Heather Osgood: Playing Matchmaker for Podcasters and Advertisers
Founder of True Native Media
Let’s be honest; reading this written article would “sound” tedious, pun intended. But what if it was read out to you in a soothing voice while you went about your daily business? That is a podcast for you. Pressing that play button on one of the strongest digital mediums has gained a massive fan following, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. But how does one drive listeners to listen to their podcasts amidst all the competition? With the help of a podcast advertising specialist, one can tap into the target audiences, and Heather Osgood does just that – helps podcasters transform their dream into a sustainable profession by monetizing their venture.
“My mission is to help people find a bigger piece of the ad dollar pie and gain visibility,” says Heather, who has an extensive background in radio advertising. Her love for podcasting spurred her to start an agency that could help advertisers get better results and assist podcasters in finding sponsors. Podcast advertising has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, and research shows no signs of its popularity going down any time soon as more podcast hosts are shapeshifting into full-blown celebrities. Heather, being an influential voice in the podcast advertising space and having sold over 50K ads in the last five years, speaks volumes about the mark that she has made for herself in the domain.
Connecting Podcasters with Advertisers
In her career, Heather has owned, operated, and sold several highly successful businesses and understands the importance of strategic marketing. In January 2016, when she founded True Native Media (a premier podcast representation and advertising agency), buying podcasts was something new. Heather’s mission with her company is two-fold – she helps advertisers reach the target market with host-read endorsement ads and pairs podcasters with a slew of sponsors that align with the listeners’ interests. In short, through podcast logistics, she guides advertisers to drive sales, increase brand awareness, acquire new customers, and market their message.
Heather believes that as a podcaster, one should know their target audience and create quality content consistently. Besides giving the listeners a variety of content to choose from, keeping them engaged over a long period of time by updating daily or weekly is key. Her step-by-step system to help clients stop struggling when it comes to monetizing the podcast has been nothing short of a hit. “When it comes to podcast advertising, few are as engaged, dedicated, and motivated to see the industry succeed. Heather wears the industry on her sleeve and makes it her mission to help brands like ours and many others,” says Adam McNeil, VP Marketing at Adopter Media, who recommends (10/10) the services of True Native Media.
From Hobby to Business
Podcast advertising might be new, but its efficacy in letting the listeners know of the product’s value, discounts, promos, and personal experiences cannot be undermined. To this effect, Heather plays the role of a host in facilitating the sales and listenership of a podcast. She builds a connection between the brand and the audience by using digital marketing techniques and leverages the popularity of digital media in the present-day scenario. In tune with her vision, Heather has created Podcast Moneymaker, a course designed for podcasters who want the formulas, tools, and tactics to bag advertisers in six weeks. At the end of the course, she envisions clients to have mastered the path to audience expansion and be armed with the right tools and knowledge to cultivate profitable relationships with advertisers.
Heather wishes to move from just representing independent podcasts to owning her own content. To further this idea, she and some other co-founders recently launched a new business called ‘Podcast Broker’, a digital marketplace that buys and sells podcasts. “If you are someone who already has a podcast with an audience base but are tired of doing it, you can reach out to us to get an evaluation of your show and get yourself listed on our website. Many have also reached out to us to create a podcast network by acquiring a few shows under their umbrella,” Heather added.
Nurturing Connections
Heather and her team are dedicated to providing exceptional personalized service to every podcaster, brand, and advertiser they partner with. Resting her belief in the power of content creation, she encourages podcasters to find their unique voices and nurture them to reach out to more and more customers. Giving wings to her influential stand in the podcast industry, Heather also contributes to major podcasting events like Podcast Movement, PodFest, and more. She is also the host of The Podcast Advertising Playbook, a show dedicated to educating people interested in podcast advertising, be it an advertiser, marketer, or podcaster.
A long-time business owner, Heather has aced the tricks of the trade and tags self-motivation as the key to making it big. “Have confidence in yourself. If you have an idea, you need to take the right action. Things can get overwhelming, and you might not be sure what to do next, especially when you are starting. Taking measured steps towards your goal will land you where you want to be,” Heather commented.
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