Eventually, podcasting will have to find a sustainable business model. Whether it's Fruitcast-style automated ad insertion or more subtle product placements (I love Diet Coke, by the way), there will have to be some way to get paid for your podcasts. So while we all wait for Google to enter this space (Google Audiosense?), companies like Fruitcast and Podtrac are trying to bridge the gap between podcasters and advertisers. From the Podtrac site:
Welcome to Podtrac, the service that expertly connects podcasters and podcast listeners and viewers with advertisers. We specialize in highly targeted podcast advertising, by precisely matching audience demographics and interests with the appropriate advertising for those listeners and viewers...We also perform valuable third party measurement services of podcast circulation, providing these services free to any podcast. Podtrac enables podcast advertising and measurement by expertly giving podcasters and advertisers all the essentials they need.
Well, I spent 20 minutes on the Podtrac website and I still couldn't figure out what to do - too much corporate speak and too many stock photos for my liking. It's not really clear whether they will automatically insert ads in podcasts or arrange product-placement style sponsorships, but I'm sure someone from the company will drop by and set me straight on this. It's also interesting to note that both Podtrac and Fruitcast can only measure downloads - this appears to be one of the limitations of the mp3 format, meaning that distribution over P2P networks can't be tracked. (As I've said before, the ideal monetization unit should be able to travel with your content wherever it goes.) Audible has a format that allows tracking, but mp3 is remains the most popular option.