How I Turned a Facebook Group Into a Thriving Startup

This past summer, Facebook announced that it was removing more than 5,000 ad-targeting settings from its platform in response to accusations that those options enabled discriminatory behavior by advertisers. While that may have been beneficial to users, it makes it much harder for businesses to reach the right audiences with their ads.

Spotlight

Acast

Since 2014, Acast has been creating the world’s most valuable podcast marketplace, building the technology which connects podcast creators, advertisers and listeners. Its marketplace spans 100,000 podcasts, 2,300 advertisers and 400 million monthly listens. Crucially, those listens are monetized wherever they happen - across any podcasting app or other listening platform.

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Advertiser Platforms

Podcast Advertising: A Promising Avenue for Result-oriented B2B Ad Campaigns

Article | March 20, 2024

Marketers in the B2B domain have a multi-channel approach to marketing because they target companies as buying groups. B2B marketers are leveraging podcast advertising with the help of advertisers, creators, and publishers for brand building and generating leads. They leverage up-and-coming avenues of advertising, most of which are a part of digital media channels. One such avenue is podcast advertising. Podcast advertising is emerging as one of the fastest-growing digital media channels for advertising. It is estimated to grow to more than $2.13 billion in 2022, according to a study by the Interactive Advertising Bureau and PwC. But, what is driving this growth? Engagement. People are finding podcasts more engaging than ever. Consequently, the demand for podcast ads across all categories is growing. Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI): The Rise of Automated Ad Tech Dynamic ad insertion is a form of programmatic advertising that uses first or third-party data. This data comes from the device playing a podcast, a device user agent, the device’s IP address, and what episode is requested, to serve ads to a target demographic. The ad server of the podcast hosting platform decides which ads should be stitched into a particular podcast episode. If done well, the audience will never know the difference between a dynamically inserted ad and a baked-in ad, which is a permanent part of the audio of the podcast. Podcast hosting platforms, advertisers, and publishers adopted DAI because it helps brands win contextual relevance and efficiency through granular advertising opportunities. Through custom audio ads that appeal to the target audience, dynamic or seasonal geo-targeted ads, measurable variables, and performance data, DAI gives advertisers good control over podcast ad campaigns. This control allows them to tailor the campaigns based on the marketers’ demands. DAI is evolving and has great potential in transcription-based targeting using AI and machine learning. It also has greater creative interactivity to make audio ads engaging through voice interactivity, personalization, and mobile phone engagement. A podcast advertising example using DAI would be a brand creating multiple versions of pre-recorded audio ads that are served to target audiences on any podcast that meets the campaign criteria. Podcast Advertising Anchors Digital Marketers for Effective Outreach Edison Research’s Podcast Consumer 2017 report found that:  24% of people between the ages of 18 and 54 listen to podcasts monthly  Listeners are almost evenly split between men and women  Listeners tend to be affluent, mainly educated consumers  In the 25-54 age bracket, monthly listening has grown year over year for the past four years These stats demonstrate the growing market for podcast advertising and a very stable demographic that B2B marketers would want to target. Marketers rely more on podcast advertisers and platforms to tap into the potential of podcasts as a media channel. Here are some of the ways in which podcast advertising can enhance B2B marketing plans and bring in more conversions: Listener behavior expansion− By understanding what kinds of podcasts the target audience listens to, marketers can create ads that appeal to them, and advertisers can help them get the perfect spot for the ad campaign to make it more successful. Pivoting messaging is easier− Using different voiceovers, marketers can deliver the same message but elicit a different reaction from their target audience. Recycling old ad files is also a viable option to save time and resources. Human connection− Hyper-personalized targeted ads relevant to the podcast content create a human connection with the audience and can influence their opinion about a brand. Personal influence− Podcast hosts create a personal influence on the listeners so they keep tuning in to the podcast and even listen to the episodes again after a period. Ads on such podcasts receive stronger engagement and response. Additionally, hosts can also relay brand messages to listeners and influence their buying decisions. Regional marketing− Podcasts are a great way to connect with a target demographic residing in a certain geographical area. Geo-targeting is a boon for region-specific marketing endeavors. Effective storytelling− Podcasts can fuse autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) for immersive storytelling to impress listeners. The continuity and power of an engaging narration keeps the listeners subscribed and attached, ensuring that any kind of advertising on such podcasts can reach a wider audience. Advertisers Are Helping B2B Marketers Generate Revenue According to a forecast by IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau), podcast advertising revenue will exceed $4 billion by 2024. Marketers are dependent on advertisers to tap into the podcast advertising potential to generate revenue in the following ways: Demand Generation An estimated 62 million Americans (Source: Edison Research) listen to podcasts, and this number is expected to grow. An interview by a product expert on an industry-relevant podcast can help get leads without wasting any budget on creating awareness, making it cost-effective. It’s no wonder LinkedIn and HubSpot have started their own podcast networks to host business and career-related content. Brand Building & Customer Retention Apart from using podcasts to generate leads, it can also help with brand building. Sponsoring a popular and relevant podcast episode can create a brand’s reputation and trust. It can also help retain existing customers as sponsorships demonstrate a continuous commitment to industry growth and development. Ad Effectiveness 75% of podcast listeners were happy with the purchase they had made from podcast ads (A Study by Voices, the #1 voice marketplace). This goes to show that podcast advertising brings out expected results and conversions without compromising the customer experience or opinion. Podcast as a Medium for Thought Leadership Podcasts are a great medium for B2B thought leadership. They are a free space to express expert industry opinion, talk about the current industry trends, address the pain points of the customers, discuss tech advancements, and create a personal connection with the listeners. Tailored thought leadership content can fuel brand engagement and bring in leads that convert because of brand trust. Feedback gathered through interactive content can help B2B marketers create personalized marketing plans to align their goals with ad campaigns better. Podcast Ads: Taking the First Step Before you step into the world of podcast advertising, make sure you consider aspects like target demographic, podcast ad pricing, industry/brand relevant podcasts, ad purchasing, the reputation of the podcast advertising network, and podcast advertising platforms. Policygenius, a New York-based insurance agency, invested early in podcast advertising through Ad Results Media, an ad agency. Policygenius achieved its ROI goals, and its media spending increased by 10x in two years. You can buy podcast ads directly, through a podcast advertising network, or programmatically. To track the success of your ads, use KPIs like unique listeners, ranking and reviews, subscribers, social sharing, and episode-by-episode metrics. Wrapping It Up Podcasts can be a great advertising avenue for B2B companies to influence their buying groups and create new customers. Its monumental growth as a media channel and its ad revenue over the past couple of years indicate that it is here to stay and should be harnessed for a wider reach and bigger sales numbers. FAQ What is the role of podcast advertising networks? A podcast advertising network is a full-service podcast advertising solution that maintains podcast ad inventory and manages ad campaigns for marketers. How is podcast advertising different from traditional advertising methods? Podcast advertising uses automated ad tech to create dynamic ad campaigns across relevant podcasts, while traditional advertising methods focus on print ads, outdoor billboards, and cable television. Which are some popular podcast advertising platforms? Some popular podcast advertising platforms are Midroll, AdvertiseCast, PodGrid, and Archer Avenue.

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Advertiser Platforms

Our Promise: Content to Count on During Uncertain Times

Article | March 4, 2024

There is no doubt that we are experiencing times of tremendous change and uncertainty. Yet Univision's mission remains the same -- to inform, empower and entertain U.S. Hispanics.With a strong programming lineup, due to exceptional content partners and a proven strategy, we are focused on super-serving our audience, especially now when they need us most.

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Advertiser Platforms

AI Ad Campaigns for Improved Ad Targeting

Article | April 5, 2024

Artificial intelligence in advertising is disrupting marketing. It is a new way to reach customers that is more personalized, engaging, and targeted than traditional ads. AI-based marketing can improve customer experience, sales and marketing, and lead generation strategies. As a result, B2B companies are adapting AI ads to target key accounts. Let us understand what ideal AI ad campaigns look like: AI Ad Campaigns: Things to Consider The most important factors that impact the success of an AI ad are its message, tone, and length. Message: The message needs to be clear and concise so your target audience can immediately grasp what you are saying. Tone: The tone needs to be friendly and conversational, and it should get a response so that your brand is approachable and not invasive. Length: The ad should be between 50-150 words. The length should depend on the message you are trying to convey. Optimizing Your AI Ad Campaign Here are some tips to optimize your AI ad campaign: Identify and understand the goals of your campaign. Select relevant and appropriate channels to influence your target segments effectively. Use conversion rates, click-through rates, and other metrics to decide where to allocate your ad budget and how best to enhance the content for different target segments. Design your campaign while keeping in mind consumer interaction and your campaign objectives. Regularly map the outcomes and make adjustments to address any issues. Consider using an AI ad creator, a type of digital software that creates ads without human input. It automatically modifies text and images to create targeted ads. Impact on the Future of Advertising Through automation and optimization, AI will impact the future of advertising and marketing. It will help marketers get insights, develop strategies and create targeted content and companies to increase customer engagement, customer experience and ad efficiency.

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Advertiser Campaign Management

Dominate with Branding and Advertising in Your Business in 2021

Article | June 20, 2021

So, you have created a great product or service but still it’s not giving back the result you were expecting. The point here is, no matter how much you publicize the greatness of your product or service, that alone won’t guarantee success. In the consumer marketplace, you must also establish a unique, memorable, trustworthy profile by capturing consumers’ attention. The key to accomplishing this is Branding and Advertising. The advertising industry is made of companies that advertise, agencies that create the advertisements, media that carries the ads, and a host of people like copy editors, visualizers, brand managers, researchers, creative heads and designers who take it the last mile to the customer or receiver. Let’s see the difference between Branding and Advertising, and then, we’ll see what is Brand Advertising.

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Spotlight

Acast

Since 2014, Acast has been creating the world’s most valuable podcast marketplace, building the technology which connects podcast creators, advertisers and listeners. Its marketplace spans 100,000 podcasts, 2,300 advertisers and 400 million monthly listens. Crucially, those listens are monetized wherever they happen - across any podcasting app or other listening platform.

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Ad Tech and Martech

Vidoomy launches in the UK market to bring the next level of branding solutions to the marketplace

Vidoomy | September 14, 2021

Vidoomy's presence in the UK outlines the success of the company's global expansion strategy. In one year the company has implemented Sales Teams across all major countries in the world. The Adtech company which specialises in delivering digital video solutions for advertisers, has opened its new offices based in London to bring to the market its Adtech solutions, helping brands and agencies in an even more demanding and agile context. The team in charge of the operation will be led by Sergio Tallón, Vidoomy's Country Manager in the UK, who will be responsible for generating new partnerships and collaborations with local advertisers and agencies. The recent incorporations within the local team are further proof of how the company continues to successfully strive in the British market through a commitment to grow its UK branch. International expansion Vidoomy is ranked as one of the companies with the highest audience reach in the digital advertising ecosystem. Since its beginnings, the firm has invested in the creation of a unique in-house technology, enabling brands and agencies to reach their audiences and brand territories through contextual and cookieless solutions across more than 2,500 premium publishers. Since 2019 Vidoomy has experienced rapid growth globally, which has led to the implementation of local teams across key countries around the world. Territories including the UK, Spain, Netherlands and Italy amongst others. The UK Team Sergio Tallón has been appointed to take on the role as Country Manager in the UK. Sergio has more than twenty years of experience within the industry, having worked alongside companies such as Dentsu, GroupM, HAVAS, OMD and Seedtag. Sergio will lead a team of experienced professionals ranging from different backgrounds in the digital landscape. Antonio Simarro, VP of Vidoomy, stated that, "Sergio's appointment to our team is a key step for positioning Vidoomy within the UK. Our projection for 2022 is turning the market into our strongest one within Europe. I'm sure that with Sergio's experience we will achieve this." Sergio mentioned, "I'm very excited to be part of this ambitious project. The response of the UK market has been outstanding, demonstrating that more agile and efficient alternatives are needed to cover the needs of the digital marketing industry."

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Madison Avenue Goes to the Movies to Keep Oscar Viewers From Skipping Ads

Madison Avenue | February 24, 2019

Walmart peppered Sunday night’s telecast with commercials highlighting behind-the-camera personnel, while Google used intellectual property from movies such as “Deadpool” and “2001: A Space Odyssey” to keep movie buffs interested in their sundry pitches. Samsung teased Hollywood aficionados with spots for a smartphone it said could take “cinematic” pictures. Watchmaker Rolex featured A-list directors like Martin Scorsese and Kathryn Bigelow. Even Anheuser-Busch, a company that typically never borrows interest from a celebrity or movie project, tapped movie star Charlize Theron to get viewers to pay attention.

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Nestle, AT&T pull YouTube ads over pedophile concerns

Nestle | February 22, 2019

SAN FRANCISCO Several companies, including AT&T and Nestle, are pulling advertisements from YouTube because of concerns about inappropriate comments on videos of children. A video from a popular YouTuber and a report from Wired showed that pedophiles have made unseemly comments on innocuous videos of kids. The comments reportedly included time stamps that showed where kids innocently bared body parts.

Read More

Ad Tech and Martech

Vidoomy launches in the UK market to bring the next level of branding solutions to the marketplace

Vidoomy | September 14, 2021

Vidoomy's presence in the UK outlines the success of the company's global expansion strategy. In one year the company has implemented Sales Teams across all major countries in the world. The Adtech company which specialises in delivering digital video solutions for advertisers, has opened its new offices based in London to bring to the market its Adtech solutions, helping brands and agencies in an even more demanding and agile context. The team in charge of the operation will be led by Sergio Tallón, Vidoomy's Country Manager in the UK, who will be responsible for generating new partnerships and collaborations with local advertisers and agencies. The recent incorporations within the local team are further proof of how the company continues to successfully strive in the British market through a commitment to grow its UK branch. International expansion Vidoomy is ranked as one of the companies with the highest audience reach in the digital advertising ecosystem. Since its beginnings, the firm has invested in the creation of a unique in-house technology, enabling brands and agencies to reach their audiences and brand territories through contextual and cookieless solutions across more than 2,500 premium publishers. Since 2019 Vidoomy has experienced rapid growth globally, which has led to the implementation of local teams across key countries around the world. Territories including the UK, Spain, Netherlands and Italy amongst others. The UK Team Sergio Tallón has been appointed to take on the role as Country Manager in the UK. Sergio has more than twenty years of experience within the industry, having worked alongside companies such as Dentsu, GroupM, HAVAS, OMD and Seedtag. Sergio will lead a team of experienced professionals ranging from different backgrounds in the digital landscape. Antonio Simarro, VP of Vidoomy, stated that, "Sergio's appointment to our team is a key step for positioning Vidoomy within the UK. Our projection for 2022 is turning the market into our strongest one within Europe. I'm sure that with Sergio's experience we will achieve this." Sergio mentioned, "I'm very excited to be part of this ambitious project. The response of the UK market has been outstanding, demonstrating that more agile and efficient alternatives are needed to cover the needs of the digital marketing industry."

Read More

Madison Avenue Goes to the Movies to Keep Oscar Viewers From Skipping Ads

Madison Avenue | February 24, 2019

Walmart peppered Sunday night’s telecast with commercials highlighting behind-the-camera personnel, while Google used intellectual property from movies such as “Deadpool” and “2001: A Space Odyssey” to keep movie buffs interested in their sundry pitches. Samsung teased Hollywood aficionados with spots for a smartphone it said could take “cinematic” pictures. Watchmaker Rolex featured A-list directors like Martin Scorsese and Kathryn Bigelow. Even Anheuser-Busch, a company that typically never borrows interest from a celebrity or movie project, tapped movie star Charlize Theron to get viewers to pay attention.

Read More

Nestle, AT&T pull YouTube ads over pedophile concerns

Nestle | February 22, 2019

SAN FRANCISCO Several companies, including AT&T and Nestle, are pulling advertisements from YouTube because of concerns about inappropriate comments on videos of children. A video from a popular YouTuber and a report from Wired showed that pedophiles have made unseemly comments on innocuous videos of kids. The comments reportedly included time stamps that showed where kids innocently bared body parts.

Read More

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