Tuesday, March 28, 2023

Podcast Campaign Results - You Cannot Depend on URLs/Offer Codes


We understand that sales teams want to work with ad partners that deliver the most value for every impression. When a potential sponsor approaches us, it's almost always with a prior understanding of how we position ourselves alongside them. Our sponsors know our network and want to connect with our qualified audience. 


You've heard it before; we frequently use the term “partners" because we look at each sponsor as a partnership, not only for the mutual benefit of our organizations but to benefit our audience. Because our fans are tech-savvy and security-focused, they expect more from our partners; generic landing pages and basic offer codes are insufficient to gauge the traction of a campaign on our network. 


Unless there is a specific, attractive offer for our audience (i.e., TWiT listeners get 50% off the first month of service), our audience will simply google the client's name and go directly to their website. Generic landing pages, weak offers, and the same offer as a partner's homepage are meaningless when tracking our network. Why would anyone type out a specific URL when you'd find the same offer by googling the company's name? Another issue is our audience is privacy-centered and may use a VPN when visiting our sponsors. Based on our annual survey reaching over 10,000 fans, we know that over 20% of our audience forget about landing pages or offer codes, and 50% that use them selects TWiT because it's our network name.


Therefore we recommend using ad tech on our network; we offer Podsights, providing additional attribution insight. We also clarify that you must wait eight weeks after every ad drops to reach its fullest impact (and into perpetuity). Podcast ads take time because you must wait for fans to download the episode, listen to it, see it elsewhere, and then act. It can take 8-15 touchpoints to motivate fans to convert, and we have the guidance to get them there.


We also recommend implementing a post-purchase survey before the campaign begins. Then you have multiple reports to review - ad impressions, Podsights traction, conversions, and results from a post-purchase survey. This is the only way to track a campaign on TWiT.tv effectively.


If you would like to learn more, please email advertise@twit.tv