Amazon Music has announced its acquisition of podcast hosting and monetization platform ART19.
In a short statement posted on its website, Amazon Music described its newest acquisition as a platform that lets users "manage, distribute, analyze, and monetize their work."
The company adds that it is "thrilled" to have the platform as part of Amazon.
ART19 posted its own brief statement on its official website, stating that the platform is looking forward to "empowering even more podcast creators with the solutions they need" with the help of Amazon Music.
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Amazon Music's Acquisition: What is ART19?
Amazon Music's latest acquisition was first launched in 2015 by co-founders Sean Carr and Matt Belknap. ART19 is focused on a term the company calls "Audiotonomy." What it means is that ART19 believes that both podcast creators and advertisers deserve and should have full control of their audio experiences.
The platform allows its podcast publishers a platform where they can manage both content and ad operations. On the other hand, advertisers are provided with smart targeting tools and the capability to produce customized audio messages to reach their intended audience.
The company also offers ART19 Media, which assists podcast creators produce, market, and earn revenue from their content.
How ART19 Works
A user can start the process of starting a podcast by creating content with the help of ART19 Media. The full-service offering assists creators come up with an idea for a podcast, brainstorm, produce, and even cast talent. It also offers listener insights to help podcast publishers produce content that audiences want to listen to.
ART19 lets publishers cross-promote their podcasts and even customize their RSS feeds. Users can also grow their revenue with native ads and even earn more via the platform's Targeted Marketplace.
One of the important tools that ART19 offers is the WarpFeed. The ad-related tool lets podcast creators tailor the ads in their content based on what their audiences find relevant.
Amazon Podcast Ventures
Amazon Music's acquisition of ART19 is the company's latest venture deep into the podcasting industry. The tech giant only began offering podcasts last year via Apple Music, which started its podcast services in September, and Audible, which began a month later.
According to a report by The Verge, the company went on to acquire Wondery, a then-independent podcast network and creator of true crime podcast "Dirty John." The Verge sees Amazon's latest acquisition as the company taking a "fuller role" in podcasting as ART19 enables Amazon to host podcasts and sell ads.
The Verge likens Amazon's latest steps into podcasting to that of its competitor, Spotify. The streaming platform has acquired podcast-related platforms and companies such as Gimlet, Parcast, and even ART19's own rival, Megaphone. It recently acquired podcast platform Podz to help its users discover podcasts easier.
Fellow tech company Facebook has also recently joined the podcasting industry by launching its own tool last June 22.
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This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Isabella James
