Comprehensive coverage of the podcasting industry and its business ecosystem.
by Steve Goldstein
In this guest column, Steve Goldstein gets real about podcast creators getting their shows into the mobile devices of prospective listeners, and then actually getting played as a separate challenge. “Our smartphones are loaded with the great intentions of downloaded podcasts that are never listened to.” Brace for numbers-based reality.
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Omny Studio released a raft of interesting data illustrating a truism of media: Success is concentrated at the top. How many downloads does it take to be in the 1%? Or the top 50%? Click through for graphs. Continue Reading
In a peculiar perception vs. reality quirk, more Americans recognize the Pandora name than any other online audio brand, but Spotify is the online audio brand used more often. Click through for graphic illustrations. Also — how does smart-speaker ownership affect which audio service Americans listen to? Continue Reading
While listening trends are changeable on the whole, American in-car listening routines are decidedly un-modern. AM/FM radio, owned music files, and CDs are the most-used sources. Online streaming and podcasts are making gains, hampered by an 80% lack of in-dash entertainment systems in the American car fleet.
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The “early innings” meme expressed by many leaders of podcast publishing and advertising appears proved out in the 2021 edition of The Infinite Dial 2021. Weekly podcast listening is up year-over-year … but with a long way to grow. Continue Reading
After 19 years of eager growth, listening to online audio among Americans has settled for three years at about two-thirds of the 12+ population. To be precise, 68% in the just-released Infinite Dial 2021. The number skews to younger ages. Continue Reading
In today’s The Infinite Dial 2021, smart speakers received a share of attention. A third of Americans own at least one smart speaker. Perhaps unsurprisingly, survey respondents who work at home registered a greater percentage of ownership. Also, multiple-speaker ownership is steadily growing. Continue Reading
by Steve Goldstein
In this guest column, Steve Goldstein ruminates on the possible podcast-industry-wide switch from “Subscribe” to “Follow.” He cheers Apple for announcing the switch, but wonders: “Have we seen the last of the term “subscribe” as it relates to podcasts?”
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Acast has released a review of 2020 metrics revealing year-over-year growth metrics and the company’s current global footprint. At the same time, the company sent us a notice of a Board review of “potential strategic and financial initiatives.” Click through for U.S. and global year-over-year listening and audience reach metrics, and growth of programmatic advertising and branded content. Continue Reading
Australian broadcast and audio company ARN has released a metrics report after one year of managing the Australian franchise of iHeartPodcast Network. The headline brag point: Downloads doubled. Some categories outperformed. Click through for insights and a month-by-month graphic. Continue Reading
Evergreen Podcasts has made an investment in Podcast Radio, the UK all-podcast DAB+ radio station that addresses the London, Surrey, Manchester, and Glasgow markets. The investment amount is undisclosed, but the purpose relates to the Podcast Radio production network, announced late last year, which we now understand will be powered by Evergreen. Continue Reading
Nine months ago the BG Ad Group in Marietta, Georgia approached a metro Atlanta newspaper with an idea to increase non-traditional revenue, digital downloads, and hyperlocal following. The idea? A hyperlocal podcast. The model has scaled to other newspapers in Georgia. Click for a case study in hyperlocal branded podcasts. Continue Reading