SXM Media Wants to Educate Audio Experts

SXM Media which owns Pandora SiriusXM and Stitcher is vested in the program39s success If more media agencies boost their AQ it will pave the way for increased investment in digital audio and encourage advertisers to design more innovative campaigns It also solidifies SXM Media39s position as audio experts and industry leadersquotOur customers have been asking us for training and we have a deep repository of knowledge and toolsquot said Leanne B Chiazza Vice President Training ampamp Enablement at SXM Media quotIt39s not just any training either It39s industry specific training that is otherwise hard to come byquotThis year brands are expected to spend more than 559 billion on digital audio advertising up 16 from 2020 levels according to eMarketer39s latest forecast Podcasting alone will attract more than 1 billion in ad dollars a 41 yeartoyear jump Such explosive growth has media agencies hungry for more education and trainingTo start the AQ program offers three tracks Digital Audio Advertising Principles Podcast Advertising Foundations and Creative Participants take online classes to earn certification badges and rewards The Digital Audio Advertising Principles track is the most detailed with five courses that take about three hours to complete By the end of 2021 SXM Media plans to add three more tracks and 12 more courses covering Programmatic Audio Foundations Audience Data ampamp Targeting and another Audio Creative series from its inhouse creative agency Studio ResonatequotGraduatesquot will become the resident audio experts at their firms which should spur growth in digital audio ad spend and produce better results for clients said Priscilla Valls SXM Media39s Vice President Agency Advertiser ampamp Industry DevelopmentquotThey39ll be at the forefront of what is foundationally important to know in the audio ecosystemquot she said quotBut they39ll also be experts in things like podcasting which is the fastest growing area of digital audio They39ll better understand the nuances of different platforms when we39re talking about smart devices connected devices or connected carsquotSXM Media already had AQ Academy in development when it accelerated the launch last year With millions of Americans working from home media professionals had more time and attention to invest in online learning But AQ Academy isn39t your average online seminar Chiazza said it is designed to inspire and engage with interactive content that is highly visual and auditory It offers quotbitesized digestible learning momentsquot that can fit into a media professional39s hectic lifequotYou39ll find a very high level of engagement with a lot of retention techniques such as pop quizzes simulations and scenariosquot she noted quotAnd because we39re an audio company you39ll hear a lot of audio and examples of creative workquotTo create the program SXM Media leaned into their own internal training programs and institutional knowledge They also surveyed longtime media partners about what they wanted to learn From there the company partnered with media agency GroupM on a pilot program and then a wider soft launch At first 40 GroupM employees from across departments and levels participated and a secondround increased the enrollment to 400Valls said GroupM wanted to deepen its teams39 audio expertise and participants ranged from senior execs down to junior staffers quotThey39d had a longstanding focus on better understanding the impact and efficacy of audio as part of a total media mixquot she saidIn focus groups and debriefs the GroupM pioneers shared overwhelmingly positive experiences she added Participants were particularly intrigued by a module called quotSix Dimensions of Soundquot which explores the science and history behind audio For example sound is the first sense that is developed in the womb and why bird songs make people feel calm Hint If birds are singing it means there aren39t predators lurking aboutThe GroupM participants were also impressed by how audio science could spur better creative campaigns and more accurate targeting Valls said they wanted to learn practical information to improve campaigns from scripting better creative copy to improving sound design When listeners39 respond well to spots she said it leads to better consumer engagement and builds brand affinitySince the digital audio industry is a fastmoving space Chiazza said her team keeps a close ear to clients39 needs She said they39ve asked for help understanding digital audio measurement and how it ties back to audio creative That kind of feedback helps SXM Media develop new courses and certifications and make sure existing offerings are on pointWhile professionals at any stage of their career will benefit from the program Chiazza said it can be most beneficial for young professionals seeking to establish themselves When they complete the coursework they can be the audio experts at their companies and share their expertise and knowledgequotThey want to really develop and sharpen their skills to make themselves that much more competitive and be that much more empowered to ask for the next stepquot she saidDemand for Audio AQ is so high there39s currently a waiting list for the program Chiazza said SXM Media is working quickly to add courses and increase its capacity Agencies may find it easier to partner with a media company like SXM Media who can offer such a training program particularly where content and measurement move at lightning speedquotI think there is a tremendous opportunity for our agency partners to look at companies like SXM Media who are willing to open up their IP and share what they know about audioquot Chiazza saidThere39s a lot at stake for digital audio too In the competitive advertising industry both Chiazza and Valls said if agencies have better AQ it will lift the entire digital audio industry Valls said the company is careful not to push its products in the coursework but participants have been asking for more information about SXM Mediaowned platforms and opportunitiesFor now SXM Media is focused on elevating digital audio as a whole When brands and their media agencies have a better understanding of digital audio39s creative and targeting capabilities they39ll be able to craft campaigns that are more compelling to listeners and lead to better return on investmentquotBetter ad experiences lead to better business results and better business results lead to more investmentsquot Valls concluded quotMy hope is by sharing our expertise we39re helping to elevate the entire ecosystemquotClick the social buttons to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE MEDIAVILLAGE CONTENT | BECOME A THOUGHT LEADERSHIP CONTRIBUTOR

SXM Media Wants to Educate Audio Experts

Author

Publish date

Channel

Alli Romano

FEMA and the Ad Council Encourage AANHPI Communities to Enhance Disaster Preparedness in New PSAs - Ad Council InSites

More Videos:

SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE MEDIAVILLAGE CONTENT | BECOME A THOUGHT LEADERSHIP CONTRIBUTOR

SXM Media Wants to Educate Audio Experts

Enjoying This Commentary? There's More to Love

Alli Romano

Stay in the know with more from MediaVillage

TAGS:

FEMA and the Ad Council Encourage AANHPI Communities to Enhance Disaster Preparedness in New PSAs - Ad Council InSites

Cookies