RedCirlce says since the company launched its automated host-read ad platform in March, its podcast download numbers have continued to climb for what it calls OpenRAP. When it debuted four months ago, OpenRAP connected to more than 100 podcasts representing over 6 million monthly downloads. It is now being used by 10 networks and more than 500 shows across a variety of publishers. The result is RedCircle’s platform now provides automated ad buying on over 80 million monthly downloads.
RedCircle has created a fully automated host-read ad platform that will enable marketers to buy not only shows that it hosts, but across a wider spectrum of shows. The company is doing that by using what is known as a VAST interconnection, that not only has programmatic automation features, but it also allows access to any podcast hosting company that supports VAST – a list that includes most of the industry’s biggest like Megaphone, Omny, and Art19, among others. That means a marketer could place a host-read ad buy in RedCircle’s OpenRAP and access podcasts that are hosted elsewhere. When they do, RedCircle’s automated host-read system automatically manages ad insertion, measurement, and reporting through a VAST interconnection, removing the time-consuming steps that have limited live-reads.
While there are other programmatic platforms selling host-reads, theirs is the first that is not limited to shows hosted by a single company. If a podcaster sells their own ads, OpenRAP sits behind their direct-sold campaign and fills whatever available inventory there is with high-CPM ads.
Alan Abdine, Head of Ad Revenue at YMH Studios, one of the companies using OpenRAP, says it has allowed them to sell previously unsold inventory.
“RedCircle provides an exceptional supplemental option for our unsold inventory, generating industry-best CPMs and significantly boosting our fill rates to over 90%.,” he said. “This partnership is a key driver of our success in maximizing revenue and reaching a wider audience of direct response buyers, and helps us tap into the coveted high CPM brand awareness campaigns.”
Based on the initial success with OpenRAP which RedCircle says has exceeded its own expectations, they will continue to evolve its offerings to partner with more networks and podcasts looking to expand their monetization opportunities.
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