Since most host-read ads are at the beginning of a podcast, chances are that many of the incomplete downloads are still impressions on the audience and worth every penny as much as a complete download.

Very good points. I’m glad you ranted.

Podcasters need to be sure they sell the qualitative nature of the medium and not let things get hampered by the quantitative analysis.

If an advertiser only pays you for complete downloads, then you’re probably underselling. The one case where this might not be true is with post-roll ads, but most sponsorships are mentioned early on in the show.

Thanks for the insights.

Jason

When I ask them if they only pay magazine publishers for ads when the magazine staff can prove the subscribers did a “complete read” of the magazine, they give me a blank stare.

When I ask them if they only pay television producers for ads when the TV staff can prove the viewers watched the “complete commercial,” they give me a blank stare.

I could go on, but you get the point.

For those of us who are monitizing podcasts with advertisements, we need to make sure the playing field stays level.

Magazine sales are based on Audit Bureau of Circulations numbers. They tell the advertisers how many people SUBSCRIBE to the magazine, not how many people will read it. Television and radio have even less information about their audiences. They sell ads based on a very, very small random sampling of prospective audiences via a diary system.

I see no reason to let the advertisers get away with holding us accountable for “complete downloads,” when they don’t hold our competition to the same standard.

And lastly, since many podcasters front-load their shows with ads, it doesn’t matter if the listener downloads the entire show to the advertiser. All they should care about is having their ads heard.

Sorry for the rant, but this subject hits my button. Good series.