For publishers, the insights shared were more than just ideas—they served as a roadmap for success in the fast-moving world of audio advertising.

The post AdsWizz Global Publisher Summit Recap appeared first on AdsWizz.

AdsWizz’s Approach to Product Development and Innovation

Before diving in, let’s take a step back and consider the bigger picture. Digital audio is evolving at an unprecedented pace, and with that growth comes new challenges and opportunities. As publishers navigate an increasingly complex landscape—balancing audience engagement, revenue growth, and ad quality—having the right tools in place is more critical than ever.

AdsWizz remains committed to developing cutting-edge solutions that empower publishers to scale, optimize, and future-proof their audio businesses:

• Smarter: Optimized ad delivery enhances listener experience.
• More scalable: Streamlined revenue management simplifies operations.
• More effective: Continuous innovation unlocks new monetization opportunities.

Recent Innovations at AdsWizz

• 260+ new features improving programmatic efficiency, data solutions, and podcast monetization
• Supply chain transparency enhancements that combat fraud and ensure brand safety
• Streaming and podcast monetization tools optimize audience targeting

As digital audio continues to expand, AdsWizz remains focused on helping publishers stay ahead—scaling their platforms, maximizing revenue, and driving innovation across the entire ecosystem.

The Power of Collaboration in Growing Digital Audio Monetization

Anne Frisbie, SVP of Global Business Development at AdsWizz, opened the summit with a clear message: The future of audio is here—and it’s only getting bigger. With listeners streaming and tuning into podcasts more than ever, scaling and optimizing digital audio advertising is critical.

AdsWizz by the Numbers

• 16B monthly dynamically inserted audio ad impressions powered by AdsWizz technology
• 4B monthly audio impressions sold via third-party DSPs
• 2B monthly AdsWizz Marketplace audio impressions
• 550M monthly podcast downloads on Simplecast
• 40M podcast episodes transcribed for brand safety & contextual audience support

“AdsWizz is deeply committed to building a global platform—an open and independent platform for audio designed for the future. This isn’t just about technology; it’s about what we can achieve with that technology when we come together as a community. Many of you have been instrumental in taking our solutions to market, proving that digital audio isn’t just growing—it’s transforming. And as we continue to innovate, your role in that journey is more crucial than ever.”

Market Trends and Predictions

Scott Walker, Chief Ad Revenue Officer at SiriusXM, took the stage to guide publishers and advertisers through this evolving landscape, highlighting six key trends shaping digital audio in 2025 and beyond.

Media Consumption is Changing

• Shift to digital audio accelerates: Listeners continue moving from traditional radio to on-demand streaming and podcasts.
• Podcast hosts are omnichannel influencers: Beyond audio, they engage audiences via video, social, and live events.
• AI is redefining advertising: From real-time optimization to advanced personalization, AI-driven campaigns are the future.

Privacy at the Forefront

• Identity, data, and media convergence: With third-party cookies vanishing, first-party data and AI-driven insights are taking center stage.
• Transparency is non-negotiable: Fraud prevention, domain validation, and invalid traffic (IVT) monitoring are now industry standards.

A New Era

• Evolving audio measurement: Advertisers demand holistic measurement, capturing both brand awareness and conversions.

On AI’s Critical Role in Digital Audio Advertising

“AI is fundamentally changing the way we all work. We all go through our day-to-day and deal with a ton of really clunky workflows—we’re in and out of systems, spreadsheets, software programs, etc. But if we can leverage some of the more agentic or operator-type AI technologies, that can fundamentally change the way that we all work and free up time for higher-order work that is more creative, that is pushing the industry forward.”

Maximizing Publisher Success in the Programmatic Audio Revolution

Brian Gilbert, VP of Marketplace Operations, and Jerome Camerlynck, Director of Ad Product at AdsWizz discussed why programmatic audio is outpacing traditional ad buying.

The Current Climate

• Digital audio ad spend is projected to reach $12.6B by 2025.
• 32+ DSPs (including Amazon DSP) are integrated with AdsWizz.
• Programmatic revenue is growing 3X faster than direct sales.

What’s Driving Programmatic Growth?

• Real-time deal syncing between AudioMax SSP and AudioServe
• Advanced bid health analytics for smarter monetization strategies
• Supply chain transparency with sChain validation

“Programmatic is accelerating. Year-over-year growth in programmatic has outpaced direct sales, with a threefold increase compared to direct. But this isn’t just about shifting budgets from direct to programmatic—it’s about net-new investment, with new advertisers and brands embracing programmatic.” –Brian Gilbert

Programmatic Audio In Action: Insider Secrets & Best Practices for Success

A panel of audio experts, moderated by Brian Gilbert, explored key trends and strategies in programmatic audio and podcasting. The discussion featured Bardo Flores, Senior Director of Global AdTech Operations at Acast; Josh Rothman, SVP & GM of Global Advertising at TuneIn; and Bob Hunt, Senior Director of Audio at Hearts & Science. The group emphasized audio’s growth potential, its role in authentic connections, and the need for transparency, accurate measurement, and client-focused success metrics.

• Acast’s programmatic transformation: Shifting from direct sales to programmatic-first strategies opened doors to new advertisers and advanced targeting.
• TuneIn’s automation advantage: By leveraging connected devices and deep data insights, TuneIn proved the impact of audio on engagement at scale.
• Hearts & Science’s frequency-first strategy: Prioritizing transparency, frequency management, and client-specific metrics ensured programmatic campaigns delivered measurable success.

On the Power of Audio

“We started with direct sales and built our foundation there, but we’ve been invested in programmatic since 2017. Over time, buyers have become more educated and comfortable with podcasting, opening doors that didn’t exist before. We’re now maximizing revenue by joining more marketplaces, onboarding DSPs, and aligning closely with both buyer and seller needs. It’s not just about strategy—it’s about evolving our tech, partnerships, and measurement to meet growing demand and expand the opportunity.” –Bardo Flores

Winning the Podcast Game: Applying Our Decades of Audio Experience for Growth

Molly Ponzo, VP of Ad Product at AdsWizz, led a session on leveraging AdsWizz’s streaming audio expertise to drive podcast growth and monetization. With 500M global listeners and 4.47M active podcasts, the industry is booming. As audience engagement continues to rise, podcast ad spend is expected to reach $4.46B in 2025.

New Features for Expanding Podcasts

To help publishers and advertisers capitalize on this growth, AdsWizz recently introduced new tools and features designed to improve monetization.

• Advanced targeting: Improved audience segmentation using demographics, language, and content context
• Forecasting & delivery optimization: Advanced tools to enhance ad placement accuracy and campaign performance
• Simplified host-read workflows: Automation to streamline host-read ad execution, reducing manual effort
• Predictive pacing & manual adjustments: Ensuring ad pacing aligns with audience behavior and advertiser goals
• Contextual genre, language, and explicit episode enhancements: Improved player classification for better content categorization and ad relevance

AdsWizz is Ioneering the Future of Audio

• Platform unification: Seamlessly integrating Simplecast CMS with AdsWizz monetization tools for a unified experience
• Omnichannel support: Expanding podcast capabilities to support multiple formats and distribution channels
• Expanding content types: Growth in long-form episodic content, short clips, highlights, and subscription-based offerings like early access and live content
• Advanced targeting & reporting: Leveraging RSS + GUID data for more precise ad targeting and audience insights
• Forecasting & delivery optimization: Enhancing competitive separation, ad sequencing, and roadblocking strategies
• IAB Podcast Measurement v2.2 certification: Strengthening standardization and accuracy in podcast ad measurement

On the Podcast Audience Shift

“Gen Z is set to surpass millennials in time spent listening this year—a significant shift in audio consumption. Back in 2020, the average podcast listener spent around 30 to 35 minutes per day tuning in, consuming roughly six episodes per week. Fast forward to 2024, and that engagement has surged to an average of 54 minutes per session, with listeners consuming eight podcasts per week. This growth presents an opportunity for publishers to expand their reach among a young, diverse, and highly influential audience.”

Maximizing Monetization: Strategies for Podcast Success

Moderated by Will Donato, Account Director at AdsWizz, the panel featured Martha Canseco, Senior Manager of Ad Operations at The New York Times; Rob Timony, Senior Vice President of Commercial Advisory at Bauer Media Audio; and Karin Kessler, Vice President of Strategy & Content at Seven.One. The discussion explored key trends in programmatic audio and podcast advertising, emphasizing its rapid evolution, the opportunities it creates, and the need for better measurement and advertiser education.

• Balancing ad formats: A mix of host-read ads, dynamic insertion, and sponsorships maximizes revenue while maintaining a strong listener experience.
• Programmatic growth: Once met with hesitation, programmatic is now unlocking new budgets, particularly from international advertisers.
• Content and ad team collaboration: Strong coordination is crucial, especially for manual, highly effective host-read ads.
• Data and measurement challenges: Privacy restrictions and limited data require better measurement, research, and transparency to educate advertisers.
• Future trends: AI-driven targeting, video integration, and improved measurement will define the next phase of podcast advertising.

On Audio as a Competitive Advertising Channel

“I think it’s about having open and clear lines of communication with podcasters. When we onboard a new podcaster, we figure out the advertisers they’d like to work with and set category blocks early so that we don’t see hiccups down the line. Even with dynamically inserted Host Reads, we work closely with the podcaster to ensure they’re happy with the advertiser and how the proposed message is integrated. Building trust with our Podcasters is key.” –Rob Timony

Unlocking Digital Audio’s Full Potential: Data & Identity in a Privacy-First World

   
Jason Bauer                                                             Rob Quintiliani

Rob Quintiliani, Senior Director of Ad Product at AdsWizz, and Jason Bauer, VP of Audience Data Operations, addressed key industry challenges, including privacy shifts, a fragmented ecosystem, and the increasing complexity of audio advertising. They also showcased AdsWizz’s cutting-edge solutions, helping publishers and advertisers balance personalization, compliance, and monetization.

• Navigating industry challenges: Adapting to evolving privacy regulations and ecosystem fragmentation ensures compliance, streamlines operations, and enhances ad performance, particularly in podcast advertising.
• Harnessing data & identity solutions: First-party data, clean rooms, and contextual targeting enable privacy-compliant, scalable, and precise audience segmentation.
• Advancing targeting strategies: Mood-based, predictive, and location/weather-based targeting drive engagement, improve conversions, and optimize campaign performance.
• Maximizing AdsWizz innovations: Seamless first-party data onboarding and identity solutions enhance audience reach, simplify integration, and boost revenue.
• Driving monetization growth: Enhanced targeting and identity solutions contribute to a 14% eCPM uplift and a 6% bid rate increase, driving greater profitability.
• Preparing for the future: Expanding universal IDs and audience insights will sustain ad effectiveness and compliance amid ongoing industry changes.

On the Rapid Evolution of Advertising Technology

“Every day, new innovations are changing how we approach advertising, from automation to AI-driven targeting. What seemed impossible just a year ago is now a reality and the opportunities to improve efficiency and drive monetization are growing exponentially.” –Rob Quintiliani

Smarter Data, Bigger Impact: How Publishers are Driving Audio Growth and Revenue

Moderated by Rob Quintiliani and Jason Bauer, this panel featured Allan Venn, Digital Adtech Director at SCA; Charlie Brookes, Chief Revenue Officer at Bauer Media & Octave and Seth Freudenburg, Vice President of Audience Platform at TelevisaUnivision. The discussion covered key topics, including data-driven advertising, audience targeting, privacy challenges, and the evolving role of programmatic audio.

• First-party data boosts CPMs: Mandatory sign-ins raise ad rates, with UK publishers seeing a £5 increase per 1,000 impressions.
• Niche targeting grows: Tools such as NumberEight SDK track real-time user behavior for precise ads.
• Contextual ads remain key: GDPR-compliant strategies use device data to predict user needs.
• Sales teams must adapt: Simplified taxonomies and training are crucial for streaming, podcasts, and smart speakers.
• Audio ads evolve with data: Cross-device targeting and pre-built segments enhance execution and engagement.

“The yield difference, certainly in the UK, that we got by putting 1st party data over audio is significant. We saw CPM’s rise with this first-party data solution so it’s definitely worth the effort, but it is complex, you have to iterate, and you have to surround yourself with technology and people who understand how to use it.” –Charlie Brookes

We’re Not Done

• Click here for Day 2 of the AdsWizz Global Publisher Summit!
• Want to maximize your digital audio monetization? Contact AdsWizz to explore the latest innovations.

The post AdsWizz Global Publisher Summit Recap Day 1 appeared first on AdsWizz.

Adtech Unplugged: Straight from the AdsWizz Product Experts

The AdsWizz product experts panel—Molly Ponzo, VP, Ad Product; Franz Bernstein, VP, Ad Product; Jerome Camerlynck, Director, Ad Product; and Rob Quintiliani, Senior Director, Ad Product—shared their strategic vision for ad product development. They stressed customer-centric approaches, scalable solutions, AI innovation, and transparent collaboration with publishers.

• Customer-driven development that ensures products genuinely solve real customer problems, driving higher adoption and satisfaction.
• Balance and scalability enable AdsWizz to effectively serve diverse publisher needs efficiently, reducing custom work and speeding up delivery.
• Ad quality improvements through AI, transcription, and synthetic voice technology, enhancing ad relevance and listener experience while reducing manual work and ensuring brand safety.
• Publisher collaboration continuously integrates real-time publisher feedback into product development, builds stronger partnerships, and ensure relevant and impactful innovations.

“At its core, our job is to make sure that we build the right capabilities, the right tools for all of you to monetize and grow your businesses—connecting really the dots between the right ads for the right users at the right time.” –Franz Bernstein

Proving Audio’s Worth: Making Media Models Work for Audio

Joe Macarak, Director of Measurement Partnerships at SiriusXM, discussed mmm media mix modeling (MMM) in audio. He highlighted data integration challenges that undervalue audio, stressing a shift to agile modeling for accurate measurement. He emphasized collaboration to improve data quality and ensure fair valuation.

• Challenges with current MMM: Audio is often undervalued due to simplistic models and limited data.
• Shift to agile modeling: Evolving from basic MMM (“bad”) to agile (“better”) and holistic market mix modeling (“best”).
• Granular data is essential: Daily impression-level data improves accuracy and ensures fair budget allocation.
• Industry-wide collaboration: Partnering with modeling firms and groups like IAB helps standardize data delivery and elevate audio’s role.
• Advocacy and education: Educating clients and agencies on audio’s long-term brand impact beyond short-term ROI.

“The quality of data we feed into MMM models today will define audio’s future. If we deliver better, more precise data, we shift from being undervalued to getting our fair share of investment.”

Getting Audio & Podcasts on the Media Plan

Joe then welcomed Matt Shapo, Director of Digital Audio and Video at IAB, to the stage to discuss the impact of MMM on audio ads. Together, they emphasized the need for better data, cross-channel collaboration, and advertiser education to enhance audio’s representation. They highlighted how outdated measurement methods contribute to underinvestment and explained how emerging technology and strategic partnerships are driving more accurate measurement and increased ad spend.

• Industry collaboration: An IAB working group was created to align audio with MMM frameworks and ensure fair measurement. 
• Underinvestment in audio: Many advertisers assume audio is hard to measure, leading to lower budget allocations despite its effectiveness. 
• Data quality and measurement gaps: Audio often gets grouped incorrectly with other media, misrepresenting its impact and ROI. 
• Refining education: The conversation around MMM must evolve from general measurement education to technical data accuracy and integration. 

“The new frontier is making sure that the inputs are right. It’s no longer just about proving audio’s value—it’s about ensuring audio is properly measured so we can unlock its full potential.” –Matt Shapo

Customer First: Driving Engagement, Value, and Satisfaction

Kate Vitt, Vice President of Product Operations & Customer Success at AdsWizz, and Mircea Jianu, Senior Director of Global Customer Support, wrapped up the event with a session on customer success strategies aimed at boosting engagement, value, and satisfaction. They emphasized investments in support infrastructure, proactive engagement, tailored solutions, and data-driven insights to enhance service quality.

• Comprehensive support model: The AdsWizz team has built a 360-degree customer support structure integrating technical account managers, solution engineers, programmatic operations, and audience data teams to provide specialized assistance. 
• Expanding customer education & knowledge resources: The knowledge base has been expanded in the past year, and engagement nearly doubled, ensuring customers have on-demand access to best practices and troubleshooting. 
• Leveraging net promoter score (NPS) for continuous improvement: Feedback from NPS surveys directly shapes priorities, including platform updates, support enhancements, and summit content. 
• Proactive & tailored customer success approach: Customers receive more customized support, including product managers and support teams joining QBRs, ensuring a more strategic and personalized experience. 
• Enhancing product usability & support tools: The team is reimagining every customer touchpoint from onboarding to troubleshooting, integrating real-time assistance and automation tools to streamline issue resolution. 

“Customer success is built on strong partnerships and excellent products that truly meet market needs. We’re committed to evolving alongside you, ensuring every interaction adds value to your business.” –Kate Vitt

Next Steps: Get Involved and Stay Ahead!

The AdsWizz Global Publisher Summit highlighted the transformative power of digital audio in modern advertising. From breakthroughs in programmatic technology to innovations in podcast monetization, the audio landscape continues its meteoric climb. Leading this evolution, AdsWizz continues to empower publishers to drive the future of audio—bolder, smarter, and more influential than ever.

Want to maximize your digital audio monetization? Contact us to explore the latest innovations.

The post AdsWizz Global Publisher Summit Recap Day 2 appeared first on AdsWizz.

From morning podcasts to curated playlists, audio is integral to daily life – shaping how we connect, unwind, and stay informed. For brands, that means one thing: if programmatic audio isn’t already part of your advertising strategy, you need to catch up.

The post How Programmatic Audio is Revolutionizing Brand Engagement appeared first on AdsWizz.

Check out this latest piece published in The Drum by Daniel Einhorn, Senior Manager, Content Marketing!

With digital audio advertising spending in North America projected to hit $9 billion by 2028, the medium’s rapid expansion and disruptive potential are undeniable. Audio is no longer just growing; it has become a transformative force in how brands connect with audiences.

The post How Audio Advertising is Redefining Marketing in 2025 (and Beyond) appeared first on AdsWizz.

Audio advertising is revolutionizing how brands connect with audiences. In 2025, this vibrant space continues to inspire marketers to move beyond traditional strategies and embrace its disruptive potential. With digital audio advertising spending in North America projected to hit $8 billion by 2028, the medium’s rapid expansion and influence are undeniable.

This momentum was exemplified at CES 2025, where AdsWizz and SiriusXM Media took center stage, showcasing the transformative potential of digital audio. By unveiling cutting-edge features and sharing groundbreaking insights on multicultural targeting, we’ve set new standards in innovation, engaging brands and publishers eager to thrive in a competitive landscape.

Anne Frisbie on Shaping the Future of Digital Audio

AdsWizz’s Head of Global Business Development, Anne Frisbie, joined host, James Kotecki in the CES Studio to dive into what makes digital audio so impactful today and how AdsWizz is shaping its future.

Check out this video for the full interview

Showcasing AdsWizz Innovations

AdsWizz unveiled innovations in its suite that are revolutionizing digital audio advertising—empowering brands to connect with diverse audiences, optimize programmatic demand, and ensure brand safety. Let’s explore how this cutting-edge adtech is shaping the future!

The Power of Multicultural Targeting

We highlighted the incredible potential of reaching multicultural audiences. Why? Because the impact is undeniable, with $5.6 trillion in spending power in the U.S. ready to be unlocked. 

• 78% of Black podcast listeners are more likely to buy a product advertised on a culturally relevant show
• 45% of Asian American listeners prefer ads that reflect their identity
• 76% of Hispanic listeners feel pride and empowerment when they see positive Latino representation in media

Predictive Audiences, powered by Comscore, revolutionizes multicultural targeting by enabling advanced segmentation rooted in behavioral and cultural relevance. This cutting-edge solution empowers brands to deliver tailored messages that truly resonate with diverse communities. Using privacy-friendly contextual signals, Comscore Predictive Audiences helps brands seamlessly target audiences by focusing on the content where they over-index, rather than relying on traditional identifiers. 

Whether reaching Asian, Black/African American, or Hispanic audiences, this partnership provides future-proof podcast targeting with access to over 300 audience segments across categories such as TV viewership, shopping habits, gaming behavior, location-based insights, and more.

AudioMax: Manage All Programmatic Demand in One Platform

With AudioMax SSP, AdsWizz brings publishers and podcasters a seamless way to take control of their programmatic ad inventory. This cutting-edge, audio-native SSP connects to 80% of global demand sources, consolidating and optimizing deals across DSPs, agency trading desks, and ad exchanges.¹ 

Publishers can maximize efficiency with tools that streamline yield strategies, block unwanted categories, and apply advanced frequency capping to improve the listener experience. Plus, the ability to preview multi-format ad creatives before approval ensures every campaign meets the highest standards. With AudioMax SSP, managing programmatic demand is not a challenge, but an opportunity for growth.

AudioMatic: Plan, Buy, Measure, and Optimize

AdsWizz’s AudioMatic DSP is not just a tool—it’s the ultimate partner for executing effective audio campaigns. Designed for agencies and brands, AudioMatic provides a single platform to plan, buy, measure, and optimize campaigns. From targeting audiences by behavior, language, and genre to leveraging predictive inventory forecasting, AudioMatic DSP ensures advertisers can connect with listeners in the most meaningful way. 

The platform simplifies access to premium inventory, making it easier than ever to deliver high-performing campaigns that align with advertiser goals. AudioMatic DSP takes the guesswork out of digital audio advertising, so advertisers can focus on reaching and engaging audiences.

Brand Safety: Protecting Reputations, One Ad at a Time

At AdsWizz, we understand that where ads appear is just as important as the message they convey. That’s why we also underscored our brand safety tools designed to protect brands from being associated with harmful or misaligned content, safeguarding their integrity and reputation.

Our advanced features allow advertisers to block specific audience categories, publishers, IAB content segments, or topics, ensuring precise alignment with their values and target audiences. With AI transcription technology, advertisers gain deep insights into podcast content, while Invalid Traffic Filtering (IVT), powered by our partnership with HUMAN Security, ensures campaigns reach real people—not bots.

Looking Ahead

At CES 2025, AdsWizz reaffirmed our commitment to shaping the future of digital audio advertising. Through groundbreaking innovations in multicultural targeting, programmatic solutions, and brand safety, we’re empowering brands and publishers to connect with audiences like never before.

• Ready to amplify your audio strategy? Contact us today to discover how our platforms can elevate your campaigns!
• Also take a look at this recap of CES 2025, shared from the perspective of our sister company, SiriusXM Media!
• That’s not it! Check out some cool pics from the SiriusXM experience at CES 2025 below!

¹AdsWizz Internal Data as of March 2024.

The post AdsWizz at CES 2025 Recap appeared first on AdsWizz.

Check out this latest piece published in The Drum by Garrison Dua, VP of Demand, North America!

Digital audio is a powerful bridge, allowing brands to forge meaningful connections with consumers. Thanks to advances in streaming technology and the meteoric rise of podcasts, audio has transformed into an engaging medium that allows brands to connect with audiences more authentically and relevantly than ever before. Half of podcast listeners report engaging more deeply with a brand’s sound identity than with its visual presence, and 58% consider sound elements more memorable – underscoring audio’s unique ability to foster deeper, lasting engagement.

By embracing immersive, interactive, and personalized audio strategies, brands can shift from passive messaging to rich, two-way conversations that deeply resonate with listeners. This shift goes beyond embracing a new advertising channel – it’s about creating impactful experiences that leave lasting impressions and foster deeper consumer engagement. So, let’s discover how audio innovations are transforming digital marketing and how your brand can harness its full potential.

The post How Audio Innovation is Redefining Brand-Consumer Connections appeared first on AdsWizz.

Key Insights from this Episode

Privacy by Design: Redefining Audience Engagement

With growing privacy regulations, the industry faces an urgent need for alternative ways to understand audiences. Emma explained that NumberEight’s approach is rooted in “privacy by design,” shifting from traditional identifiers (IDs) to cohort-level targeting that respects user anonymity. This strategy is integrated across all of NumberEight’s solutions, including affinity audiences, which provides demographic data at scale for podcasting; advanced behavioral, which uses mobile sensory information to create a dynamic picture of user preferences and habits; and contextual data, which helps understand the digital environment users are in.

“We’re moving away from one-to-one identifiers and adopting a more fluid approach to audience engagement,” Emma shared, underscoring the need for scalable, privacy-friendly methods that remain flexible even as regulatory landscapes evolve.

Live Moments: Real-Time Targeting Based on User Behaviors

Emma introduced the idea of live moments—data points representing what users do in real-time, whether they’re commuting, relaxing at home, or working out. By analyzing these signals, advertisers can deliver more relevant, timely ads that align with users’ current needs and state of mind, creating what she describes as “right message, right moment” advertising.

This approach is particularly potent in digital audio and podcasting, where listeners are often in environments conducive to focused engagement. For example, automotive brands have leveraged in-vehicle life moments to reach users while they’re on the road, resonating with listeners during moments of receptivity.

A Privacy-First Future is Possible—But There’s Work to Do

As Emma noted, the conversation around privacy-centric advertising is well underway, where leading marketers and technologists converge. However, widespread adoption is still in its early stages, and brands are just beginning to feel comfortable making the shift.

One major barrier is the FOMU effect Emma describes—not the typical fear of missing out, but the “fear of messing up”. With so much at stake, brands are hesitant to risk experimenting with unproven techniques, even though the alternative is missing out on innovative privacy-first solutions. Emma suggests that rather than investing in a single approach, brands should diversify their solutions and test various models to reduce reliance on outdated identifiers.

Why Podcasts Are Digital’s ‘Next Big Thing’ in Ad Spend

Despite the rapid growth in podcast consumption, ad spending in this format has not yet matched its rising listenership. However, podcasts are on the brink of revolutionizing ad spend, especially as they adopt more standardization in data availability, activation, and reporting. Emma noted that once podcasts can offer a similar ease of activation as other digital media, the gap between audience growth and ad spend will likely close.

Combining Data and Storytelling to Create Deeper Connections

Beyond the technical aspects of data targeting, Emma emphasizes the importance of storytelling. At NumberEight, the team is constantly looking for ways to harness behavioral, affinity, and contextual data to tell stories that resonate with audiences on a human level. By leveraging deterministic data—data that is live, accurate, and reflective of real-world behavior—advertisers can create authentic connections that evolve with the listener’s journey.

“Data is an art,” Emma reflected, underscoring the value of approaching data not just as a series of points, but as elements of a broader narrative that speaks directly to each user’s unique experiences and preferences.

Building a Multi-Channel, Diversified Data Strategy

Emma recommends that advertisers move away from relying on any single solution, advocating instead for a multi-channel approach that integrates ID-based and ID-less data sources. By building a waterfall structure where various data types work together, brands can future-proof their advertising strategies against potential changes in data availability or regulatory compliance. This approach allows brands to adapt to fluctuations, ensuring that as some data types phase out or become restricted, others can fill the gap. 

Cross-Channel Learning and Behavioral Targeting

Emma outlined her vision for NumberEight’s ongoing work in cross-channel learning, where insights from one platform—like gaming or streaming—are applied to enhance targeting on another, such as digital audio. This cross-pollination of data insights enables more refined and effective targeting, helping advertisers get the most out of their ad spend by sharing new insights across all their channels. In a market where media consumption is increasingly diverse, leveraging data across platforms is essential for advertisers to reach audiences wherever they may be listening, watching, or engaging.

A Path Forward with Privacy and Performance in Harmony

The journey toward a more privacy-friendly future in digital audio is full of opportunity but requires bold innovation and adaptability. By embracing ID-less targeting, weaving in compelling storytelling, and harnessing cross-channel insights, brands can build genuine connections—without compromising user trust. The time to act is now because the brands that dare to innovate will lead the way.

Tune-In For More AdsWizz Updates

• Discover how AdsWizz’s partnership with NumberEight brings cutting-edge, privacy-compliant targeting to podcast advertising.
• Tune into Frequency: The Official AdsWizz Podcast to see how AdsWizz is redefining audio advertising.
• Reach out to us today to amplify your podcast advertising, reach more listeners, and drive results!

The post Redefining Data Privacy in Digital Audio with Emma Raz from NumberEight appeared first on AdsWizz.

To address this, AdsWizz is proud to announce cutting-edge enhancements to its podcast advertising capabilities through a partnership with pioneering ID-less data firm NumberEight. These advancements will enable highly targeted, privacy-compliant ads that redefine how advertisers connect with podcast audiences.

Why This Partnership Matters

Traditional podcast advertising relies heavily on IP-based or authenticated traffic data, leading to privacy challenges and limitations in demographic accuracy. While IP addresses can match household-level data, they are unreliable for individual-specific insights, such as age or gender. NumberEight addresses this with a privacy-friendly, ID-less approach that uses anonymized contextual data and machine learning to deliver precise demographic insights free from exchanging personally identifiable information (PII) or compromising personal privacy.

“As privacy standards evolve, our partnership with NumberEight allows us to redefine how advertisers connect with audiences—balancing precision and privacy,” says Anne Frisbie, SVP of Global Business Development at AdsWizz. “This collaboration sets a new standard for improved audience engagement in podcast advertising.”

How It Works (and Why It’s Better than the Rest)

NumberEight’s solution utilizes RSS feed data from publishers, predicting audience demographics without relying on traditional identity signals. Instead, NumberEight uses anonymized first-party data sources from direct integrations with apps, census datasets, and data modeling. This privacy-friendly approach leverages machine learning to safeguard user privacy while providing reliable insights—ensuring that advertisers can effectively reach the right audiences at scale without geographical constraints.

Key Benefits

• Advertisers – Reach new podcast audience segments with unprecedented scale, enhancing campaign impact and precision while maintaining privacy compliance.
• Publishers and Inventory Sellers – Increase monetization by integrating enhanced demographic data, boosting the value of podcast inventory across platforms like AudioMax and AudioServe.
• Podcast Networks – Boost programmatic sales and make inventory more appealing to advertisers by offering comprehensive demographic insights, all while adhering to strict privacy standards.

Seamless Integration with AdsWizz Platforms

NumberEight’s technology is fully integrated with our real-time data aggregation and enrichment solution called Sonar Demographics, available in the AdsWizz product suite, including AudioServe Campaign Manager, AudioMatic DSP, AudioMax SSP, and Simplecast by AdsWizz (Professional Tier). This seamless integration means that podcast content creators, resellers, and advertisers can effortlessly access demographic insights without additional implementation.

Abhishek Sen, CEO & Co-Founder at NumberEight, says: “Podcast advertising has been notoriously difficult for a long time – platform fragmentation, lack of reliable and scalable targeting data, privacy regulations, and more. This partnership with AdsWizz finally tilts this balance by leveraging the latest in cross-domain AI to give advertisers the ability to deliver highly personalized messages while upholding the highest standards of privacy and compliance.”

Shaping the Future of Podcast Advertising with Privacy-Friendly Innovation

By filling the gaps in PII and focusing on anonymized contextual data, AdsWizz and NumberEight are setting a new standard for podcast advertising—enabling effective audience targeting while adhering to privacy standards.

Ready to elevate your podcast advertising, expand reach, and boost performance? Contact us today to get started!

If you’re an existing customer, check our AdsWizz knowledge base for more details.

The post Maximize Reach and Privacy with AdsWizz and NumberEight appeared first on AdsWizz.

Key Takeaways

Scalability and Simplified Activation Through Programmatic Buying

Scaling direct, host-read podcast ads has traditionally been challenging, but programmatic solutions now offer audience-based buys that increase reach and efficiency while preserving the personalized touch. This technology also simplifies activation, allowing advertisers to quickly launch campaigns and integrate podcast ads into broader media strategies for maximum impact.

Ensuring Brand Safety

Brand safety concerns are being addressed through AI-powered contextual targeting and third-party verification from partners like Comscore. This technology ensures advertisers can confidently place ads without worrying about inappropriate content.

Measurable Results and Performance

Podcast ads are proven to deliver exceptional performance, with conversion rates 2x better and click-through rates 6x higher than traditional display ads. Tools like AudioPixel provide sophisticated tracking for measuring brand lift, foot traffic, and overall campaign success.

Podcasts Complement Other Media

Podcast ads complement other media channels, especially when combined with social media and Connected TV (CTV). This integrated approach drives higher recall and message association, significantly boosting campaign effectiveness.

Did You Miss Us at the MediaPost Planning and Buying Insider Summit? 

In conclusion, the MediaPost Planning & Buying Insider Summit highlighted the growing impact of podcast advertising. With high engagement, scalable programmatic solutions, and strong brand safety measures, podcasts are an effective channel for reaching audiences. AdsWizz showcased how its tools simplify ad activation and boost performance, making podcasts essential in future media planning.

• Here are the slides we presented for your reference. 
• Ready to take your advertising to the next level? Contact us to discover how AdsWizz can expand your digital audio presence!
  

by 

Robyn Meyers, Vice President, Programmatic and Marketplace Partnerships 

and

Dave Sosson, Senior Manager, Business Development, Programmatic Demand

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