Trout Stream Studios

17/09/2025

🚨 BIG news for podcasters & advertisers! 🚨

YouTube just dropped a game-changer: Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI) is now part of its creator toolkit. Coupled with AI-powered editing, auto-shorts from long-form content, and enhanced live-streaming features, this marks a major shift in how podcast creators can monetize video content.

In today's breaking news drop - we cover

Why this matters:
> Podcasters can finally insert, remove, or swap sponsorship slots after publishing — regionally, based on campaign length, or when contracts end.
> More flexibility over time and your back catalogue.
> For brands: more unified strategy across audio + video platforms — one campaign, broader reach, more control.

💡 How this could translate into more revenue:
> A podcaster who already posts video versions of episodes can now monetize those with host-read sponsorships, not just YouTube ad inventory. They can resell slots and target different regions.
> An advertiser can run a single campaign across podcast platforms + YouTube, A/B test how their message performs in video vs audio, and make smarter spend decisions.

Curious what a test might look like?

We cover the bones of a structured test on a 4-week joint campaign to test pricing & fill.

If you’re a creator, producer, or ad buyer — now is the moment to explore this. Let us know if you want to brainstorm how to launch your first DAI-enabled campaign.

https://open.substack.com/pub/thepodcasttechstack/p/breaking-youtube-rolls-out-dynamic-57e?r=5bzrhx&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

This isn’t just a new checkbox; it has the potential to shift revenue models, sponsor relationships, and how podcasts are produced and distributed across platforms.

15/09/2025

Music can make or break a narrative podcast — but in 2025’s increasingly litigious world of music licensing, picking the wrong track can break your show in a very different way.

We sat down with Lindsay Graham — creator, composer, and founder of Thrumm Audio (and the force behind Airship productions like American History Tellers, American Scandal, and Business Movers for Wondery) — to talk about how podcasters of any size should approach music in their tech stack.

Lindsay’s system for Thrumm is a composer’s mindset packaged as a tool:
🎵 A library entirely in one key and tempo (everything snaps together)
📚 Story-driven albums scored to “fake podcast briefs”
✂️ Tracks with loop points, alternate mixes, and stems for endless flexibility
⚖️ Licensing designed for indie creators and big publishers — without long-term lock-in

We also get real about why “free” or “fair use” music isn’t worth the risk anymore (if it ever was), and how narrative podcasters can build a distinctive sonic identity without hiring a full-time composer.

Full article here on The Podcast Tech Stack: https://open.substack.com/pub/troutstreamstudios/p/building-a-better-podcast-score-how?r=5bzrhx&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Lindsay Graham—narrative podcast creator and founder of Thrumm Audio—has built a production music library specifically for narrative and documentary podcasts, and it's a game changer.

08/09/2025

Honored to have had one of the most insightful conversations we've ever had about the future of branded podcasts with Harry Morton — easily one of the smartest people in podcasting —about how his team at Lower Street tackle branded podcast production.

We covered:
🎙 The tools and workflows that keep a white-glove production house running smoothly
📈 How to grow a branded show when “just post it everywhere” isn’t enough
🎥 Why the video-forward world demands thinking about audio and video as separate products
🤝 Why the most effective growth happens in-channel — meeting listeners while they’re already in podcast mode

If you work on a branded podcast — or want to — this is someone you should be listening to and learning from.

Harry, thanks for pulling back the curtain on how Lower Street approaches creativity, process, and platform strategy.

Full interview + article here 👉 https://open.substack.com/pub/troutstreamstudios/p/building-branded-podcasts-for-a-video?r=5bzrhx&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

In a landscape where “two talking heads on Zoom” is no longer enough, branded podcasts face a unique challenge: how to produce compelling, high-production-value shows and still publish consistently.

01/09/2025

New in The Podcast Tech Stack: Spotify just rolled out Links in Megaphone — and it could change how podcasters measure promotion.

Most of us have struggled with one big question: which traffic sources are actually converting into listeners?

With Links in Megaphone, creators and networks can:
> Spin up unique, trackable links for each channel (social, newsletters, paid ads, partnerships).
> See click → play → download conversion rates right inside the Megaphone dashboard.
> Finally stop guessing which platforms drive real growth.

In our breakdown, we cover:
How this compares to Pod.link, Chartable SmartLinks, and other tools.
A case example of testing newsletter traffic vs. paid ads.
Integration ideas for your broader podcast tech stack (think CRM, attribution, and sponsorship proof).

📌 Full article here: https://open.substack.com/pub/troutstreamstudios/p/an-attribution-win-megaphone-which?r=5bzrhx&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

This feels like a quiet but important shift: from “spray and pray” promotion to evidence-based podcast marketing.

Curious — how are you currently testing which channels bring in the most listeners? Are you winging it?

Links in Megaphone are shareable, trackable URLs designed for podcast creators to promote episodes more effectively across channels—social media, emails, newsletters, or ad campaigns.

29/08/2025

While I am still squarely in "team Apple" for podcast players, I can't be such a curmudgeon that I ignore the increasing role Spotify is playing in people's distribution strategy (even if I think notions that it has "taken over" are way overblown).

In that vein this is an intriguing tool for one big reason, it actually combats Spotify's biggest drawback as a player app: MowPod's "Spotify Play" tool.

The tool targets guaranteed cost-per-acquisition Spotify plays using a wide ranging, cross-channel advertising strategy. Programmatic display, incentivized ads, socials, survey flows, etc.

If you've spoken with me before, you've heard me say that when we think about the "discoverability wars", as it were, there's really two camps. There's the sticky, contextual discoverability a la Apple's clean and engaging UX - and the "algorithmic approach" a la Spotify's very busy, always-trying-to-get-them-to-do-something-else approach.

This tool fits into a smart podcaster's strategy because it combats that with a retargeting heavy approach and Spotify's own tracking links to drive repeat listens and increase listening time, which is a really powerful differentiator.

It's ALSO a focus on a metric other than the "download" - which we all agree needs to change. Listens are counted at the 30 second mark and exclude muted content, which is a bonus for me. No bot traffic or auto downloads, which is what many suspect some tools in this space rely on for dirt cheap numbers.

Anyhow - it's a cool new tool. I even dropped a special edition of The Podcast Tech Stack to cover it. Check it out:

If you’ve been hunting for a way to grow real listenership on Spotify, MowPod just released something new: Spotify Play.

26/08/2025

More great feedback of Boone and Crockett Club's new show with Trout Stream Studios!

Heritage of the Hunt podcast dives into wild stories, real hunters, and conservation’s rugged spirit. Listen and get inspired to chase your best. https://www.boone-crockett.org/boone-and-crockett-clubs-heritage-hunt-podcast

26/08/2025

Cheers to good friends and great clients! We were honored to have a couple clients from Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation up in Alaska this weekend, and invited them on a fun outing to chase grouse and ptarmigan in Alaska with bonus blueberries and trout fishing on top of it.

And we kept the bear gun on standby the whole time - swipe to see why!

25/08/2025

From living room producers to Netflix Studios — Riverside.fm is powering the future of podcast production.

I sat down with Kendall Breitmann from Riverside to talk about how the platform is serving everyone—from indie podcasters to major networks—without losing sight of what creators really need:
✅ Broadcast-grade remote recording
✅ Live streaming without the tech headaches
✅ Editing tools that balance AI speed with creative control
✅ A mobile workflow that’s catching up fast

What stood out most? Riverside’s measured innovation. They’re rolling out features like Scenes, adjustable AI editing, and even hosting — but only when they’re polished and ready. No “ship it now, fix it later” here.

Kendall’s advice for creators:

“Two people side-by-side for 45 minutes isn’t enough anymore. Keep the movement, keep it engaging—or if you’re focused on audio, keep the conversation strong and don’t let video production slow you down.”

Full interview + article here 👉 https://open.substack.com/pub/troutstreamstudios/p/catching-up-on-riversides-endend?r=5bzrhx&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

If you’ve been piecing together your podcast workflow with 5 different tools, Riverside might just be the 360° solution you’ve been waiting for.

In an industry where creators juggle half a dozen apps just to publish an episode, Riverside is positioning itself as the all-in-one hub for recording, editing, hosting, and distributing podcasts

21/08/2025

Chasing Fast, Grit, Gear, and Gators

From the world’s largest cheetah restoration project to Kansas cutting its trout season, from grizzlies at 5 yards to some hunters who made a bad mistake — the August edition of the Outdoor Media Exchange rounds up the best stories across the outdoor media landscape.

This is our second monthly feature, and it’s already shaping up to be a must-read for anyone tracking the pulse of conservation, hunting, fishing, and adventure storytelling.

Read the full roundup here: https://open.substack.com/pub/outdoormediaexchange/p/chasing-fast-grit-gear-and-gators?r=5bzrhx&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

💬 I’d love to know—which story caught your attention most this month?

From Panama Cheetah's to Alaskan grizzlies to Kansas trout streams, this month’s outdoor media buzz is packed with high-stakes drama, gear evolution, and raw wilderness.

21/08/2025

One of the best Teddy Roosevelt quotes. Congratulations International Order of T. Roosevelt!

Our new look reflects who we are—committed to standing in the arena and protecting hunting and fishing for the future. A bold, unified design. An enduring mission. 💪🏼 🦌 🎣

18/08/2025

Podcast networks have more monetizable assets than they think — and Listener.com is helping them see the full picture.

We recently sat down with Casey Adams from Listener.com to talk about how their platform gives large shows and networks 360° insights across audio, video, and social content—turning scattered metrics into a unified, monetization-ready view.

To put it straight to you, we were impressed, which is increasingly hard to do these days.

Why this matters for large shows and podcast networks:
1. Smarter 360-degree monetization, content bundling, and sponsorship optimization (No BS, the bundles are cool as hell)
2. Efficient oversight and benchmarking across hundreds of shows
3. Rapid iteration without disrupting workflows
4. Features shaped by real customer feedback at scale (what a novel thought!)

This is more than analytics—it’s a command center for your entire content ecosystem.



https://open.substack.com/pub/troutstreamstudios/p/listenercom-supercharges-podcast?r=5bzrhx&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

In a recent interview with Casey Adams, Founder & CEO of Listener.com, we explored how the AI-driven platform is transforming how large shows and podcast networks manage, monetize, and grow...