Ad Overload: How to Reverse the Radioification of Podcasting

In the media landscape, podcasts stand alone: They deliver unique content for audiences and great results for brands—so long as the balance of ads is kept in check. With audiences and brands complaining about high ad load, how can creators make sure they’re not over-cramming their shows with commercials?

In this week’s episode of The Media Roundtable, Dan Granger (CEO & Founder, Oxford Road) and Giles Martin (EVP, Strategy, Oxford Road) talk about podcasting’s origins, “radioifcation,” and the Oxford Clock. Let’s dive in.

“ The sell side is gonna sell everything they can. They’re gonna sell host-read ads, as many as they can. They’re gonna sell produced ads in breaks, dynamically inserted, until the buyer and the listener scream.” – Dan Granger (Founder, Oxford Road)

The Radio Exodus – Oxford Road, like many major podcast players, started as an exodus from radio. Whereas AM/FM was groaning under the weight of ad loads, podcasts offered a chance to start over and buil upon the trusted relationship between host and audience. And because host-read ads were so powerful, podcasts didn’t need high ad loads to deliver outsized results for brands. But as podcasting grew, the need to over-monetize shows grew as well.

Podcast’s “Radioification” – Soon, the top podcasters were commanding nine-figure deals, forcing major publishers to find a path to profitability. Programmatic ads rose, as did the number of ad breaks, as well as overall ad load—all at the expense of advertiser performance. The audience experience suffered, and podcasting began looking more like radio.

Good Clock Management – Enter the Oxford Clock, our recommendation for responsible ad load that balances ad ROI, podcast revenue, and audience experience (you can download more info here). Our guiding principles for keeping ads in check: 1. Don’t let ad breaks run longer than two minutes; 2. Balance produced and host-read ads so that audiences are never more than 60 seconds away from the host’s voice. If you’re buying ads, check the ad loads of your shows, and ask if the Oxford Clock is being followed. If you’re on the sell side, take a serious look at your ad load, and figure out if you’re protecting podcasting, or contributing to radioifcation.

For more insights on how to manage ad load, check out the full episode below.