VoiceIndigo’s software platform delivers podcasts to mobile phones. The service is advertising supported, matching podcasters and advertisers via Podsense, a self-service licensing program for content providers. The ads are context sensitive and non-intrusive because they are visual. Users can complete transactions without interrupting the audio, using VoiceIndigo’s Ambient Advertising platform that enables click-to-call, click-to-buy, and click-for-information. VoiceIndigo plans to add behavioral and location-based ads in the future. Consumers can download the mobile client from VoiceIndigo’s Web site onto any mobile handset. Content on the Cingular portal can be downloaded through aggregator Cellmania.
The San Franciso, CA company also offers Mobilize, a free service that enables podcasters to place a widget on their Web sites to allow listeners to download podcasts to their mobile phones via a WAP portal.
VoiceIndigo shares advertising revenue with all partners – content providers, handset manufacturers, and mobile carriers. The carriers receive a percentage of ad revenues while the handset manufacturers and content providers get a fixed amount.
VoiceIndigo’s goal is to have 70% pre-load customers and 30% aftermarket customers. Pre-loading arrangements conserve human capital and revenue. However, we believe that in the long run it would be better to negotiate arrangements with carriers rather than handset manufacturers. With carrier-financed marketing, VoiceIndigo could vastly increase the number of podcast listeners and avoid sharing revenue with handset manufacturers.
Although mobile podcasts have been slow to catch on with consumers, we agree with VoiceIndigo that audio is stickier than video. We think with the anticipated enhancements to its advertising model and more funding, VoiceIndigo can do well in the mobile podcast niche.
