This Week’s Influencer: Kill the Word ‘Podcast’?; iHeart/Audacy New Partnership; Podcast Interest Peaks; & More

Kill the word podcast? Our expert says – yes.

This week on “What’s a Podcast? – The Extended Interviews,” Dan Granger (CEO, Oxford Road) hosts AJ Feliciano (former GM of The Roost Network) for a deep dive on how The Roost became the in-house “media company of tomorrow.”

AJ is all-in on 360 content. He even built a flywheel for how podcasts can pivot to video so they can “pump [distribution platforms] with all types of content.” Oh, and in the podcast vs. simulcast debate? He’s 11/10 on “simulcast.”

Dan and AJ are also talking: Be a Mini-Disney, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Finding What Clicks, and more. Let’s get into it.

“Simulcast doesn’t put itself in a box necessarily. When I’m talking to creators or fans and I say the word ‘simulcast,’ they see it’s in multiple places. It just sort of clicks immediately without having to explain it.”- AJ Feliciano (former GM of The Roost Network

360 Experience = 360 Revenue – Want better revenue streams? Find better channels. The Roost led the creator and sales spaces because they built layers of distribution channels and had the data to back it up. As a ‘mini-Disney,’ they owned shows, launched a streaming on-demand platform, built a partnership business, hosted conventions, and tracked impressions in every one of those areas. CAOs: choose networks with opportunities to be in multiple places, in different formats, with integrated metrics.
Be Everywhere, Anywhere – The best networks work backwards. AJ says to focus on “content efficiency.” Distribute shows to as many places as you can, and THEN figure out how to best advertise and what the limitations are. “Create a more holistic environment to be able to make those integrations and opportunities for advertisers and audiences alike.” Impressions translate to sales. Find where your fans’ eyes and ears are–and go there.
Call It Like It Is – Important truth: you’re not the expert–your audience is. They know where they consume content and how they consume it. And since they’re engaging in multiple places, AJ argues “simulcast” is more inclusive. While we think in Podcast and Video, Podcasts still hold more cachet for most people. The big takeaway is the same: ultimately, your audience calls the shots.

Want more of AJ’s insights on building a media empire? Tune into the full episode below.

The Classifieds

Where the Deer and the Antelope Play

Network: etc / Monthly Downloads:70k

Many of us may spend this Friday eating apple pie and watching fireworks, but after the festivities, it’s time to sit back and relax. This week we have two up-and-coming YouTube channels that will undoubtedly get binged all weekend long. Our first comes from the wilderness of Alaska, where a family of five aims to be completely off the grid. High School sweethearts Tina and Joe have been married for 25 years, with three beautiful kids. They work to be self-sufficient through homesteading, gardening, preserving food, and living off the land. Whether showcasing how to build farmland infrastructure or sharing their daily highs and lows, this couple always has a positive outlook that resonates with their growing subscriber base. This is a high performer for health-focused DTC clients and those targeting a female-skewing audience. If you’re born free, as free as the wind blows, as free as the grass grows, feel free to click below for more.

Get The Deal

She’s Always Keeping Us in Stitches

Network: Centus / Monthly Downloads: 275k

Makers have become new top performers for many DR heavyweights. This trend correlates with the ‘at-home’creative skills like cross stitch, sewing, cosplay, and woodworking that rose in prominence on video platforms during the Covid-19 pandemic. And while Kathleen spends her days working as a professional graphic designer, illustrator, and tech instructional designer, her channel is that of a Maker: learning new crafts, thrifting secondhand items, scouting estate sales, and buying only from small businesses whenever possible. Whether viewers tune in to learn a specific skill or to watch a new journey unfold, Kathleen is always happy to share and inspire for those who want to lead a more creative life. This show has been a great performer for many B2C advertisers offering life hack services to working professionals. If you wanna color outside the lines, bring your crayon over to the link below for the details.

Get The Deal

In Case You Missed It

Ad Perceptions Survey Reveals Big Gain for Podcasting

A new Advertiser Perceptions study reveals podcast advertising interest and spend have reached an eleven-year peak among brands and agencies. Currently, 78% of agencies and brands are advertising on podcasts, a fivefold increase since 2015. Despite high engagement, most brands spend minimally. The report urges marketers to follow Arnie Semsky’s “5% solution,” encouraging them to allocate at least 5% of digital budgets to podcasting to create meaningful brand impact. This growth is a green light for marketers. Podcast ads perform, but far too many advertisers aren’t spending enough to make an impact. As the article notes, the average quarterly spend for new advertisers is just $42.1K (Magellan AI). That’s not a strategy or even a serious test. Podcasting works, but only if you commit to making it work.

Spotify’s Video Paradox

Spotify’s new Video Podcast Partner Program (SPP) is drawing interest from independent creators, thanks to direct payouts from ad revenue and premium subscriptions. Some report making more through Spotify than YouTube. But major podcast networks are hesitant to opt in, concerned about losing dynamic ad revenue—which Spotify disables for premium video consumption. Spotify says SPP participants can still monetize via baked-in ads or on other platforms, but many networks, whose revenue models depend on dynamic ads and scale, see the video push as incompatible with their business goals. Video may be booming, but it comes with tradeoffs. As Spotify pivots toward premium video, marketers need to ask what’s being gained and what’s potentially lost. If your podcast strategy depends on dynamic insertions, targeting, and attribution, video-native formats could limit access and scale. An open market with transparent performance benefits everyone, especially the advertisers funding it.

Audacy and iHeartMedia Take on Streamers

Audacy and iHeartMedia have formed a major content distribution partnership, allowing each company’s podcasts and radio content to be available on the other’s app. Audacy’s 240+ radio brands will now stream on iHeartRadio, while iHeart content will also appear on Audacy platforms. The deal expands both companies’ reach across 2,000+ devices, including smart speakers, wearables, and connected cars. Leaders from both companies say the move supports their strategy to meet listeners wherever they are. Though financial details weren’t disclosed, the partnership significantly boosts distribution and accessibility for both audiences and advertisers. The digital radio/streaming music landscape has been dominated by Spotify and Pandora. This partnership between Audacy and IHeartMedia might start to close that gap.

Empowering Mom and Mind with Function Health

Dr. Kat of the Mom and Mind podcast tops this week’s #STLR chart for eloquently sharing her experience with Function Health. Dr. Kat delivers a deeply personal, relatable read, creating trust and credibility among her listenership. She discusses her undiagnosed and unexplained health issues, positioning Function Health as the empowering solution. Kat then provides specific details about what makes this service unique for each individual, mentioning things like comprehensive biomarker testing etc. The read naturally integrates a Call To Action incentive with a $100 credit, limited-time offer. Dr. Kat’s authenticity, training, and experience validate her recommendation for Function Health as a preferred personal health tool for lab tests, insights from top doctors, and more.

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OXFORd In The News

Podglomerate: The Influencer is a Must-Read

Podglomerate made a list of great podcast newsletters, and broke their picks into categories like “industry” and “podcast recommendations” to help CAOs hone in on their next great read. Their article highlights a curated list of standout podcast industry newsletters, recognizing them as essential reading for staying ahead in the audio industry. Among them, our very own Influencer is praised for its sharp industry analysis and strategic insight, tailored specifically for marketers and executives navigating the podcast business. As both a leading agency and content creator, they say Oxford Road leverages The Influencer to shape thought leadership and push the boundaries of podcast monetization strategy. Thank you, Podglomerate for the shout-out!

If you’ve read this far, thank you!

The Influencer is a production from the team at Oxford Road.
If you like our sometimes sassy, mostly informed POVs on the wonderful world of audio advertising, you should see what we do for our clients.

Interested in seeing how we could help your business?
Contact us at influencer@oxfordroad.com!

Thank you to the team that puts The Influencer together each week:

Ezra Fox – Media Roundtable & Ad Infinitum recap
Spencer Semonson – Classifieds
Neal Lucey – In Case You Missed It
Hannah Lloyd – Save The Live Reads

Editors:
Kyle Jelinek
Kristen Larson
Haley Wiese
Bianca Gorodinsky