Podcast conferences and events are increasing almost as quickly as the uptake of the medium itself. For this special two-part episode of Insider InSites, I went coast-to-coast to attend the Winter Podfront in Los Angeles, the On Air Fest in Brooklyn and the RAIN Podcast Business Summit in Manhattan to gather insights from heads of networks, agencies and sales organizations to the podcast makers themselves. You'll want to listen to Part 1 to hear from Bryan Moffett, the Chief Operating Officer of NPR's National Public Media; Stitcher CEO Erik Diehn (pictured above, left); Design Matters host Debbie Millman (with her guest, Roxane Gay, pictured above with Millman), and Gary Reisman, former head of the LEAP audience targeting firm. He explains why he made the jump to launch a different kind of podcast network.
In Part Two (coming soon) we'll be featuring Google Podcast's Founder and Head of Product Zack Reneau-Wedeen; new iHeart Podcast Network President Conal Byrne; PMM CEO David Raphael; On Air Fest founder Scott Newman, and the man behind the agency that places more money in podcasting than any other, CEO of AdResults Marshall Williams.
Here's a teaser of what you'll learn about in Part 1:
- Tom Webster of Edison Research reveals why podcast listeners are so valuable, yet so hard to reach.
- Bryan Moffett provides an update on where the industry is with bespoke measurement tool RAD and why he feels "optimistic that 2020 will have a new way to talk about the metrics for the podcast landscape," the sponsor opportunities with Brand Soundscapes, how NPR is tapping into the long-tail potential of short-form informative content with a new offering, LifeKit, and its bar-raising smart speaker strategy.
- Erik Diehn talks about Stitcher's "brand rotation," front-end success with new podcasts and partnerships (think Marvel to Vox to Dr. Phil), and how backend accomplishments like its "parent company E.W. Scripps' acquisition of Triton Digital suggests a future in which we're going to have a more sophisticated mix of ad products."
- Debbie Millman, host of the longest running podcast Design Matters, tells how for 13 years she has successfully maintained and grown a podcast from the heart, for the heart and mind. She also explains the draw of candid conversations.
- Gary Reisman speaks about how relationship-building and emotional connections spell the future for his comedy podcast network, Forever Dog, and reveals the company's vision for a different approach to content engagement.
Listen to the episodehereon MediaVillage or viaSpotify,iHeartRadio,GooglePodcasts,Apple,Stitcherand