Delivery, Monetization, and Insights

Capitol Broadcasting doubles ad revenue on SoundStack

Switching to open, robust programmatic ad tech for efficiency and effectiveness

  • 2x+ increase in ad revenue

  • Single view of podcast/streaming performance

  • Accurate geotargeting solution

Objective

Established in 1937, Capitol Broadcasting Company is a renowned, diversified communications company based in Raleigh, NC that owns/operates a wide range of digital and traditional media properties.

With a slate of immensely popular broadcasts and podcasts, Capitol works hard to ensure those shows earn as much ad revenue as possible so they can continue to inform and entertain their avid listeners. Adding new programmatic demand partners to fill more inventory was hard – Capitol needed a monetization partner that could also connect them to incremental advertiser demand easily.

Using two different systems to manage streaming and podcasting, Capitol’s team was doing twice the amount of work to traffic, optimize, and analyze their ads and audience. Getting a single, simple view of overall performance – and some help from their provider – were particularly difficult.

Working with SoundStack allows us to easily consolidate our analytics and ad scheduling. Anita Normanly, Director Of Podcast Operations

“Managing streaming and podcast distribution from separate platforms created needless duplication in reporting and ad scheduling. We wanted a single platform that could manage both,” said Anita Normanly, Director Of Podcast Operations. “Working with SoundStack allows us to easily consolidate our analytics and ad scheduling. Being able to schedule a single campaign that targets streams and podcasts makes us think differently about our digital audio content and how we can best deliver ads to specific audiences.”

Moreover, Capitol needed a better geotargeting solution for streaming. IP-based targeting wasn’t accurate enough, especially when it came to something as critical as issuing emergency announcements.

“As a broadcaster, it can be exciting to see how your digital content can spread and attract new audiences outside your DMA. But we also need flexibility and control to dictate how that content is consumed,” said Brian Grube, Radio General Manager.

Approach

Capitol moved streaming and podcast delivery/monetization over to SoundStack in the fall of 2022. Opening up their audio inventory on a completely independent platform, with direct connections to multiple demand partners, Capitol ensured that more advertisers would have access to the audiences they value the most, allowing them to fill more inventory.

We need to do everything we can to monetize each ad impression when it’s available. Otherwise, it’s a missed opportunity that we probably won’t get back. SoundStack was able to help us meet that goal. Jon Accarrino, VP of Transformation

“News and sports audio content is often a perishable commodity,” added Jon Accarrino, VP of Transformation. “We need to do everything we can to monetize each ad impression when it’s available. Otherwise, it’s a missed opportunity that we probably won’t get back. SoundStack was able to help us meet that goal.”

The move allowed them to unify management and reporting – of both podcasting and streaming – in one system. It also gave Capitol easy access to a range of “big tech” features, most importantly, reliable geotargeting.

“Geo-targeting is a critical part of the streaming audio experience. We have a commitment to deliver geo-targeted ads for our advertisers, create blackouts for exclusive sporting events, and provide targeted emergency alert info to our community,” added Accarrino. “From state-of-the-art targeting solutions to the ability to substitute alternative content to listeners outside of a restricted area, SoundStack gave us the flexibility and capabilities that we needed.”

Results

Moving their ad business onto SoundStack, Capitol Broadcasting:

  • Increased ad revenue 2x+ in five months by selling each impression to the highest-paying advertiser

  • Increased their ad fill rate by operating on an agnostic platform with the ability to connect directly to other platforms

  • Cut their workload in half by operating in one system, and getting the help they need from a world-class support team

  • Makes more informed decisions about optimization with a single source of truth for cross-channel ad performance

  • Can issue emergency notifications easily, target ads more effectively, adhere to blackout restrictions, and more with a real geotargeting solution

To learn more about this case study or SoundStack’s offerings, contact us.

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