AdsWizz’s PodScribe promises scalable podcast ad targeting

Audio advertising technology company AdsWizz has announced the availability of PodScribe, a tool that the company touts as a scalable way to target podcast ad campaigns.

How it works. PodScribe uses speech-to-text transcription technology to analyze the content of a podcast, allowing advertisers to target based on keywords, concepts, topics and interests.

AdsWizz has also partnered with media analytics company Comscore to offer audience and contextual segments and custom keyword targeting and avoidance, which should help advertisers get more accurate with their targeting.

Ad buyers can use PodScribe for targeting via AdsWizz’s AudioMatic platform, or through PodWave, the company’s podcast marketplace. Publishers can use PodScribe to monetize their inventory through AdsWizz’s AudioServe platform.

Why we should care. Podcast mobile app usage is up 60% since January 2018, ad revenue is projected to exceed $1 billion in 2021 and companies such as Spotify and Nielsen have begun offering new services for agencies and ad buyers. However, accurate, scalable targeting and reporting remain a large obstacle for potential advertisers.

“The podcast industry can only truly take off if ad buying is easy and accessible,” said Alexis Van de Wyer, CEO of AdsWizz. If PodScribe delivers on its promise, programmatic ad buying (for brands and podcasts that don’t mind dynamically inserted ads) may become a more accessible, scalable option.

For podcast publishers, AdsWizz’s offerings may make it easier to match your content with a compatible ad buyer.

Related. Check out our quick-start guide to podcast advertising.