We came, we saw, we sponsored: CPS-Europe '07

Hi there,

So I'm back at my desk after a fun couple of days in the company of US and European podcasters at Podcast Summit Europe 2007. We were truly proud to be sponsors of the event, and it was a pleasure to hook up with so many good people. I met podcasters and marketers, plus some great podcast industry bloggers (Paul Colligan, Jason van Orden, Leesa Barnes- links down the left of this page).

If you go to my company's website, you'll see what we do- and we're proud of it. But this is my personal blog- and whether you're in the podcasting business, a company looking to podcast, or an individual, this is where you'll find the unvarnished truth. So here it is: what I learned this week at CPS-E'07:

• Clients still need education. Not on the intricacies of podcasts: I mean on the basics. Like, what is a podcast. Start there. If you're reading this and you know that podcasting is not beholden to Apple, you're already way ahead of the crowd.
• The podcasting industry needs to get its head out of its arse (or ass for my US readers). I got a real sense that delegates were embarrassed because they enjoyed broadcasting so much, perhaps there wasn't actually a business in it. There is. Enjoy. Stop worrying.
• Some podcast companies seem to think that this is about editing or production. No it is not, and anyone who sets up a podcast agency to do production will fail. Production is a "flat-rate", price-sensitive off-the-shelf service which someone on Elance or an outsource agency could do. The value of a podcast agency is in strategy, format development, monetization, audience engagement, ongoing maintenance of feedback loops etc. Production is not a service.
• The excellent David Prever of BrandSpanking asked a superb question. "If a brand has £19 million to spend, how does podcasting achieve a deserving place as part of that budget". He didn't get a straight answer. Let me provide it. Media in the brand context is valued according to its value to the client, not the cost of production. Otherwise the people who think up slogans would charge tuppence ha'penny. Podcasting must prove its value- and do so in the context of engagement, whether to new audiences, existing customers or as a customer service tool. The metrics are currently badly argued (not non-existent, just badly argued in pitches) and we all owe it to ourselves as an industry to present our case more effectively. In the absence of perfect stats (and thankyou Feedburner for improving things) I simply say to clients, start with a £20K job. If I can prove a £100k return on the metrics of the client's choice, then we'll start talking about a share of the £19million.

So there it is. Clarion call over. A highly educational Summit, our thanks to Paul Colligan for hosting, and let's get our house in order!

Comments

[podcastmama]

Fun presentation. I really liked your idea of re-christening the event the Corporate "Engagement" Summit. Maybe that is reason enough for making another event around the subjectm with the updated name. We always like a good in-person gathering like we've just had. Keep the good ideas coming!

[Leesa Barnes]

Nick, lovely meeting you and having a good laugh. I agree that the metrics are difficult, but it's early. This is no different from banner ads or websites from 10-years ago when people were confused on how to measure it. It took a few years for the dust to settle and for everyone to agree on what measurement tool would be used consistently. Podcasting is going through the same growing pains as well.

[Curtis James]

Hi Nick,

Great to meet you at the summit, some of the stuff you talked about gave me real food for thought.

I just stumbled across this post: http://www.wcradio.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5053

And thought it was relevant to what you said about production companies. You are right that the traditional production model is a hand to mouth situation, but, I would have to argue that production values are key to gaining listeners and respect. Without listeners, you may as well not bother making your podcast.

I mean, would a brand let any person that has photo shop on their pc create it's visual brand?

I guess we come at this from a more traditional broadcast background which favours high quality content. Podcasting is really challenging this.

[Dr Savi]

Hi Nick,
Good to see you back.
I was communicating with Matt O', re: whether I was going to make it. I'd would value an off-line chat with you about my experiences with the whole show - let us put it this way - it was 'pitched' to me as a great place to debate and meet. I guess it was, with selected presenters and 'possible' clients.

With regard to your point on 'too much focus on production'. I agree, as I have scoured the internet to find out distinctions between emerging players. I can put most of the new insurgence into 4 main categories:

1. Pure production (ex Audio recording mix houses)
2. Voice-over fill ins (ex Presenters that can help with scripting and recording)
3. PR houss (ex PR houses hoping to combine social media discussions with the remote possibility of using the potential of RSS)
4. Mobilcasters (ex Telephone service companies, hoping to use global voicemai).

Podcasting is not about the '4Ps' - You must have seen that circulating around the net.

Ending on a positive, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Podcasting is about:

* Integration with corporate initiatives and
* Linkage to a corporate comms strategy
* Yes, it is about feedback loops but ones that yield a change in an organisation - for example, communicating best customer service practice.
* Niche markets have niche needs.

With regard to the latter, the podcast must have meaning - Working with a dealer channel and their extranet.

Just returning to your initial point, there appears to be too much intellectualising around the old audio publishing arena rather than discovering immediate value add usage for clients and then really pushing this as central to the education that our clients need to realise our business possibilities...

[Matt O'Neill]

http://www.activ-media.com/podcast_summit/index.htm

adios,

m