Sounds Profitable: Adtech Applied

Bryan Barletta

The pace of change the podcast adtech industry is undergoing is staggering. The implications for podcasters, hosting providers, podcast listening app developers, and even advertisers and agencies are enormous. And so are the profits. Presented as a companion but stand-alone version of the weekly newsletter of the same name, each episode of Sounds Profitable: Adtech Applied will be a fluff-free experience for you. Along with industry experts, I'll help you understand how you can take advantage of podcast adtech to stay ahead of the curve and, well... make more money as more money from advertising pours into podcasting. 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.

  • 4 minutes 37 seconds
    "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.
    15 December 2025, 9:00 pm
  • 8 minutes 46 seconds
    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.
    12 December 2025, 12:00 pm
  • 3 minutes 53 seconds
    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.
    11 December 2025, 9:00 pm
  • 6 minutes 3 seconds
    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.
    10 December 2025, 9:00 pm
  • 4 minutes 44 seconds
    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.
    9 December 2025, 9:00 pm
  • 6 minutes 23 seconds
    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.
    8 December 2025, 9:26 pm
  • 10 minutes 26 seconds
    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.
    5 December 2025, 12:00 pm
  • 5 minutes 22 seconds
    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.
    4 December 2025, 9:00 pm
  • 7 minutes 11 seconds
    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.
    3 December 2025, 9:00 pm
  • 5 minutes 29 seconds
    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.
    3 December 2025, 3:51 pm
  • 7 minutes 25 seconds
    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.
    2 December 2025, 9:00 pm
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