!

Podcast advertising can be an incredible way to generate buzz about your brand, as well as create life-long partners and advocates! The key to keeping up the success is to keep an eye on metrics, provide your partner podcasts with feedback, and build a relationship with your chosen advocates.

Looking to advertise on our catalog of hundreds and hundreds of amazing podcasts? Get in contact with our Advertising team today!

The post How to Keep the Momentum Going After Your First Podcast Ad Campaign appeared first on RedCircle Blog.

One-third (or 32%) of American adults listen to podcasts a few times a month. So, there’s a significant chance that your target consumers tune in to podcasts at least once during the month (and 10% of U.S. adults listen every day!) Learning how to run successful podcast ad campaigns can help you reach your consumers with ease.

Have a Budget in Mind

The first step to creating a podcast ad campaign is to have a budget in mind. A key thing to keep in mind when determining your budget is what type of shows you want to advertise on. While larger shows with huge audiences seem like the best bet, they can be pretty pricey and you may end up getting less coverage than you’d like. Smaller shows allow more bang for your buck, as you can run your campaign on more episodes which may reach a larger variety of listeners.

Select the Right Partners

With a budget in mind, it’s now time to decide where you want your campaign to run. As we noted earlier, larger shows may seem like the obvious play but keep in mind that you may get less than what you expect due to their pricing. Our Advertising team recommends a blend of podcast types when testing your first campaign. A couple of large shows to explore that avenue, and a few small shows to test those waters.

You also want to make sure that your brand fits with the selected podcasts. Look for podcasts that align with your industry or products, as well as those that have a dedicated and engaged following. Consider factors like the podcast’s content, audience size, and overall vibe. Smaller shows typically have a more dedicated and engaged audience than the huge shows, so it’s worth exploring those types of podcasts!

A part of finding the right podcast to advertise on is understanding your audience. Take the time to create detailed customer personas, including demographics, interests, and pain points. This knowledge will guide you in selecting podcasts that align with your ideal customer base.

When you know your audience well, you can choose podcasts that share a similar audience profile, ensuring that your message reaches the right people. This targeted approach maximizes the impact of your ad campaigns.

Devise Your Ad Strategy

The next step after deciding on a budget and selecting podcasts is to figure out how exactly you want to run your first ad campaign.

There are 3 places in an episode where you can place your ad: Pre-Roll, Mid-Roll, and Post-Roll. 

Pre-Roll is the very beginning of the episode. Ads in the Pre-Roll position can be played before the show’s introduction or after the show’s introduction depending on the podcaster’s preference. Ads assigned to the Pre-Roll position are played within the beginning 25% of the episode.

Mid-Roll is the middle of the episode. Many podcasters create a special break specifically for ads in the middle of their podcast. They lead in with something like, “and now let’s hear from our sponsors this week…” Ads assigned to the Mid-Roll position play 25% to 75% of the way through the episode. On RedCircle, podcasters can manipulate where in the episode they want Mid-Rolls to be.

This position generally has the highest impressions due to listeners often being engaged in another activity while listening. This reduces the chance that listeners skip over the ad. Host-Read ads do well in this position!

Post-Roll is at the very end of the episode. Ads assigned to the Post-Roll position play during the last 25% of the episode. While many may believe this position isn’t ideal, it’s still valuable especially when ads are placed before podcasters sign off. These ads are also effective when listeners “binge-listen” to their favorite podcast. Rather than skipping to the next episode, they just allow the Post-Roll ads to finish and wait for the next episode to automatically start playing. Similar to Mid-Roll, many listeners are engaged in another activity so they may not want to fool around with their device just to skip.

If you’re just testing the waters, then opting for a blend of positions is always a good idea. Try starting with Pre-Roll and Mid-Roll positions as those two typically perform the best overall. However, be sure to keep in mind that Mid-Roll tends to be the most expensive as it’s usually the highest performer.

Track Your Success

In order to understand the success of your first campaign it’s recommended to use specific measurement tools such as promo codes or vanity URLs to track progress.

A promo code is a code unique to the podcaster you’re working with during the campaign. Typically, podcasters create their own promo codes, like “RC Insider”. Create discount codes using these promo codes and easily keep track of where purchases are flowing in from.

You can also use a vanity URL to track the progress of your campaign. A vanity URL is a URL for your website that incorporates the specific podcaster. Something like, “https://yourbrandname.com/podcastpartner”. This allows you to track exactly where your website visitors are first landing.

Be sure to check in during the campaign to see how many listeners are making their way over to your site. Visitors can trickle in even after a month since your campaign aired!

Keep Testing!

New shows are always being added to hosting platforms as more and more folks start to dip their toes into podcast creation. The number of podcasts in the United States is expected to keep increasing! New shows that fit your brand and style are cropping up every day. It’s wise to keep the door open for podcast advertising after your first campaign!

Be sure to check out these other blog articles for more information on how to absolutely ace your first podcast ad campaign!

• 5 Tips & Tricks on Running a Successful Podcast Ad Campaign
• Advertisers, Set Your Hosts Up for Success!
• Introducing Multi-Scripts: Create Infinite Personalized Scripts In Minutes
• Podcast Advertising for Small Businesses

Our Advertising Team would love to connect if you’re curious about podcast advertising. Sign up today to get started!

The post Running Your First Podcast Ad Campaign appeared first on RedCircle Blog.

ARM conducted a 14-month study that looked over $80 million in ad spend to determine the perfect number of ads for each ad break. While 2 ads were just right, they found that ad breaks with 3-4 performed only about 12% worse. However, ad breaks with 5 or more ads completely tanked. Ad breaks with 5 or more ads performed 46% worse than those with 2 ad breaks.

Ad breaks packed with ads performed worse most likely due to listener fatigue. Listeners inundated with ads may feel overwhelmed and decide to skip ads altogether. Podcasters should be cognizant of the number of ad slots they have placed in their episodes to ensure the perfect balance of ads and content.

Of course, the number of ad breaks depends heavily on the length of your episodes. Podcasts with episodes 15-20 minutes or less should aim to have 1-2 ad breaks per episode. One Pre-Roll Insertion Point and one Post-Roll often do the trick!

Podcasts with longer episodes, 30 minutes or more, should try to have at least one Pre-Roll Insertion Point, one Mid-Roll Insertion Point, and one Post-Roll Insertion Point. If the podcast is quite long, 1.5 to 2 hours, then an extra Mid-Roll Insertion Point is totally okay to add. (But be sure to space them out properly!)

Striking the right balance might seem onerous, but sticking to the above suggestions will help you to maximize your revenue!

The post Less is More: How Many Ads Should There Be in an Ad Break? appeared first on RedCircle Blog.

This article fits nicely with our other blog posts dedicated to helping advertisers get the most out of their campaigns, including:

• 5 Tips & Tricks on Running a Successful Podcast Ad Campaign
• Advertisers, Set Your Hosts Up for Success!
• Programmatic Advertising for Podcasters 101
• Podcast Advertising for Small Businesses

Types of Podcast Ad Formats

There are two main types of Ad Formats in podcasting: Programmatic Ads and Host-Read Ads. These two formats differ quite drastically in multiple aspects and are often used for different purposes. In addition to Programmatic and Host-Read Ads, there’s also Branded Content which often integrates the brand into the entire podcast episode experience. Let’s take a closer look at what each of these formats entails.

Programmatic Ads

Programmatic Ads are typically professionally pre-recorded advertisements. Similar to old-school radio ads, these ads range from a large variety of categories including entertainment, education, real estate, technology, and more. 

These ads are usually pretty short (about 30 seconds max) and are provided by an agency or advertiser. On RedCircle, these ads are dynamically inserted across hundreds of different podcasts in Pre-Roll, Mid-Roll, and Post-Roll positions (we’ll get to what these positions mean in the next section.) 

Host-Read Ads

Host-Read Ads are essentially what they sound like – advertisements read in the voice of the podcast host. Advertisers commonly provide podcasters with pre-written ad copy, resources on and about their brand/products, and any additional information they think will help create the best possible read! (For more advice, check out our blog post on setting up podcasters for success!)

These ads are longer in length and have a more conversational feel to them. Podcasters often have tried out the product, or are loyal customers already, and share their true experiences with your brand and/or product with their audience. The key to making this type of ad work for all parties involved is to treat it like a partnership. Work with the podcaster to make it a memorable and trustworthy ad!

These types of ads are mostly placed in the Pre and Mid-Roll positions as those tend to have the highest impressions.

Branded Content

This is a much newer form of podcast advertising but still worth mentioning! Branded content can mean an advertiser sponsoring an episode, a series of episodes, or even an entire dedicated podcast. 

For branded episodes, take a look at this excellent example from the podcast “My Brother, My Brother, & Me”. Totino’s worked with these hosts to create an episode all about their pizza products. But what made this branded episode a success wasn’t just the sponsorship, but the fundamental understanding Totino’s had about this podcast. They understood the hosts’ audience, their content, and allowed them to create an episode around their product and brand. This led to successful brand recognition and engagement.

What’s key about branded content is the alignment between brand, podcast, and audience. Brands that align well with the podcast and their audience can create a non-intrusive and overall entertaining experience, all while building awareness and engagement!

Where to Place the Ad

There are three places in a podcast where ads can be played: the beginning, middle, and end. These positions are known as “Pre-Roll”, “Mid-Roll”, and “Post-Roll”.

Pre-Roll is the very beginning of the episode. Ads in the Pre-Roll position can be played before the show’s introduction or after the show’s introduction depending on the podcaster’s preference. Ads assigned to the Pre-Roll position are played within the beginning 25% of the episode.

Mid-Roll is the middle of the episode. Many podcasters create a special break specifically for ads in the middle of their podcast. They lead in with something like, “and now let’s hear from our sponsors this week…” Ads assigned to the Mid-Roll position play 25% to 75% of the way through the episode. On RedCircle, podcasters can manipulate where in the episode they want Mid-Rolls to be.

This position generally has the highest impressions due to listeners often being engaged in another activity while listening. This reduces the chance that listeners skip over the ad. Host-Read ads do well in this position!

Post-Roll is at the very end of the episode. Ads assigned to the Post-Roll position play during the last 25% of the episode. While many may believe this position isn’t ideal, it’s still valuable especially when ads are placed before podcasters sign off. These ads are also effective when listeners “binge-listen” to their favorite podcast. Rather than skipping to the next episode, they just allow the Post-Roll ads to finish and wait for the next episode to automatically start playing. Similar to Mid-Roll, many listeners are engaged in another activity so they may not want to fool around with their device just to skip.

Where you decide to place your ad is up to you! Keep your budget and goals in mind to help you select the most optimal spot.

How to Choose the Right Ad Format

This might feel like an impossible task but evaluating what’s most important for your ad campaign can help you make this an easy decision. There are several factors to consider when choosing the right ad format for your campaign. It’s up to you, though, to weigh them out and decide which are the most pressing.

Advertising Goals

What are your goals for the campaign? Do you simply want to reach as many ears as possible, or do you want to build trust and authenticity with a specific set of people?

Budget

How much are you willing to invest in podcast advertising? The budget for your campaign can help determine which ad format to move forward with. Host-Read Ads tend to have higher CPMs when compared to Programmatic Ads, but they have the benefit of authenticity and higher listener engagement. On the other hand, Programmatic Ads allow for more testing and are a more cost-effective way to reach a larger audience.

Target Audience

Who are you looking to reach? If you just want to spread awareness of your brand and reach as many folks as possible, then Programmatic Ads would be the more appropriate option. But if you want to reach a more niche audience, one with high engagement, then pursuing Host-Read Ads would be ideal. For Host-Read Ads, choose shows that align with your product and your target audience’s interests. If you’re a sporting brand, then select shows that dive deeply into specific sports and teams.

Brand Alignment

One difference between Host-Read Ads and Programmatic is the ability to select the exact shows you want your ad campaign to run on. Selecting specific podcasts that align with your brand may get you better in touch with your ideal audience.

Ad Performance Metrics

Providing podcasts with a specific promo code or vanity URL can help you easily track the effectiveness of your campaign. You can view which customers visited your website after hearing your podcast advertisement campaign in comparison to your other methods. 

Reviewing your goals and figuring out what’s most important to you will help you select the perfect format for your campaign.

But why stop at one or the other? Both Host-Read Ads and Programmatic Ads have their advantages, and a combined strategy can help boost your brand awareness and bring in customers. You don’t need to commit forever to only one format; you can experiment with them, figure out what works best for your brand, and spend some time understanding the landscape of podcast advertising.

Ready to begin your adventure into podcast advertising? Let us be your trusty guide!

The post Advertisers Guide to Podcast Ad Formats appeared first on RedCircle Blog.

Did you know that one-third (32%) of American adults listen to podcasts a few times a month? There’s a significant chance that your target consumers tune in to podcasts at least once during the month (and 10% of U.S. adults listen every day!) It’s an advertising avenue worth adventuring down!

What is Podcast Advertising?

At its simplest, podcast advertising is a type of advertising where the ad is placed in a podcast. Advertisements in podcasts were traditionally “baked-in”, meaning that the ad was placed in the raw audio of the episode. Podcast advertising has grown more sophisticated these days with dynamically inserted Programmatic Ads and Host-Read Ads. Instead of having the podcaster add the advertisement directly in their episode indefinitely, platforms like RedCircle allow for dozens of campaigns to cycle through podcast episodes. Advertisers now purchase a set amount of time for their campaign(s) to run across multiple episodes and multiple podcasts. This helps to keep advertising content fresh. Listeners hear up-to-date info on your business including relevant promo codes (instead of super old promo codes they can’t use!)

There are two types of ads in podcasting: Programmatic and Host-Read. Programmatic Ads are typically professionally pre-recorded advertisements that play on a podcast either in the pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll spot depending on the Dynamic Insertion configuration. Similar to old-school radio ads, these ads range from a large variety of categories including entertainment, education, real estate, technology, and more. 

Host-Read Ads are pretty much what they sound like – the podcaster reads the ad to their audience. Either straight from the heart or off of paper! We usually recommend that advertisers send along a script or talking points. We have an entire blog post dedicated to helping your partner podcast absolutely nail your Host-Read campaign!

As a small business, your best option is to pursue the Host-Read option as you can rely on your partner podcaster to spread the word about your business in a compelling way!

The Host-Read Ad

Host-read ads are one of the best ways to spread awareness of your business. A recent report shows that podcasts are the #1 trusted medium for US consumers. Podcast listeners are highly engaged and trust the recommendations of their favorite podcasters. Finding the perfect podcast partner can help draw in new customers to your business.

A part of finding the right podcast to advertise on is understanding your audience. Take the time to create detailed customer personas, including demographics, interests, and pain points. This knowledge will guide you in selecting podcasts that align with your ideal customer base.

When you know your audience well, you can choose podcasts that share a similar audience profile, ensuring that your message reaches the right people. This targeted approach maximizes the impact of your ad campaigns.

Once you understand who you’re looking to entice, the next step is to find podcasts that match your vibe. Small businesses should research and select the podcasts that best fit their niche and marketing goals. Look for podcasts that align with your industry or products, as well as those that have a dedicated and engaged following. Consider factors like the podcast’s content, audience size, and overall vibe.

While larger podcasts may have a broader reach, niche podcasts can be highly effective for small businesses. These shows cater to specific, dedicated audiences, making them an ideal platform for reaching your target market. Audiences of niche podcasts tend to be very involved and passionate about the topic. Look for podcasts that align with your industry, products, or services, as they often have a highly engaged and receptive audience.

If you’re a local games shop, for example, then finding podcasts centered on board games or similar is a great place to start. Or perhaps you create natural beauty products, you’d want to look for a beauty podcast that delves into the natural side of the industry. You’ll also want to consider their audience demographics and how well that aligns with your own.

Collaborating with smaller podcasters also allows you to create a fantastic rapport with one another. They can become one of your biggest advocates! Engage with them on social media, attend podcasting events, or even offer to collaborate on unique content. These relationships can lead to more favorable ad rates and opportunities to feature your business on their shows.

Have a Test Budget in Mind

For small businesses new to podcast advertising, it’s advisable to start with a pre-planned test budget. Experiment with a few podcasts and ad placements to gauge the effectiveness of your campaigns. As you gather data and insights, you can gradually scale up your podcast advertising efforts.

While it may be tempting to spend all your budget on one huge show, it’s a more reliable strategy to choose frequency over popularity. Advertising experts recommend running your campaign anywhere between 2 and 10 shows as it allows you to test different reads, types of shows, new audiences, and more. RedCircle is home to hundreds and hundreds of independent podcasters with dedicated audiences!

Podcast advertising offers a promising avenue for small businesses to connect with their target audience and enhance brand visibility. Start small, learn, and gradually expand your efforts as you become more familiar with the podcast advertising landscape. With the right approach and strategy, podcast advertising can become a valuable asset in your marketing toolkit, driving growth and success for your small business.

Browse hundreds of shows on RedCircle and get started advertising today!

The post Podcast Advertising for Small Businesses appeared first on RedCircle Blog.

Dynamic Insertion Continues to Shine

Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI) technology has transformed the podcast advertising landscape and remains a dominant trend in 2023. RedCircle’s Dynamic Insertion allows advertisers to seamlessly swap out ads in previously published podcast episodes. This dynamic approach ensures that ads remain fresh, relevant, and timely, providing a better listening experience for the audience.

DAI technology is becoming more sophisticated, allowing for highly targeted and personalized ad placements. As a result, advertisers can deliver tailored messages to specific demographics, significantly improving their ad campaign effectiveness. Learn about all the other benefits in our other blog post!

Podcast Revenue Hits the Billions ($$$)

Research conducted by the PwC for the Internet Advertising Bureau in May of 2023 projected that the total podcast ad revenue would hit $2.28 billion (a 25% increase year over year!) Big players in the industry have also been seeing growth, indicating an incredible strength when it comes to podcast advertising.

Right now is a great time to jump into podcast advertising! Especially since we’ve introduced a slew of impressive new features designed for our advertisers in mind. From frequency capping and air checks, Team Seats for Advertisers, and a brand new Help Section, we’ve worked hard to create an efficient and stress-free experience for advertisers. Sign up and see for yourself.

Niche Podcasts Gain Prominence

Niche podcasts are gaining prominence as the podcasting industry continues to expand. These podcasts cater to specific, passionate audiences, making them ideal for advertisers looking to reach highly targeted demographics. In 2023 and onwards, expect to see more brands partnering with niche podcasts that align with their products or services.

Whether it’s a podcast about sustainable living, retro video games, or gluten-free cooking, niche podcasts provide a unique opportunity for advertisers to connect with engaged and enthusiastic listeners. Brands are increasingly recognizing the value of these specialized audiences.

Understanding a podcast’s audience and crafting campaigns specifically with them in mind increases the chances of success. (Check out 5 other tips on running successful podcast advertising campaigns in this blog post here!)

Brand Storytelling Takes Center Stage

Effective storytelling has always been at the heart of podcasting. In 2023 and beyond, expect to see more brands embracing this by crafting compelling narratives that resonate with listeners. Rather than traditional ads, brands are becoming content creators, developing stories that seamlessly integrate with the podcast’s theme and tone.

This trend blurs the line between advertising and content, creating a more authentic and engaging experience for the audience. Listeners are more likely to respond positively to ads that feel like a natural part of the podcast they love.

Programmatic Advertising on the Rise

Programmatic Advertising, which uses algorithms to automate the buying and placement of ads, is gaining traction in the podcasting world. This trend continues through the end of 2023 into 2024, as it streamlines the ad-buying process and enables advertisers to reach their target audience more efficiently.

With Programmatic Advertising, brands can leverage data-driven insights to make real-time decisions about when and where to place their ads, ensuring maximum relevance and impact.

We’re eager to see what the rest of 2023 brings along with the beginnings of 2024. We hope you come with us along the ride!

The post Podcast Advertising Trends in 2023 appeared first on RedCircle Blog.

In addition, advertisers can now aircheck, pause, and request updates to individual Host-Read Ads directly from the platform. Brands can request a re-read or update anytime a promotion code is incorrect, a brand is mispronounced or required terms are missed in the read. This allows advertisers to reduce or eliminate the exposure of incorrect reads and avoid the hassle of requesting and planning make-goods.

Make-goods are a common industry challenge that’s frustrating for both advertisers and podcasters. Anytime a Host-Read Ad needs to be re-read, the podcaster loses future revenue opportunities, and the advertiser has to manage incorrect promotion codes or realign performance timelines. RedCircle is committed to supporting advertisers in increasing their performance in the channel and creating a more direct line of communication with hosts to improve reads and streamline host-read advertising partnerships.

We’re excited to introduce these two new improvements to further automate and scale Host-Read Advertising in the podcast industry!

Sign up today to request a demo and learn more about RedCircle’s Host-Read Advertising platform!

The post Introducing Self-Service Frequency Capping & Host-Read Air Check Updates appeared first on RedCircle Blog.

Podcast advertising, until recently, was dominated by what was called “baked-in” ads. These types of ads were added directly into a show’s audio during the editing process. Thus, they were called “baked-in” as they were literally baked into the raw audio before being uploaded to a hosting platform. 

Today, there are quite a few hosting platforms like RedCircle that offer the ability to make ads dynamic. Dynamically inserted podcast ads can be different for every single listener. Shows can run a campaign for a set length of time, even across their back catalog, and then easily swap in a new campaign. Dynamic Ad Insertion helps to keep the advertising in podcasts fresh. Listeners won’t hear the same ad over and over, they won’t hear old ads that aren’t relevant anymore, and they won’t be frustrated when listening to their favorite show.

There are countless benefits when it comes to Dynamic Ad Insertion! We’ll cover the ones we feel are the most important.

Benefit #1: Relevance of Ads

It can be disappointing as a listener when you hear an ad for an awesome product only to learn that the promotion code is expired – and has been for quite some time. With dynamically inserted ads, though, the listener always hears a timely advertisement. This creates a pleasant experience for the listener as they get relevant information, a desired outcome for the advertiser as the listener is able to use the given promotion code, and a satisfying result for the podcaster as their efforts aren’t wasted. It’s truly a win-win situation for everyone involved!
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Benefit #2: Scalable and Targeted Campaigns

Now multiply the first benefit by 10. Dynamic ad insertion allows advertisers to foster those experiences across a wealth of different podcasts with a few clicks of a button. With RedCircle’s dynamic insertion tools in particular, advertisers can select any number of podcasts and provide individualized information for every single show through features like multi-script. And now multiply that by 100 and you can start to understand why this technology has grown in popularity over the years. Advertisers are able to scale their campaigns to an extensive level without creating immense work for themselves.
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Benefit #3: Flexibility

Unlike baked-in ads, dynamically inserted ads allow for much greater flexibility. Podcasters have full control of where ads are inserted into their show. No more getting cut-off mid-sentence! As a podcaster, you can drop an Insertion Point anywhere in your episode and easily assign any type of dynamic audio to it, including both Programmatic and Host-Read ads.

This flexibility creates an enjoyable experience for the listener. If the ads blend seamlessly into the content, most listeners will appreciate the information their favorite host is dishing out. This is why podcast advertising, above any other medium, can be so successful. Don’t just take our word for it, there are tons of studies that show how effective podcast ads can actually be!

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Benefit #4: Forecasting Budget & Impressions

With Dynamic Insertion, advertisers can easily forecast impressions and determine the budget needed for a specific campaign.  At RedCircle, our data closely follows IAB guidelines, which are the agreed-upon standard in the podcasting industry. This allows for fairly accurate campaign tracking as well as forecasting.
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Benefit #5: Seamless Experience

You may have noticed a theme of “ease” when it comes to dynamic ad insertion. The intention of this feature is to create a simple and favorable experience for all parties involved. It shouldn’t be hard to execute an advertising campaign, both advertisers and podcasters should be given the tools to create seamless experiences for listeners and hosts. Advertisers should be able to create multiple campaigns in minutes, podcasters should be able to decide where ads make the most sense, and listeners should be given up-to-date information so they can act. With dynamic ad insertion, all of that is possible and more!

Baked-in ads helped to make podcasting the titan it is today. But innovation from platforms like RedCircle have pushed the industry even further for podcasters, advertisers, and listeners alike.  The goal of dynamic ad insertion everywhere is to create easy experiences for everyone. We’re dedicated to making these fresh, painless experiences available to everyone. Whether you’re a podcaster, an advertiser, or a listener. We want you to enjoy podcasting!

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Interested in earning more revenue for your show? Learn why RedCircle is the best fit for your show!

Want to advertise on thousands of outstanding podcasts? Sign up today!

The post The Benefits of Dynamic Ad Insertion appeared first on RedCircle Blog.

You want to keep these things in mind when deciding when to publish your show: Whether or not you want to monetize, who your audience is, and your own schedule. Each of these factors can help you determine when the best time to publish your podcast is for you.

Monetization in the Mix

An important question to ask yourself is whether or not you plan to monetize your podcast. If you do plan on monetizing, especially through ads, then the best time to launch your podcast is in early Autumn. It’s also an excellent time to re-launch your show, start a new season, or even migrate to a new hosting platform.

Why? Well, early Autumn is when both Programmatic Ads and Host-Read opportunities start to increase, at least in our experience. Brands have spent the summer planning their strategies for the end-of-year holidays and execution time is looming closer. (We’re on that Christmas creep, after all.) Podcasts often see a bump in revenue in the last few months of the year thanks to all of this advertising spend.

If you’re looking to monetize your podcast, then joining a new hosting platform or re-launching a new season in Autumn is the way to go!

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Think About Your Listener

A great way to understand when, and how often, to publish episodes for your podcast is to tap into your audience. Who are they? What do their routines look like? When are they choosing to tune into podcasts? Getting to the heart of these questions will help you to determine the prime time upload episodes.

RedCircle’s analytics can help you to find answers to those questions. (It’s even covered in our blog here!) Using our analytics, you can know exactly what time of day folks are listening to your show, what day of the week, and where in the world they’re listening from.

Additionally, think about the type of content you’re creating. Is it for working professionals? Or perhaps for college students? Are they listening to your show on the way to work or class? When would that be? Whoever your audience is, there’s a time and place that they prefer when they listen to your show. You can use an abundance of clues to figure out the optimal time for posting.

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Don’t Forget Your Own Schedule

Knowing the habits of Advertisers and Listeners alike can most certainly help you to determine when to launch, re-launch, or migrate your show. But only you know when you have the capacity to put in the effort to grow your podcast. Consistency is absolutely key to growth, but be mindful not to overcommit and burn yourself out trying to pump out podcast episodes. Attempting to adhere to a schedule that just doesn’t work for you will end up hurting you in the long run.

We say it because it’s true; podcasting is an exciting endeavor! But there are always questions you may not expect as you begin to dive deeper and deeper into the medium. Understanding these key points will help you to know when to publish your podcast and continue on your journey to success!

The post Best Time to Publish a Podcast appeared first on RedCircle Blog.

Programmatic Advertising typically doesn’t require much work, if at all, from the podcaster. And it’s a fantastic way to easily generate revenue for your show (check out our guest blog on Riverside to learn why!) There are a few key points regarding Programmatic Advertising that are important to know before jumping in, though. Luckily, we’ve created this guide to help answer any questions you might have about this type of monetization!

What are Programmatic Ads?

Programmatic Ads are typically professionally pre-recorded advertisements that play on your podcast either in the pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll spot depending on your Dynamic Insertion configuration. Similar to old-school radio ads, these ads range from a large variety of categories including entertainment, education, real estate, technology, and more. 

Some hosting platforms, like RedCircle, dynamically insert these ads into your podcast through tools like Dynamic Insertion and RAP. There’s not much work on your end after the initial setup and Dynamic Insertion configuration. It’s pretty much a plug-and-play feature!

Programmatic Ads differ from Host-Read Ads in these key areas:

• Type of Audio: Programmatic Ads are pre-recorded.
• Ad Approval: No prior approval of ads, but you can exclude specific categories.
• Where Ads are Place: Wherever you want! You get to choose where and how often they play in your podcast.
• CPM (Cost Per Thousand Downloads): Rates are not set by podcaster, but our system is designed to place the ad with the highest available CPM.

For more information on how Programmatic Ads differ from Host-Read, see the full breakdown in our Help Center.

How Programmatic Ads Work on RedCircle

Our Advertising Platform streamlines the manual process of coordinating advertising deals on your behalf. So, no more cold-reaching out to brands in hopes of a partnership. Brands and agencies use our platform to purchase ad inventory and run campaigns across an array of podcasts (including yours!)

Programmatic Ads are inserted alongside any Host-Read Ad campaigns you might have running. Our system does prioritize Host-Read Ads over Programmatic, but you’ll still hear both if you have both options selected. Our system is also optimized to insert the Programmatic ad with the highest CPM during the bidding process (which happens within milliseconds of a listener downloading an episode). Depending on your plan, you also have the ability to exclude/include specific IAB ad categories. This is especially helpful if your show is focused on a specific demographic!

Curious to learn more? See our Help Center for a complete look at Programmatic Ads on RedCircle!

All About Timing

It’s crucial to understand the natural ebb and flow of Programmatic Advertising throughout the year. In general, Programmatic revenue tends to dip in slow months like January and February as brands are coming back from the previous year’s winter holidays. They’re using the first few months of the year to finalize their strategies for the rest of the year. Mid-summer months also see a similar decrease as most brands are gearing up for those same winter holidays.

This means that September through December tend to have the highest Programmatic revenue as brands are executing their winter holiday campaigns. So, switching to new hosts or opting in to Ad Marketplaces in September increases your chances to earn more revenue!

Diving into the world of podcast advertising can seem daunting, but here at RedCircle we do our best to make the journey an exciting (and lucrative) one!

We have an abundance of resources for those with a more inquisitive nature:

• How to Market Your Podcast & Grow Your Audience in 2023
• Understanding Programmatic Ads on RedCircle
• How to Monetize Your Podcast with Programmatic Ads (Guest Blog on Riverside.fm)
• What is the RedCircle Ad Platform (RAP)?

Ready to make a change? Why not sign up for RedCircle today!

The post Programmatic Advertising for Podcasters 101 appeared first on RedCircle Blog.