Apple Podcasts adds analytics for premium subscriptions

• Apple launched enhanced analytics for paid subscriptions; until now, creators had to download spreadsheet data directly. Apple Podcasts also announced more Delegated Delivery partners to allow you to upload premium content directly to Apple Podcasts: Podbean is the first of those to go live today.

• Apple Podcasts also added integration with Linkfire, a new podcast linking service. The service is used by creators to promote all the places you can get your podcast; creators who use Linkfire will get access to Apple Podcasts analytics within their Linkfire dashboard. This is the first time Apple Podcasts analytics have been available on a third party service.

  • Dan Misener from Bumper told Podnews: “While downloads may signal intent, they aren’t a direct measure of playback or listening. I haven’t tested Linkfire for Podcasts yet, but I’m keen to try it with Bumper’s clients. I’m especially excited by the promise of getting beyond downloads to understand podcast marketing’s impact on verified consumption and true audience growth.”

• The Hollywood Reporter has announced the 40 most powerful people in podcasting. The industry publication talks to many of them about their hopes, plans and pet peeves, and their pre-show rituals and dream guests.

• Advertising agencies and brand marketers are more interested in podcast advertising than ever, according to new data highlighted by Westwood One. Spending intention has grown 6x since 2015. Nearly 60% of agencies and advertisers currently advertise in podcasts, a nearly 4x increase since the first IAB podcast upfront in 2015.

• The launch of the Pod FAST TV platform was announced at Podcast Movement, getting podcasts and vodcasts onto connected TVs. It will power PodcastOne TV, launching later this summer.

• Confirmation of PodcastOne’s NASDAQ listing on Aug 28, and commencement of trading on Sep 8. PodcastOne shares are expected to open trading at $8 per share.

• In London, Broccoli Productions has announced the BUILD Grant, an incubation programme which will provide a grant of £1,000 ($1,250) each to five selected applicants looking to grow their podcasting careers.

• In Germany, Spiegel and Standard have renewed their partnership to produce the podcast Inside Austria.

• Remote recording tool Riverside has enhanced its editor in its latest release. This year, it’s been upgraded to allow text-based editing, intros and outros, magic clips, silence removal and other features.

• Troy Farkas, a former producer for The Ringer and ESPN, has published his first book. Surrender: A Guide to Living Your Best Life in Your Twenties includes his own experiences and lessons learned from his time navigating the early stages of his career at both companies.

Moves and hires

• Stacey Goers has been hired as Senior Manager of Product for Apple Podcasts. She started last week and will be relocating to Cupertino in Q4, after she takes some time for maternity leave.
• Jon Gibs, a former Spotify data scientist, has joined Veritonic as a strategic advisor.

Tips and tricks - with Pod Predictor by Coleman Insights

• Apple’s analytics for premium subscriptions are a useful addition to all the other podcast statistics out there. We deep-dive into the other sources of data for you to understand how your show is doing.
• Castos give tips on how to get your listeners to take action

Podcast News - with Airwave

Part of the Airwave podcast network: On This Day in History, in 1962 French President Charles de Gaulle was shot - but survived the assassination; in 1851 the first America’s Cup was held; and in 2018, Podnews was made available in Google Assistant’s daily news briefing. Expect stories like that, except possibly not the Podnews one, in this short daily show from The HISTORY Channel.

Amazing War Stories is launching a second season with enhanced, immersive audio using binaural sound from Vaudeville Sound Group. The binaural sound enables listeners to find themselves literally in scenes, with hyper realistic sound effects and scene design.

Handsome is new today: a comedy and storytelling podcast with Tig Notaro, Fortune Feimster, and Mae Martin. Gumball is representing the podcast for ad sales. CAA brokered the deal.

Reaching your Goals kicks off a new season today. Host Johanna Herbst interviews people with unique advice and insight for people to reach their career goals.

Podcast promotion in the wild

We return to Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto, where Under the Influence, a show about advertising, gets advertised on one of the largest outdoor advertising billboards in Canada. The square - it’s not a square, it’s an irregular pentagon - is being renamed this year. One suggestion is “Gordon Lightfoot Square”.