TV upfronts and digital newfronts; major annual events. But an upfront for podcasts? IAB just hosted the first, and it was an exciting event for marketers.  

Just yesterday afternoon, 150 people sweated it out in a 100 degree room at the Jerome L. Greene Performance Space in New York to preview what’s in store for podcasts in the coming year. The podcast for upfronts brought in the element of celebrity to showcase the new arrivals, such as actor Michael Rapaport, comedians Scott Aukerman and Judy Gold, and ESPN host Cari Champion. Panoply, AdLarge, Podtrac, Midroll, ESPN, CBS, WNYC and NPR all previewed their upcoming content, and it was promising. This upfront for podcasts really showed marketers not only that podcasts were on the rise, but that the opportunity for advertising there is huge and largely untouched.

If you’ve spent any time in a cubicle or suffered through a wicked commute in the last year, chances are high you’ve listened to to the suspenseful podcast “Serial.”  Even President Obama is jumping on the podcast train with his interview on WTF with Marc Maron. It’s because of breakout hits like these that podcasts are on the up and up. Julia Turner, Slate editor who delivered the keynote speech, pointed out that one-third of Americans have tried podcasts. She goes on to say,

“We’re all here because we have the sense that something extraordinary is happening with podcasting. The sense that digital audio is a medium poised to hit the big time. We can sense it when the latest cultural phenomenon is this sound.” 

Turner’s right, and the increasing audience for podcasts also open up huge opportunities for marketers and advertisers. Turner adds, “Podcasts are mobile ad opportunities that have been hiding in plain sight. Because the ads are oral, not visual, the limitations in screen size have no bearing.”

The upfront for podcasts also showcased the targeting ability of podcasts. Podcasts attracts niche audiences, ads can be targeted just as specifically.

Overall, the future of podcasts looks very bright for both consumers and marketers.

Oh, and if you’re suffering from Serial withdrawals, don’t worry. Season two will air this fall– Podtrac CEO Mark McCrery promised.