Feb. 16, 2022

Podcast Advertising Advice From Ray Harkins at iHeartRadio

Podcast Advertising Advice From Ray Harkins at iHeartRadio

"I like podcasts. I have a podcast of my own. I'm a nerd about it. I can probably talk people into sampling the space and understanding what host-read ads are." Ray Harkins, the West Coast Lead Podcast Strategist for iHeartRadio, is a long-time friend and industry leader.

I have always admired Ray Harkins's career in podcasting. He started out at Midroll, the posterchild company for podcasting. Then he moved to Stitcher and is now the West Coast Lead Podcast Strategist for iHeartRadio. I really wanted to dive deep into the growth and evolution of podcast advertising with Ray because he has been pivoting in the industry for so many years, staying in tune with dynamic and programmatic developments.

We talk about the major changes he has seen over the years, as well as what development is coming. We collectively gush over our love of host-read ads and why the future of podcast advertising is dynamic.

Ray also shares some honest advice to brands and podcasters about succeeding in ad sales and why authenticity matters.

Connect with Ray on Linkedin or listen to his podcast 100 Words Or Less: The Podcast.

Contact Heather on LinkedIn if you want to advertise with True Native Media's podcasts.

Ray HarkinsProfile Photo

Ray Harkins

West Coast Lead Podcast Strategist

I host a podcast called 100 Words or Less, sing for a hardcore band called Taken, and work at iHeart in the podcast sales department.