On this 248th episode of “Marketing Today,” I speak with Amir Hirsh, the chief executive officer and founder at Audioburst. This AI-powered audio discovery platform helps connect content consumers with relevant audio clips.
Our conversation starts with how people have a tendency to call Hirsh crazy due to his innovative and forward-thinking. Hirsh discusses how 2020 acted as gasoline on the audio fire and how “audio connects people much stronger and creates brand affinity.” In the last year alone, the podcast industry more than doubled in size as more and more people crave content that doesn’t hurl visuals at their eyeballs.
We then dive into Hirsh’s company Audioburst and how it has “built an AI engine that listens to that vast amount of content,” analyzes, and cuts it into short clips to make it more discoverable on the internet. Hirsh explains the massive opportunities that await marketers who can create or participate in their own audio content, as well as sponsor and attach their name to the audio content of others. The power of audio lies in the fact that “it can pretty much follow you throughout your day without interrupting whatever it is that you’re doing at that moment in time.” No matter how many people call him crazy, Hirsh sticks to the guiding principle that has gotten him here. “As long as you are true to yourself, you’ll be a happier and more contributing person in life.”
Highlights from this week’s “Marketing Today”:
- As an entrepreneur that has spent his life in innovation and forward-thinking, Amir has been called crazy plenty of times. 1:13
- 2020 saw the audio industry explode with more people connecting via audio and technology than ever. 2:20
- Podcasting doubled to 5.5 million podcasts in 2020 alone as more and more time has been spent at home. 2:54
- Consuming content through the ears rather than the eyes frees up the consumer to do so much more. 3:40
- Though Amazon was a little bit late to the audio game, it has positioned itself to be the 800lb gorilla in the room. 4:27
- Voice penetration through Alexa will allow Amazon to push audio content at an entirely new level. 5:36
- It’s vital for marketers to think about audio as it becomes more available in all industries. 6:40
- People can connect with brands at a much higher rate through audio than just being bombarded with visuals. 7:10
- If you are not moving your ads into the audio dimension, you miss out on half of the consumers’ attention span. 8:00
- Amir started Audioburst to help podcasts and other audio connect with internet searchers. 9:27
- By adding as much metadata as possible to the audio clips, Audioburst makes audio much more discoverable. 11:00
- Other than making it accessible, Audioburst aims to make audio easy to use on many different platforms. 11:42
- Currently, Audioburst partners with the likes of Samsung and Hyundai to integrate into multiple industries. 13:31
- Rather than answering questions with an automated voice, Audioburst provides an audio clip from an expert in that field. 15:15
- Audio finds its power in its ability to follow you around throughout the day without interrupting your activities. 16:44
- Brands and marketers should be open to opportunities both in audio and on audio. 17:56
- Opportunities in audio involve brands and marketers creating their own audio content, whether producing or being interviewed. 18:24
- Placing a brand around a playlist, podcast, or audio event is how brands can participate in audio. 19:28
- Amir attributes all the ups and downs that created his personality as someone that remains true to himself. 22:00
- Looking back, Amir thinks it’s important never to lose your inner child as you go through the ride of life. 24:26
- It’s important to actively care about the world you live in and the people around you. 27:30
- There’s still time for brands and marketers to get in on the audio pie, but the longer they wait, the more they risk missing out. 29:00
Resources Mentioned:
- Audioburst
- Amir Hirsh
- $1B M&A Audio Market
- Amazon Music, Audible, Alexa
- Spotify launches audiobooks
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Alan B. Hart is the creator and host of “Marketing Today with Alan Hart,” a weekly podcast where he interviews leading global marketing professionals and business leaders. Alan advises leading executives and marketing teams on opportunities around brand, customer experience, innovation, and growth. He has consulted with Fortune 100 companies, but he is an entrepreneur at his core, having founded or served as an executive for nine startups.