Keep what’s good; change what’s wrong. That’s the message of a 21-page research manifesto produced by podcast ad agency Oxford Road with data from Edison Research. It’s called What is a Podcast? Preserving its Essence, Structuring forExpansion. [DOWNLOAD]
“Podcasting has reached a pivotal moment where its next phase of growth depends on how clearly we define and measure it. What was once a niche, audio-driven medium is now fragmented across platforms, formats, and metrics. Our research shows that to preserve what made podcasting powerful and drive sustainable growth, we must create a unified standard that welcomes innovation while maintaining clarity.” — Dan Granger, CEO of Oxford Road and Veritone One
If the understanding of podcasting has become blurred, as Granger suggests — lacking a clear definition shared across all stakeholders and potential stakeholders — that ambiguity creates friction and confusion for all three major stakeholders (creators, platforms, and advertisers). That potential perplexity is concisely described in this report:
“For creators, it raises the bar to entry and clouds monetization paths. For platforms, it complicates discovery and categorization. For advertisers—the economic engine of the industry—it slows investment due to unclear standards and fragmented reporting.”
Three key findings point to the power of “podcasting” as a category brand, but the definition must evolve without damaging the medium, as detailed below:
Those principles undergo elaboration by Oxford Road CEO Dan Granger. Following that is a basic history of the genre (“The Origins of Revolution”).
Then we find a description of the survey sructure, which was both quantitative (counting participant replies to questions) and quantitative (in-depth discussions with podcast listeners — over 30 of them).
We quickly learn that listeners form what Oxford calls an “expanding consumer lens” of what a podcast is. the conceptions range from a standard conception of an audio recording to how-to videos on YouTube. Below is the breakdown of the “what is a podcast” question:
Interestingly, only 27% of respondents said that “how-to” videos were podcasts, reinforcing the idea that podcasts are primarily conversational or spoken.
The overriding purpose of this extreme focus on a podcast definition is founded on solving the difficulty of selling advertising in a category that lacks an instant universal understanding of what it is. “The good news? This is a solvable problem,” the study tells us.
Oxford Road estimates that “billions of potential ad investments are being held back due to a lack of consistent standards for attribution, taxonomy, and measurement.” Helpfully, a definitional solution is offered, in three forms:
- Basic definition: “An audio-driven on-demand program rooted in the spoken word. Typically episodic and conversational, podcasts cover wide-ranging themes and formats. They are accessed via open RSS feeds or other distribution platforms and often supplemented by video.”
open RSS feeds or other distribution platforms and often supplemented by video.” - Industry shorthand: “If it works with your eyes closed, it’s a podcast.”
- Video podcast: “An episodic, on-demand program rooted in the spoken-word, where synchronized visuals meaningfully shape the experience.”
The company is also calling for a working group to explore the development of an open measurement protocol for podcasting. A consistent measurement currency has been discussed in the field for years.
This is a deeply thoughtful, densely packed, keenly argued presentation. We have skimmed some key points here. Get the download; it’s direct and free HERE.
