Podcast advertising needs better measurement. So, the IAB is answering the call.
Earlier today, IAB Tech Lab released Version 2.3 of its Podcast Technical Measurement Guidelines for public comment. The goal is to have better technical standards in place to measure everything from podcast downloads and audiences to ad delivery.
To that end, the update adds clearer guidance for handling duplicate downloads and invalid traffic, measuring video podcasts, and accounting for technical changes that can affect reporting. It also refines how measurement should work for podcasts across different podcast apps and platforms. Ultimately, the new standards should help publishers, platforms, and measurement vendors count audiences and ad impressions more consistently.
Why This Matters:
Podcast advertising continues to grow and is up 20%.
Unfortunately, measurement hasn’t always kept pace. Unlike other digital channels, podcast measurement has historically been less standardized because most podcast apps don’t confirm whether an episode was actually played. Instead, much of the industry relies on server-side data that tracks downloads rather than actual listening.
That’s where these updated guidelines come in. The recommendations here work to reduce inconsistencies in how podcasts are measured. In theory, this should give buyers more confidence in campaign reporting, making publisher metrics easier to compare across platforms, and cut down on friction as more ad dollars flow into podcasting.
Experts React:
IAB Tech Lab CEO Anthony Katsur said the updated guidelines will help cut down on inconsistencies across podcast measurement.
“Measurement only works at scale if everyone is counting the same way. These updates give the industry clearer guidance for today’s podcast ecosystem and help reduce the inconsistencies that slow deals down and create unnecessary questions. That is good for buyers, publishers, and everyone responsible for reporting the numbers.”
Our Take:
Standardizing things like how downloads, audiences, and ad delivery are counted is another step toward making podcast advertising look more like the rest of digital advertising (though every channel has work to do). That’s also what helps shift podcasts from more of an awareness channel to one that will ultimately support performance.
One final note: IAB Tech Lab also replaced the term “listener” with “podcast consumer.” Does this mean IAB Tech Lab is “woke” now? (This is a (bad) joke! Don’t hate us.)
