While eMarketer projects that podcasts will grab $400 million in ad spending by 2011, BusinessWeek was wondering who’s tracking the audiences for this medium? One answer may come from podcast company Podtrac, which today launched a free online media planner that lets advertisers research audience information for audio and video podcasts based on demographics, size, and other characteristics. The company claims to connect some 5,000 of the top podcasters to advertisers but says it includes data for all podcasts in the new service—including those from major media companies with whom Podtrac is not affiliated. The data is indexed to information in Mediamark Research’s Survey of the American Consumer. Podtrac combines MRI’s consumer stats with data from Podtrac’s own survey of 70,000-plus podcast users along with audience metrics from 3,000 registered podcasts the company tracks, according to Mediaweek.
Others are also working to make podcasts a more viable ad medium. BW points to Kiptronic, a startup that places ads within audio and video podcasts. Jonathan Cobb, the company’s CEO, told BW that marketers have been skittish about advertising on a digital medium that, though it reports downloads, can’t always charge based on the number of people who interact with the ad. In his pitch, he pointed out that TV and radio do not provide click-through rates either. Ultimately, he said, if marketers have audience data from a third-party source, they’ll advertise.
Related:
—Outlook for Interactive Ad Spend Is Strong, With Some Big ‘Ifs’
—Podcasting Roundup: Ad Networks Kiptronic, Podtrac Launch; Audible WordCast Opens For Business