Bridge Ratings posts podcasting best practices and discovery data

Bridge Ratings has released new survey info about podcast discovery for listeners, and best practices for creators. Based on its latest data, from Jan. 23-Apr. 10, the rate of audio consumers who had ever listened to a podcast was 43%, up from 30% in the 2016 survey and 26% in the 2015 survey. The percentage of respondents with no interest in podcasts dropped below 50% for the first time.

Bridge Ratings also asked about means of podcast discovery. The top source of discovery was social media, followed by search and word of mouth. Other podcasts were the fourth most-common discovery source, then streaming services, then traditional radio hosts.

In terms of the best practices, the first recommendation is to have a clear vision of the target audience. Second, the results showed that 22 minutes is the ideal length for a podcast. Editing with a critical ear was another best practice. The other recommended practices were setting a publishing schedule, tagging with metadata, and smart promotion of the show. (The survey’s executive summary does not disclose how the best-practice recommendations were developed.)