Our Services Guide You to Create the Next ‘Must Listen’
On this page, we explain how each of our services can be used individually or collectively to guide you through the entire creative lifecycle.
While each service delivers specific value, their true power emerges when combined strategically for your unique needs.
How Our Services Work Together
Each Sound Insights service is powerful on its own. Together, they create a comprehensive approach to audio success. Think of them as building blocks - use what you need, when you need it.
The Natural Flow
INSPIRE → VALIDATE → ELEVATE → CONNECT → OPTIMISE
Our services follow the natural evolution of audio development:
INSPIRE: Start with Cultural Insights
VALIDATE: Test Your Ideas & Concepts
ELEVATE: Enhance through partnerships
CONNECT: Build audience connections
OPTIMISE: Fine-tune the listening experience
Flexible Integration
Every audio project is unique. Mix and match our services to fit your needs:
If You’re Starting Fresh? Begin with INSPIRE and VALIDATE to ensure your concept connects with listeners from day one.
Ready to Launch? Combine ELEVATE and CONNECT to maximize impact and build your audience.
Already Live? Use OPTIMISE to enhance performance, then feed insights back into future development through INSPIRE.
Combine tools in a way that work for you
Different projects need different combinations:
If you want to develop a new series: INSPIRE + VALIDATE
If you have a talent-led project: ELEVATE + CONNECT
If you have a new format Innovation: INSPIRE + OPTIMISE
Seeking International Expansion: VALIDATE + CONNECT
Your Path to Success
Whether you need a single service or our complete suite, we tailor our approach to your specific goals and challenges.
In the sections below, we provide more details on each of the services.
INSPIRE: Cultural Trends Research
Spot Tomorrow's Audio Trends Today
In a world where nearly 5,000 new podcasts launch weekly, staying ahead of listener appetites isn't just helpful—it's essential. INSPIRE helps you identify emerging cultural trends that will shape the future of audio.
How INSPIRE Helps You Succeed
Uncover Hidden Opportunities
We look beyond obvious trends to find untapped listener needs and emerging audience behaviors. Our approach combines expert interviews, consumer surveys, and comprehensive market analysis to spot opportunities others might miss.
De-Risk Your Creative Decisions
Making bold creative choices is easier when backed by solid data. We help you understand which cultural shifts are gaining momentum and which might be passing fads.
Shape Future Programming
Transform cultural insights into actionable audio strategies. Whether you're planning next quarter's releases or next year's slate, INSPIRE helps you align your creative vision with evolving listener appetites.
What You Get
Comprehensive Reports
Detailed analysis of emerging trends
Market opportunity assessment
Audience appetite evaluation
Strategic recommendations
Actionable Insights
Clear, specific guidance for your audio strategy
Practical recommendations for implementation
Regular trend updates to keep you informed
Ongoing Support
Quarterly trend updates
Access to our research team
Implementation guidance
Success Story
When a major audio platform needed to understand shifting listener preferences in the romance genre, our cultural trends research revealed an unexpected opportunity: male listeners and wellness interests. This insight led to successful new programming strategies and marketing approaches.
Why Choose INSPIRE?
Our cultural trends research has guided successful audio investments across:
Fiction and non-fiction series
Educational programming
Entertainment formats
News and current affairs
Children's audio
Our Approach
1. Expert Assembly
We gather insights from cultural observers, industry specialists, and trend forecasters to identify emerging shifts in listener behaviour and interests.
2. Data-Driven Analysis
Our research combines multiple data sources:
Cultural trend mapping
Consumer behaviour analysis
Industry release tracking
Social listening data
Market performance metrics
3. Audience Understanding
We don't just track trends—we help you understand why they matter to your listeners and how they might evolve.
Investment Options
LITE Package: £20K+ / $26K+
Desk Research
Consumer Survey
Price varies based on countries covered
PREMIUM Package: £40K+ / $52K+
Desk Research
Expert Interviews
Consumer Survey
In-depth report and debrief
Actionable recommendations
Ready to Shape the Future of Audio?
Let's discuss how INSPIRE can help you stay ahead of cultural trends and create audio that connects with tomorrow's listeners.
Schedule a Free Consultation
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"Having spearheaded the ethos of integrating cultural trends across all work streams, Ben led the tendering process and overall induction into the global business. Always collaborative, Ben is a positive force and a natural listener."
- Stephanie McLernon-Davies, Audible UK Content Marketing & Engagement Director
VALIDATE: Concept Testing
Turn Great Ideas Into Successful Audio
In today's competitive audio landscape, every investment decision matters. VALIDATE helps you identify your most promising concepts through rigorous, audience-focused testing that supports rather than constrains creativity.
How VALIDATE Helps You Succeed
Make Confident Decisions
Transform gut feelings into data-backed decisions. Our approach provides clear, actionable insights about which ideas resonate most strongly with listeners.
Reduce Investment Risk
Understand your concept's potential before making major investments. Our testing methodology helps identify both breakthrough opportunities and potential challenges early in the development process.
Optimize Your Ideas
Discover what aspects of your concepts most excite listeners. Use these insights to refine and strengthen your audio projects before production begins.
What You Get
Interactive Dashboard
Ranking of ideas by listener interest
Demographic breakdowns
Key metrics visualization
Detailed Insights
Comprehensive performance analysis
Audience segment reactions
Verbatim listener feedback
Competitive context
Strategic Guidance
Clear recommendations for concept refinement
Audience targeting suggestions
Development priorities
Risk mitigation strategies
Success Story
Faced with numerous pitches for an upcoming premier tier comedy slot, the team needed a quick lift to sift through the merits of a range of ideas in quick time. Using Concept Testing, we narrowed the proposals down to a very manageable three for ‘final review’ that immediately resonated with potential audiences, knowing that these all had high potential for success and rapid execution to production.
Why Choose INSPIRE?
Our concept testing methodology has helped guide successful audio development across:
Original audio dramas
Documentary series
Educational programming
Entertainment formats
News and current affairs
Our Approach
1. Idea Distillation
We work with you to capture the essence of each concept in clear, compelling descriptions that reflect real-world listener decision-making.
2. Targeted Testing
Your concepts are evaluated by carefully selected listener groups who match your target audience, ensuring relevant and actionable feedback.
3. Comprehensive Analysis
We analyse responses across multiple dimensions:
Overall appeal and interest
Likelihood to listen
Target audience fit
Competitive differentiation
Potential barriers to engagement
Investment Options
LITE Package: £12.5K / $16K+
Test 6 concept ideas for one market
Comprehensive tables for all metrics
Full access to open-ended responses
PREMIUM Package: Custom Pricing
Additional dashboard for internal benchmarking
Multiple testing rounds
Competitive context analysis
Extended concept testing
Custom reporting options
Ready to Test Your Next Big Idea?
Let's discuss how VALIDATE can help you identify and develop your next audio success.
Schedule a Free Consultation
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"The concept testing approach is invaluable for bridging creative ideas with financial prudence. This evidence gave our finance team the confidence to support innovative projects while mitigating business risk."
- Ayleen Peled, Finance Senior Director, Audible
ELEVATE: Talent & IP Evaluation
Transform Good Audio Into Great Audio
Finding the right talent or IP partnership can be the difference between good audio and exceptional audio. ELEVATE helps you identify and evaluate partnerships that will amplify your impact and connect with listeners.
How ELEVATE Helps You Succeed
Make Strategic Partnership Decisions
Understand both audience demand and appetite for talent and IP across markets. Our comprehensive evaluation approach helps you identify partnerships with the greatest potential for success.
Maximize Investment Impact
Move beyond gut feel to data-driven partnership decisions. Our analysis helps you understand not just current audience appeal, but future growth potential.
Reduce Partnership Risk
Evaluate opportunities across multiple dimensions before making commitments. Our approach helps identify both opportunities and potential challenges in potential partnerships.
What You Get
Comprehensive Evaluation
Rich understanding of audience demand
Country-level insights
Platform-specific data
Competitive context
Growth trajectory analysis
Strategic Guidance
Partnership opportunity assessment
Audience alignment analysis
Risk evaluation
Development recommendations
Ongoing Support
Regular data updates
Trend monitoring
Strategic consultation
Success Story
A popular Wellness author was developing a passionate but small following on Social Media. When we tested some concept ideas with name recognition and an appetite for more content from this author, interest in a potential offering went through the roof and made it easier for the Content team to pursue a partnership for what was a very successful title.
Why Choose INSPIRE?
Our talent and IP evaluation methodology has guided successful partnerships across:
- Celebrity-led audio series
- Book-to-audio adaptations
- Cross-platform entertainment
- International co-productions
- Genre-specific programming
Our Approach
1. Multi-Signal Analysis
We combine multiple data sources to create a complete picture:
Google & Social Analytics for audience demand
Consumer surveys for audio-specific appetite
Social sentiment analysis
Market performance indicators
Cross-platform engagement metrics
2. Global Understanding
Evaluate thousands of names globally, regionally, and by country
Track changing consumer preferences over time
Identify local vs. international appeal
Understand cultural context and relevance
3. Future-Focused Insights
Three-year historical trends analysis
Emerging audience segment identification
Category growth forecasting
Partnership potential assessment
Investment Options
LITE Package: £12K+ / $16K+
Audience Demand tracking
Price varies based on number of entities, countries, and reporting frequency
Quarterly updates
PREMIUM Package: £15K+ / $20K+
Evaluation of up to 10 names
Mix of consumer surveys and social segmentation tools
Monthly updates
Custom reporting
Strategic consultation
Ready to Find Your Next Great Partnership
Let's discuss how ELEVATE can help you identify and secure partnerships that will take your audio to the next level.
Schedule a Free Consultation
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"Ben's work embodied Audible's principle of 'Imagine and Invent Before They Ask.' His vision for the Talent Evaluation tool changed the way that Audible measured consumer appetite for all types of celebrities and talent. He did this by thoroughly understanding our business needs and identifying gaps in our existing processes."
- Ben Chapman, CEO British Forces Broadcasting Service
CONNECT: Audience Engagement
Turn Listeners Into Advocates
In today's crowded audio space, understanding your audience isn't just about demographics - it's about understanding their needs, behaviors, and what drives them to listen. CONNECT helps you build deeper, more meaningful relationships with your listeners.
How CONNECT Helps You Succeed
Understand Your True Audience
Move beyond basic demographics to understand the real people who connect with your audio. Our comprehensive approach reveals not just who your listeners are, but why they listen.
Build Stronger Connections
Transform audience insights into engagement strategies. Our research helps you identify what makes your audio meaningful to listeners and how to strengthen that connection.
Drive Sustainable Growth
Create audio experiences that turn casual listeners into devoted advocates. Our approach helps you build and maintain a loyal audience base that grows through authentic connection.
What You Get
Rich Audience Profiles
Detailed listener personas
Behavioral insights & Consumption patterns
Engagement drivers
Loyalty indicators
Strategic Direction
Content optimisation recommendations
Marketing message guidance
Engagement strategy roadmap
Growth opportunity identification
Actionable Tools
Audience engagement framework
Message testing templates
Performance tracking metrics
ROI measurement tools
Success Story
Facing a massive opportunity with a global entertainment franchise, the business had no means to identify how to connect with existing fans in the audio format nor where were the best opportunities at the country and segment level. In partnership with one of our outstanding partners, we created the framework for teams to understand the biggest opportunities and the messaging that might resonate.
Why Choose CONNECT?
Our audience engagement methodology has driven success across:
- New format launches
- Genre expansions
- Platform transitions
- International adaptations
- Brand extensions
Our Approach
1. Multi-Dimensional Research
We combine multiple methodologies to build a complete picture:
Large Language Models (LLMs)
Social segmentation tools
Consumer surveys
Behavioral analysis
Engagement pattern mapping
2. Deep Audience Understanding
Identify core listener motivations
Map consumption patterns
Understand content preferences
Track engagement triggers
Analyse sharing behaviour
3. Strategic Application
Design targeted engagement strategies
Create resonant messaging
Develop audience-specific content plans
Build loyalty programs
Measure and optimise results
Investment Options
LITE Package: £20K+ / $26K+
Consumer survey including audio clip and marketing asset testing
Price varies based on assets tested and countries covered
Basic audience profiling
PREMIUM Package: £50K+ / $65K+
AI + Survey Segmentation
Rich profiles at genre/category level
Actionable insights
Strategic recommendations
Ongoing support
Ready to Build Stronger Audience Connections?
Let's discuss how CONNECT can help you understand and engage your listeners more effectively.
Schedule a Free Consultation
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"Ben delivered a business first during our time together at Amazon, a unique 'Meet the Audience' day that brought our customer base to life for colleagues. Ben is one of the most people-centred, business-orientated research leaders I have worked with, combining deep subject matter knowledge with a down-to-earth approach to getting the job done."
- Neil Caldicott, Director, Audiences, Brand, & Communications, Which?
OPTIMISE: Audience Feedback
Fine-Tune Your Audio for Impact
Did they like what they heard? Will they come back for more? OPTIMISE helps you answer these crucial questions through comprehensive audience feedback collection and analysis, turning listener reactions into actionable improvements.
How OPTIMISE Helps You Succeed
Enhance Listener Experience
Identify exactly what works and what needs refinement in your audio. Our moment-by-moment testing reveals precisely where you captivate listeners and where you might lose them.
Validate Creative Decisions
Get objective feedback from your target audience before full production investment. Our approach helps validate creative choices while there's still time to adjust.
Prove ROI
Demonstrate the impact of improvements through concrete metrics. Our testing methodology provides clear evidence of enhancement in listener engagement and satisfaction.
What You Get
Detailed Research Report
Key highlights & findings
Clear recommendations
Verbatim comments
Complete survey dataset
Benchmark comparisons (where available)
Strategic Guidance
Prioritised improvement areas
Specific enhancement suggestions
Risk mitigation strategies
Development recommendations
Implementation Support
Action plan development
Follow-up testing options
Success Story
For an upcoming release, everyone across the business had an opinion of what was working and what was not. With all the different signals and indicators, we went to potential listeners to clarify once and for all, which elements needed addressing and which ones were non-factors. Despite numerous concerns internally, none of these registered with listeners which allowed the production team to double down their efforts on addressing the known barriers to listening. The end result was a revamp of the first episode and numerous awards for an outstanding production.
Why Choose OPTIMISE?
Our optimization methodology has enhanced audio experiences across:
- Original drama series
- Documentary productions
- Educational content
- News and current affairs
- Entertainment formats
Our Approach
1. Comprehensive Testing
Targeted listener groups
Audio sampling (10+ minutes)
Dial testing for moment-by-moment reactions
Focus group discussions
Quantitative scoring
2. Multi-Level Analysis
Overall engagement tracking
Key moment identification
Barrier analysis
Enhancement opportunity spotting
Comparative benchmarking
3. Action-Oriented Reporting
Clear findings presentation
Specific improvement recommendations
Priority setting guidance
Implementation support
Investment Options
LITE Package: £15K+ / $20K
Survey your existing mailing list of listeners
Understanding of what people like and barriers to listening
Basic improvement recommendations
PREMIUM Package: £25K+ / $33K
Recruit participants for audio listening and feedback
Utilize Dial Testing for moment-to-moment reactions
Collect open-ended feedback
Comprehensive analysis and recommendations
Implementation support
Ready to Enhance Your Audio Experience?
Let's discuss how OPTIMISE can help you create audio that truly resonates with your listeners.
Schedule a Free Consultation
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"Working with Ben is such a joy. He brings such keen insights into data collection and knows how to tailor this work to suit creative needs. Rather than taking a robotic approach to his work, Ben is able to listen to the goals a colleague may have and find the right way to get at the information and answers that help most."
- Kate Navin, Head of Creative Development, Audible
Let's Create Your Next Audio Success
Whether you're exploring new concepts, evaluating talent partnerships, or seeking deeper audience understanding, we're here to help.
Schedule a discovery call or share your specific needs below.
Let's turn your audio ambitions into reality.