How Amazon Is Turning Audio Advertising Into a Performance Powerhouse with Larry Liniets​ky

How can audio advertising move beyond brand awareness to become a measurable driver of sales? In this episode, Larry Linietsky joins Joel to discuss the evolution of audio advertising, Amazon's expanding audio ecosystem, and why advertisers can no longer afford to overlook audio as part of their media mix. With around 30 years of experience across the audio industry, Larry shares insights from his career at Universal Music Group, iHeartMedia, Cumulus and Westwood One, before spending the last five years leading audio advertising at Amazon's DSP. From partnerships with Spotify, SiriusXM, iHeart, Global and other major audio platforms to the growing role of attribution and performance measurement, Larry explains how the industry is evolving to connect advertising exposure with real business outcomes. 🎧 In this episode, we discuss: 00:00 – Introduction to Episode 6 of Joel Chats 00:35 – Meet Larry Linietsky: 30 Years in the Audio Industry 02:00 – From Universal Music to Napster and iHeartRadio 03:30 – Leading Audio Advertising at Amazon 05:00 – Amazon’s Expanding Audio Partnerships 06:30 – Why Audio Advertising Is Undervalued 08:00 – Connecting Audio Ads to Real Sales 09:30 – Amazon DSP and Non-Endemic Advertisers 11:00 – How Audio Improves Reach and Media Efficiency 12:30 – Case Studies: Spotify, SiriusXM and Major Brands 14:00 – Why Audio Sellers Need to Embrace Performance Marketing 15:30 – The Shift Towards Outcome-Based Advertising 17:00 – Audio Attribution Beyond the Last Click 18:30 – The Role of Measurement Partners in Podcast Advertising 20:00 – Which Industries Benefit Most from Audio Ads? 21:30 – Audio Creative: Why Context Matters 23:00 – AI, Voice Cloning and the Future of Podcast Advertising 25:00 – Why Generative AI Music Raises Concerns 26:30 – Larry’s Advice to Advertisers: Don’t Ignore Audio 28:00 – Why Streaming Audio Ads Don’t Belong in Every Podcast 29:30 – Audio Ad Quality, Volume and Listener Experience 31:00 – Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks Larry also shares why he believes audio advertising has reached an important turning point: with better measurement available, advertisers can begin to understand its impact beyond traditional awareness metrics. If you work in advertising, media buying, digital marketing, podcasting or programmatic, this episode offers a valuable perspective on where audio is heading and what it will take to unlock its full potential. About Joel Chats Joel Chats explores the people, ideas and industry developments shaping advertising, media, technology and marketing. Subscribe for more conversations with industry leaders and experts. #JoelChats #AudioAdvertising #AmazonAds #ProgrammaticAdvertising #PodcastAdvertising #DigitalMarketing #AdTech #PerformanceMarketing #ArtificialIntelligence