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Ad-tech Startup Liveread.io launches beta version of podcast advertising order management platform.

Ad-tech Startup Liveread.io launches beta version of podcast advertising order management platform.

August 25, 2023

The company’s slate of early users includes podcasters Glenn Howerton, Charlie Day, Rob McElhenney, Whitney Cummings, Joe Santagato, Andrew Santino, Bobby Lee, and more

Today, LiveRead.io announced the launch of its pioneering order management ad-tech platform for podcast creators and networks, brands, and advertising agencies. The software integrates a number of processes into a centralized database to simplify every aspect of video and audio podcast advertising thus boosting efficiency, lowering operating costs and reducing errors.

One case for a mid-size podcast network demonstrated that LiveRead decreased time spent on accounts receivable and accounts payable by 88%. LiveRead also identified and prevented errors totaling 1.67% of the company’s annual revenue. This resulted in an ROI of 453.33%, and this figure doesn’t even include the time saved on administrative tasks through the platform.

“LiveRead has simplified all of our campaign management pain points. It’s super intuitive and easy to use,” said Jamiel Hibbert, Head of Partnerships at Flagrant Media Group.

LiveRead’s comprehensive offering streamlines creating media plans and insertion orders, automates ad copy delivery instantaneously to its entire roster of hosts, maintains ad calendars, confirms ads ran correctly, sends/tracks invoices and payments, audits assets to maintain deadlines, aggregates episode delivery impressions across different hosting platform, and much more. By seamlessly integrating all of these elements, LiveRead provides a delivery solution that allows all relevant parties to view transparent, up-to-date information.

Early beta users of LiveRead include The Always Sunny Podcast (Glenn Howerton, Charlie Day, and Rob McElhenney), Good for You (Whitney Cummings), The Basement Yard (Joe Santagato), Bad Friends (Andrew Santino, Bobby Lee), Flagrant (Andrew Schulz), Brilliant Idiots (Charlamagne tha God, Andrew Schulz), BlueChew, Miracle Brand, Magic Spoon, ADOPTER Media, Flagrant Media Group, and more.

The lack of infrastructure and transparency, which is considered the status quo, affects everyone with a career in podcasting. Given the litany of scandals that have affected podcasting, LiveRead brings transparency on financial matters and all download deliverables for brands and podcasters alike.

“Podcast advertisers usually pay 2-3 months late, and every podcast network I’ve worked with uses a single Google sheet to keep track of our entire ad schedule, financials, and payment statuses. Most of us don’t even have access to any of the contracts for our brand deals. It’s madness! When my co-host Bobby [Lee] would ask about Bad Friends payments, for years I’d tell him that our agents are mortal enemies because it was easier to explain than the financial pitfalls of the industry,” pouted Andrew Santino, host of Bad Friends and Whiskey Ginger. “Now for the first time in my podcasting career, we are consistently getting paid promptly thanks to LiveRead.”

“I’ve had situations where all I could see was the advertiser and date on a spreadsheet. That is literally it. What a nightmare,” illuminated Whitney Cummings, host of Good for You. “With LiveRead, I can see every contract, all my download numbers in one place, my ad scripts, dollars owed, and even when a sponsor payment hits my ad seller’s bank account at the same time my seller can. It makes the nightmare less of a nightmare. My boyfriend, Nik, is also a programmer and says this passes the dork test.”

By automating so many elements of the business, LiveRead frees up content creators to focus on their creative.

“I use LiveRead for all four of my podcasts, and it’s been a major reason for my content expansion over the last year,” said Joe Santagato, host of The Basement Yard, The Joe Santagato Show, Other People’s Lives and Santagato Studios. “Having a single platform where I could check my stats and see all ad copy on my phone at a moment’s notice makes my life so much easier. LiveRead is a game changer!” Santagato adds, “I was held hostage and forced to write this.”

“I first came up with the idea of LiveRead on a phone call with Glenn Rubenstein of podcasting ad agency ADOPTER Media,” said Alex Aldea, founder and CEO of LiveRead. “We were airing our frustrations on the state of transparency, organizational fluency, and lack of relevant ad-tech tools in the influencer space, and I knew there was a solution I could bring to market.”

Aldea has a long history in the podcast space. He was the first employee at Midroll Media, which became one of the largest podcast sponsorship networks (now part of SiriusXM). In 2013, he founded The Paragon Collective podcast network whose slate of podcasts includes The 85 South Show, Hey Babe (Sal Vulcano, Chris DiStefano), Club Random (Bill Maher), The Shane Dawson Podcast, Blocks (Neal Brennan), Taste Buds (Sal Vulcano, Joe DeRosa), Pour Minds, and more.

LiveRead is founded on the principles of reducing the barriers of entry for everyone in influencer marketing regardless of their size.

“Typically, enterprise technology this sophisticated is only available to Fortune 500 companies willing to spend six figures a year on a multi-year commitment. Even then, the software doesn't typically integrate with any external parties,” stated Mike Perrigue, Chief Technology Officer. “We are offering every podcaster, network, brand and agency dynamic pricing in order to be available for anyone who could use LiveRead to improve their podcast advertising experience.”

The group were so energized in what they were building that the founders have bootstrapped their entire operation and foregone taking any investor capital. “We wanted to make sure that our interests are always aligned with the customers we created LiveRead to serve. Also, why give away something you believe in,” said Aldea.

About LiveRead.io

LiveRead.io is an order management ad-tech platform for podcast creators and networks, brands, and ad agencies. The software integrates a number of processes into a centralized database to simplify every aspect of video and audio podcast advertising thus boosting efficiency, lowering operating costs and reducing errors.

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