Many producers in the new media space are still woefully unaware of the importance of organizations that provide a foundation for their successful growth and monetization in the medium. The key issue for many of them is that they don’t see the advantages found in supporting groups like the ADM and the standards and producer guidelines behind which they stand.

As a producer of independent programming myself, as well as a person who actively monetizes his own shows in a variety of ways, the value to me of industry standardization and organization sits in front of me every day.

Mainstream media advertisers continue to move into the online advertising marketplace, yet there are still those ad buyers who approach new media advertising with some trepidation.  Why balk when it comes to moving significant dollars into new media markets?  Is this because the markets don’t offer return on investment? Not at all.  A single look at the businesses that have seen huge growth largely as a result of podcasting and new media advertising will show that ROI is not an issue. (Think GoDaddy and Citrix)

What is the problem?

I think it has to do, at least in part, with unfamiliarity.  Media buyers from big, entrenched mass media have been buying sponsorships and advertising in well known units, formats, and structured layouts that have been agreed upon for many years.  They move into our marketplace and they may not see the same familiar words or structured advertising deals that they are used to seeing.

One podcaster offers 2 minute infomercial style slots in their show while another is promoting pre- and post-roll slots with a host read ad-insertion mid-roll?  Does this correlate to what the media buyer is used to from radio and TV advertising? It may, but without some standard to point towards, it would be hard to know.

Standardization is good

Here are some of the standards currently supported by the ADM:

• Download Measurement Guidelines
• Advertising Unit Standards
• Online Advertising Terminology Standards and Definitions (ongoing)

Promoting industry standards, backing those standards in your own programs and site structures, and pointing your advertising clients to sites like the ADM standards and guidelines are all ways new media producers can give their shows credibility and clout in a way that builds the marketability of all downloadable media and online content.

Find out more about the ADM standards and guidelines before your next sales meeting. Use your support of those standards to show the client you know what they really want because you are serious about your industry and its goals.

ADM Media and Download Standards