This article assumes you have good working proficiency with Microsoft Excel.
The TAP Explore and TAP Forecasting tools provide insights into station genres, but do not currently offer podcast category data as a reporting dimension. This article shows you how to use Podcast Metrics (PCM) Explore data to integrate podcast category insights into measurement reports and forecast exports.
PCM Explore
In PCM Explore, select these dimensions:
Program ID (podcast ID)
Program (podcast name)
Category
Adding Podcast Category in TAP Explore Exports
Be sure to include the Station (ID) dimension in your TAP Explore query. This is the field you will map to PCM Program ID to vlookup the categories in Microsoft Excel.
Open your exported report in Microsoft Excel. Add a tab and copy/paste the PCM Explore data. (Name your tab “PCM”.)
In the Report tab, add a column to the right of the Station (ID) column. Name it “Category.”
Insert the vlookup formula where:
Lookup_value is Station ID
Table_array is the PCM tab including columns for Program ID and Category inclusively (make sure Program ID is the first column). Make this an absolute reference so it remains unchanged as you carry the formula down the report.
Col_index_number: the column number Category is in.
range_lookup is FALSE.
It will look something like this:
Adding Podcast Category in Forecasting Exports
Forecasting uses the Station Name to identify podcasts (an administrative name such as OMNY_BLORKPODCAST), while PCM Explore uses the podcast’s "display" name (such as “Blork Podcast”). Uou can use TAP Explore as a junction between Forecasting and PCM explore in order to map the category to your forecast result.
TAP Explore Report
In TAP Explore, select these dimensions:
If you also have in-stream stations, filter by Delivery method: Podcast.
Station Name.
Station Display Name.
PCM Explore Report
Same as described above, for TAP Explore.
Forecasting Query
Make sure to include the Station dimension in your query. This is the field you will map to PCM Program to vlookup the categories.
Combining data
In your exported Forecast Excel:
Add a tab and copy/paste PCM Explore data (name your tab PCM)
Add a tab and copy/paste TAP Explore data (name your tab TAP)
In the Report tab, add two columns to the right of the Station column. Name them "Display Name" and "Category" respectively.
In the Display Name Column, insert the vlookup formula, where:
Lookup_value is Station
Table_array is the TAP tab including columns for Station Name and station Display Name inclusively (make sure Station Name is the first column)
Col_index_number: the column number the Display Name is in
range_lookup is FALSE.
It will look something like this:
In the Category Column, insert the vlookup formula where:
Lookup_value is Display Name
Table_array is the PCM tab including columns for Program and Category inclusively (make sure Program is the first column)
Col_index_number: the column number Category is in
range_lookup is FALSE.
It will look something like this:
