Why Mid-Tier Publishers Are Winning with Programmatic Ad Tech with Stacy Newhuis of SoundStack

Can programmatic advertising really open up new revenue streams for mid-tier publishers and independent creators? In this episode of PodBiz, Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan speak with Stacy Newhuis, Senior Vice President of Marketplace at SoundStack, about the evolving business of podcast monetization, ad tech, and industry trends. Stacy shares how SoundStack has evolved to champion tech-agnostic solutions, why mid-tier publishers are finally finding comfort in programmatic buying, and how embracing flexibility and "unreasonable hospitality" builds lasting partnerships. As she puts it: "We're very much of the opinion is, let's try everything and see what works and then grow and learn from what works. Versus penalizing people for what didn't work." Here are some insightful moments within the episode: Where the money is through reach extension and programmatic inventory How programmatic ad tech breathes new life into historical back catalogs Balancing brand safety, brand suitability, and political ad controls Why being tech-agnostic gives independent publishers the freedom to grow Applying "unreasonable hospitality" to customer service and client relationships Navigating the evolving intersection of audio and video podcasting Stacy Newhuis is the Senior Vice President of Marketplace at SoundStack, bringing over a decade of audio industry experience across traffic sponsorships, digital audio exchanges, and marketplace strategy. Connect with SoundStack: www.soundstack.com Episode Chapters 00:00 – Introduction to SoundStack and the philosophy of failing forward 01:42 – Where is the money in podcasting: Reach extension and programmatic inventory 04:00 – Turning baked-in ads into dynamic revenue opportunities for back catalogs 05:00 – The power of micro-creators and dedicated niche audiences 10:12 – Political advertising trends and granular audience targeting 11:54 – Why mid-tier publishers are shifting into programmatic solutions 14:14 – Stacy's journey into the audio industry and the early days of programmatic 18:33 – Why human connection and trust still drive successful ad buys 21:37 – SoundStack’s tech-agnostic approach and putting publishers first 27:12 – Behind the scenes: Team offsites, travel, and building company culture 30:34 – Delivering "unreasonable hospitality" to top-tier and mid-tier publishers alike 33:21 – Learning from failed integrations and keeping a growth mindset 38:44 – If starting over, why solo traveling and adaptability are essential skills 44:06 – What's next for podcasting: The rise of industry visibility and navigating the video landscape - Listen on your favorite podcast listening app! 🎧 https://shows.acast.com/podbiz Follow us on LinkedIn! 🎧   / podbizpodcast   Subscribe to our newsletter! 🎧 https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/s... Comment, share, or repost your episode from our YouTube channel: 🎧    / @podbizpodcast   🎧 A thank you to our sponsors: Lean and Loaf Your one stop shop for podcast video and audio post production. www.leanandloaf.com PodSEO A specialized competitive intelligence and growth platform designed to optimize podcasts for search engines, listening apps, and AI assistants. www.podSEO.com 🎧 A thank you to our media partners: Podnews Daily news for the podcast and on-demand audio industry www.podnews.net Headliner / Disco Disco converts your readers into podcast listeners. Quickly create, clip, and caption podcast videos with ease. Turn 1 full-length video into 10 optimized, accessible podcast clips. www.headliner.app