Selling Audio and Podcasts: Skills, Trends & Career Opportunities

Audio is evolving fast, creating new opportunities for media sales professionals, commercial teams and anyone looking to build a successful career in media.Episode Overview:From digital radio and streaming to podcasting, video content and AI, the audio landscape is changing rapidly. As brands invest more heavily in audio advertising and publishers expand their podcast offerings, demand is growing for people who understand how to sell, package and commercialise these platforms effectively.In this episode of It’s A Yes! Making It In Media, Debra Sharron and Jo Wood are joined by Andy Goldsmith, formerly UK President of Audioboom UK, and Russell Pedrick, Managing Director of Octave at News UK.Together, they explore how the audio market is evolving, what makes podcast advertising so effective, the growing role of video and AI, and the skills media professionals need to succeed in this increasingly dynamic sector.What This Episode Covers:Why audio remains one of media’s most engaging advertising channelsHow podcast advertising differs from traditional radio advertisingWhy host-read podcast ads continue to deliver strong commercial resultsThe growing role of video in podcast discovery and monetisationHow AI is changing media sales, content creation and measurementThe skills employers are looking for in today’s audio sales professionalsWhy adaptability remains one of the most valuable career assets in mediaYES ListAlchemy: The Surprising Power of Ideas That Don’t Make Sense - Rory SutherlandDebra and Jo recommend this marketing and behavioural science classic for anyone working in media sales, advertising or commercial media. Rory Sutherland explores why people don’t always make decisions logically and how understanding human psychology can create more effective marketing, stronger commercial propositions and better sales conversations.Drawing on examples from advertising, branding and behavioural economics, the book challenges conventional thinking about value and highlights the importance of perception, trust and emotional connection.Top takeout: People don’t behave logically, they behave psychologically. Understanding how people think can often be more valuable than understanding what the data says.Purchase hereGet In TouchSend your questions to [email protected] from Jo & DebraSubscribe to Jo and Debra’s newsletter, to get the key insights and takeaways from each episodeJoin one of Debra’s upcoming media sales workshopsFollow the show on YouTubeFollow the show on SpotifyFollow Jo on LinkedIn hereFollow Debra on LinkedIn hereDisclaimerThe views shared on this podcast are for general information only and reflect personal experience. They should not be taken as specific career, legal or financial advice.