Podcasts have experienced an extraordinary surge in popularity, becoming a preferred medium for professionals seeking valuable insights to advance in their careers. At LinkedIn, we recognize the importance of reaching our members where they are in their pursuit of knowledge, and we’ve seen them increasingly turning to podcasts to get ahead in their careers. With nearly half a billion listeners worldwide, the demand for business-related podcast content is evident, especially among millennial and Gen Z audiences.
To take hold of this opportunity, we launched the LinkedIn Podcast Network (LPN) last year, featuring established, award-winning podcasts leading professional conversations. As part of our commitment to supporting podcasters, we introduced the LinkedIn Podcast Academy this year, a six-month pilot program offering emerging business podcasts exclusive coaching, tools, and LinkedIn co-branding to expand their reach and engage their audiences.
As we worked to expand our LPN program, we encountered an interesting crossroad: How do we manage inbound interest for our programs while ensuring our content maintains a consistent, trusted voice in podcasting? With thousands of applications to join LPN, evaluating such a large pool of applicants was a tall order.
To address this, we sought a technological solution and found a valuable partner in Sounder. Sounder's proprietary platform utilizes advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning technology (AI/ML) purpose-built for audio, offering deep contextual analysis of content beyond the limitations of keyword-based tools. Leveraging Sounder's capabilities, we’re able to confidently assess the suitability of shows as we evaluated their candidacy to join LPN.
Sounder's contribution proved valuable in multiple ways. First, it helped identify a handful of applications that did not meet brand safety standards according to IAB and GARM guidelines. By flagging these applications, we could focus more on shows that aligned with our professional standards and generated excitement amongst our member base.
Second, Sounder provided insights on thematic alignment, allowing us to better understand the topics being discussed within the network, helping us build a podcast network that speaks about the subjects our members want to hear about.
As a result, LPN now offers a wide range of highly relevant and engaging content that caters to our members' preferences across the gamut of professional life. Find our shows wherever you listen to podcasts, and then join the host(s), their guest(s), and listener community on LinkedIn.
Sounder's AI and ML technology has been instrumental in shaping the LPN into a platform that showcases safe, trusted content, facilitates meaningful conversations, and empowers professionals on their career journeys. We are grateful for our partnership with Sounder and look forward to continuing this collaborative effort to deliver exceptional podcast experiences to our global audience.
