Tom Webster
from
Edison Research
took the stage at
BlogWorld Expo
to present some brand new research about the current state of podcasting.
Podcasting first experienced growth in 2006, but since 2006, many of the early pioneers and businesses no longer exist.
According to Webster, podcasting is doing better now than ever before. Grammar Girl, NPR and ESPN were cited as examples of current, successful podcasts.
Podcasting
is the concept of producing various types of media (e.g. video, audio) that get downloaded from the internet, often via RSS feeds.
Today in 2010, 45% of all Americans are aware of podcasting, while 23% of Americans listen to podcasts, which has increased from 11% in 2006. In addition,
video podcasting
viewership is up to 20% of Americans in 2010. It is estimated that 70 million people have listened to or viewed a podcast.
Webster asserted that one of the main problems contributing to podcasting's lack of growth is that of convenience. Because people have the option of listening to or viewing podcast content any time they want, they will often push off consuming that content until never. This means that great podcasts need to be topical and timely to help create urgency.
In the most recent Edison survey on podcasting, the report found that age groups listening to podcasts have been redistributed to an older demographic compared to the previous year's findings. Sixty-four percent of 12 to 24 year olds don’t subscribe to podcasts. Instead, they consume content on demand, meaning they access computer-based players and listen to podcasts individually without subscribing.
Webster asserted that local news and information coverage is becoming scarce. Newspapers are failing, and most local TV and radio stations are simply using national programming with minimal local programming. This lack of local coverage, asserts Webster, creates more opportunities for podcasters. This is heavily due to the commoditization of music listening by services such as Pandora. According to Webster “traditional media is abandoning local.”
According to Webster, podcast consumption is happening more on the desktop as opposed to downloading content to mobile devices. Sixty-six percent of podcast listeners use Facebook, meaning that building distribution beyond iTunes is critical for podcasting success.
As a marketer, Webster advises capturing local coverage and the 12 to 24 age demographic for some ripe podcasting opportunities.
How does your business use podcasting?
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Inbound Marketing Blog Feed
Sydni Craig-Hart 3:51 PM on October 15, 2010
I use podcasting to share simple easy to implement marketing tips with my audience on a weekly basis. Most folks are facing information overload these days, so I keep my podcasts short, sweet and to the point, but packed with easy-to-use information that gets results.
I've gotten a great response to my podcast and have found that it gives people a chance to get to know me better because they get to hear my voice.
Sydni Craig-Hart
The Smart Simple Marketing Coach
www.smartsimplemarketing.com/blog
Nancy Burban 4:08 PM on October 15, 2010
I host a podcast called "FuneralDirectorsChat". I chat twice a month with Funeral Professionals about currrent news, trends & topics in the death care industry. We have a website & a Facebook page. Our audience is global & we have an audience of 2,500 - 3,000. It has been very successful for us & it unites a niche industry.
Nancy Burban
Jay (Uncle Waldo) Walsh 5:33 PM on October 15, 2010
I guess I'm going the opposite route as the above comment. I run a 90-minute weekly podcast that's pretty much an all-music format. I've been running it about 11 weeks now. The listenership is small but growning.
I figure if I'm going to do any fiddling with the site, now's the time to do it before the audience gets too large.
http://campgroundpirateradio.com
Scott at Vegas Video Network 5:56 PM on October 15, 2010
I agree completely with the notion around producing content with a local flair. We launched the Vegas Video Network with that in mind. Local experts who host a live streaming show that is also available as a podcast.
Steve "@PodcastSteve" Lubetkin 9:55 PM on October 15, 2010
We've been helping clients produce compelling podcast content for six years now, and the key hurdle for most clients is to get over the idea that they should have something go viral. The important thing is to have great content that meets the audience's need, no matter how narrow that audience is, because it is a self selected group.
Steve "@PodcastSteve" Lubetkin
Managing Pertner, Professional Podcasts LLC
steve@professionalpodcasts.com
Www.professionalpodcasts.com
@PodcastSteve on Twitter
seosen 7:35 AM on October 18, 2010
Well, i agree with you. It is quite hard to come up with interesting blog posts for your readers.
Bernie Borges 9:02 PM on October 19, 2010
The Find and Convert podcast has been around since 2008. I am the host and I interview marketers, entrepreneurs and authors. We discuss search and inbound marketing strategies and success stories.
I write a blog post for each podcast. People can listen online at the top of the blog post, or subscribe or download from iTunes.
Webster's data suggests that podcasting is getting more popular. I'm not convinced though. I'd like to see more distribution channels other than iTunes for podcasts.
Bernie Borges
Find and Convert
@berniebay