💸 Interest in podcast ads at a 9-year high, RSS feeds coming to YouTube and Apple Podcasts adds new creator features

This year's Podcast Movement took place over the last few days, so naturally the podcasting industry is absolutely buzzing with dozens of game-changing updates! YouTube is adding RSS feed support for audio-only podcasts to their platform, and Apple Podcasts and Spotify both have stacks of new features for podcasters. We're diving into all of it in our latest edition of This Week In Podcasts, including:

• A brand-new study revealing that only 22% of podcast listeners consider podcasts to be an audio-only genre
• Why white noise podcasts are taking an estimated $38 million per year out of Spotify's profits
• A newly released report which found that 48% of podcast listeners in the U.S. have purchased a product advertised on a podcast in the past year

Alright, enough with the breakdown! Let's dive straight into the roundup.

❗️ This Week's Top Headline

Is your podcast audio-only? You should probably rethink that according to this latest study

• A survey by Coleman Insights and Amplifi Media shows that 75% of U.S. podcast consumers now consider a podcast to be either audio or video.
• Only 22% of podcast consumers define a podcast as "audio-only".
• The survey indicates that this changing definition is prominent among users of various platforms, not just YouTube.
• Among preferred app users, 89% of YouTube, 70% of Spotify, and 67% of Apple Podcast users consider podcasts to be either audio or video.

We've collected insights from this study, as well as several other recent podcasting industry developments, in our latest LinkedIn article about why it is becoming increasingly urgent for audio-only podcasters to consider adding a video component to their shows. Check it out below!

🚀 This Week in... Podcast Advertising

• Acast has selected Podscribe as its preferred attribution partner, offering advertisers reliable attribution services at no extra cost. This collaboration reinforces Acast's commitment to impartial tools for successful podcast advertising while discontinuing campaigns using Spotify's Ad Analytics and moving towards certified attribution partners in various regions.
• Libsyn introduces Predictive Contextual Targeting, a sophisticated cookie-free ad targeting solution, allowing podcast advertisers to reach specific audiences across diverse segments. This innovation, combining Libsyn's AdvertiseCast and Julep Media, provides precise ad delivery based on contextual understanding, enhancing podcast advertising's effectiveness and reach.
• Writing for Signal Hill Insights , Paul Riismandel explains that measurement in podcast advertising, especially ad effectiveness, often overlooks the role of creative messaging, focusing primarily on binary questions about performance. However, understanding and assessing the nuances of the message and creative are crucial for optimizing ad impact, refining audience targeting, and ultimately benefiting both advertisers and audiences.
• Sonnant , an AI-powered audio data platform, and PodcastDb , a sizable podcast database, have partnered to offer advertisers and brands a contextually relevant and secure advertising solution across podcast content. This collaboration aims to redefine the podcast advertising landscape by providing advertisers with more targeted opportunities and empowering podcasters to monetize their content more effectively.
• A recent study conducted by Advertiser Perceptions on behalf of CUMULUS MEDIA | Westwood One Audio Active Group has shown that interest in podcast advertising among advertisers and agencies has reached a nine-year high. The study of 302 marketers and media agencies in June 2023 revealed that spending intention for podcast advertising has grown significantly, with 62% of brands and agencies likely to consider advertising in podcasts, marking a nine-year record, and nearly 60% of agencies and advertisers currently advertising in podcasts.
• Audio news, including radio, online audio, and podcasting, is seeing a resurgence with 42% of Americans over 12 having listened to a podcast in the past month. Audio advertising's success, driven by music streaming and podcast platforms, is due to programmatic methods that efficiently target specific customer segments, offering better engagement and returns without relying on individual data for privacy.
• The rise of audio content, particularly podcasts, has gained momentum, especially since the pandemic. With seamless integration and non-intrusive experiences, podcast advertising offers a cost-effective and engaging way for brands to connect with their target audience, with various methods like dynamic ad insertion and host-read ads providing effective avenues for engagement.

📻 This Week in... Podcast Platforms

• YouTube will soon fully support ingestion of RSS feeds for podcasts, allowing podcasters to turn their audio feeds into YouTube-hosted videos. The platform is expanding its podcast availability within the YouTube Music app globally, improving analytics, discovery, and search, and allowing users to add any RSS feed to their YouTube Music app, even private feeds.
• Spotify is reportedly losing an estimated $38 million in annual profits due to the popularity of "white noise" podcasts, which offer calming sounds like rain or waves. These podcasts have gained significant consumption hours, but they are less lucrative for the company compared to music or other types of content. Despite an internal analysis suggesting removing these podcasts could increase annual gross profit, Spotify decided to keep them available on the platform.
• Apple has unveiled updates to its podcast creator tools, including the introduction of Subscription Analytics in Apple Podcasts Connect, offering podcasters insights into their paying audience's behavior. This feature will allow podcasters to track metrics like trial conversions and paid subscriptions while keeping data anonymized, while also integrating podcast analytics into the marketing platform Linkfire for creators to gauge user engagement with their shows.
• Following Apple's announcement, Spotify has introduced new features aimed at podcasters, including customization tools for podcast show pages, impression analytics to understand show discovery, tools to edit podcast previews, expanded automated ads, and a Spotify Audience Network Performance Dashboard for Megaphone enterprise publishers. Additionally, the app is making changes to improve podcast discovery, allowing listeners to jump to search results for specific creators with auto-generated tags. These updates were announced at the Podcast Movement conference and are designed to enhance the podcasting experience for both creators and listeners on the platform.
• Spotify has achieved a record 551 million monthly active users globally, adding 36 million new users in Q2, with growth three times higher than the same period last year. However, the company is grappling with turning this surge in users into revenues, as Q2 revenue growth was its lowest at 11%, highlighting the challenge of monetizing its diverse offerings, from podcasts to AI-driven features.
• FASTHub by MuxIP has launched its Pod FAST TV platform, which enables global streaming distribution of podcast and vodcast content on major FAST (Free Ad-Supported Television) channel platforms such as Roku , LG Channels, and Samsung TV Plus. The platform allows podcasters and vodcasters to expand their audiences and advertiser support beyond audio-only formats, offering live capabilities for higher engagement and higher CPMs, and it's also part of PodcastOne's new linear FAST channel, PodcastOne TV.
• Afripods , Africa's leading podcast hosting platform, has successfully implemented its Broadcast-to-Podcast (B2P) technology, resulting in a substantial increase in streams for participating radio stations in the last 6 months. With over 110 radio stations in eight African countries utilizing B2P, Afripods plans to expand into more markets and languages, capitalizing on the growing demand for on-demand content such as podcasts among the continent's young population.
• Edison Research has revealed the top podcast networks in the U.S. for Q2 2023 based on average weekly network reach among listeners aged 13 and above. The ranking places Spotify, SiriusXM Podcast Network, and iHeartRadio in the top three spots, with Spotify and SiriusXM alternating the number one position over the past year.
• Disctopia , a podcast hosting and music streaming service, has partnered with Semrush to introduce an SEO feature through its Podcast Hosting App. This feature enables podcast creators to extract keywords from audio transcriptions provided by Semrush, aiding in aligning podcast keywords with SEO campaigns for higher web search rankings and improved online discoverability.

📊 This Week in... Podcast Marketing

• Voices , a leading voice over marketplace, has published its Power of Podcasts Report, revealing that 48% of podcast listeners in the U.S. have purchased a product advertised on a podcast in the past year. The report highlights podcast effectiveness in generating brand awareness, the preference for host-read advertisements, the role of engaging hosts in listener retention, and the significant influence of social media in podcast promotion. You can read the full report here.

🎙️ This Week in... Podcast Production

• The Resound team asked 30 podcasting professionals, "What makes a good podcast?" Read their 30 top tips in this article.
• The good folks at Podnews have updated their guide to understanding podcast statistics and analytics to include the latest updates from podcasting platforms. Check out the guide here.
• Castos has some expert advice for podcasters on how to entice your listeners to take action. Learn from their practical suggestions here.
• Whether you're a podcast creator, a consumer or a business looking to delve into the world of podcasting, Blubrry Podcasting by RawVoice has got you covered with their comprehensive manual. It covers all aspects of the field with depth and precision. Dive into the manual here.
• Triton Digital has integrated YouTube views of podcast episodes into its Podcast Metrics service, allowing publishers to compare podcast downloads with YouTube views and consolidate video metrics. This integration aims to provide insights into podcast consumption and engagement across platforms, supporting content monetization and audience growth while aligning with the trend of YouTube's influence on video podcasting.
• Writing on Medium , Jenn L. explains that winning podcast awards can significantly benefit podcasters by increasing their show's visibility and credibility, ultimately attracting a larger audience. Awards like The Ambies, Shorty Awards, Webby Awards, Digiday Media Awards, and Adweek Audio Awards offer opportunities for recognition and promotion within the podcasting community and beyond. Such awards not only provide prestige but also help in standing out in a crowded podcast landscape and gaining listeners' trust.

Many of us don't have the time, know-how, or even the desire to edit our own podcast episodes and micro-content. But we still want to create podcasts. If this sounds like you, Poddster's post-production services are probably a good fit for you. Our team of producers, editors, and content strategists can:

• edit your full episodes
• craft scroll-stopping teasers
• craft exciting highlights
• extract engaging micro-content

Want to work with us? Find out more here.

🫶 This Week in... Podcast Community

• Following this year's Podcast Movement , Spotify 's podcasting leaders share their top 6 takeaways from the event. Dive into their learnings here.
• The Hollywood Reporter asked the top hosts, executives and agents in podcasting for their insights into the past, present and future of podcasting, as well as their pet peeves as listeners. Enjoy their insights here.
• Who's who in the podcasting zoo? Discover the 40(ish) most important people in podcasting, with this latest roundup from The Hollywood Reporter.
• In a piece for Fast Company , columnist Joe Berkowitz writes about how podcast producers have become rising stars in the creator economy. Podcast producers are taking a more active on-mic role in popular podcasts, becoming integral to the show's dynamics. These producers handle various behind-the-scenes tasks, offer research, act as sounding boards, referees, and even provide comedic input, contributing to the show's success and often developing strong bonds with the hosts and listeners.
• Podurama offers an AI-powered podcast recommendation service that helps users discover interesting podcasts beyond the popular ones. With over 30 million series and shows, users can explore podcasts using an AI chatbot or traditional search methods, creating playlists and folders to organize their discoveries efficiently. Currently, a lifetime subscription to Podurama is available at a 60% discount.

💡 Poddster in the Spotlight

No2tetinWekhat by Nassimah Francis

Motivational discussions and life lessons, along with the perfect vibes! Nassimah Francis 's podcast hosts celebrities and household names discussing their careers and private lives through sharing their previously untold stories.

Professional, efficient, smooth studio process and great end results... everything you would look for in a podcast studio. A big thank you to Marwan and everyone behind Poddster's success.

Watch Nassimah's latest episode 👇

🎧 Your Weekend Listening Lineup

Save yourself the hassle of searching for new shows on Spotify. Here are the latest episodes from our studio that you should have queued up.

Building FinTech Ecosystems and Investing in MEA: Gaurav Dhar, CEO at Marshal and an Ace investor

Watch the latest episode of The Market Makers in Middle East & Africa - Video Podcast , created by Poddster Abrar Hussain .

Unlock Your Business Potential With Collaborations | Brands Through Stories

Watch the latest episode of Brands Through Stories, created by Poddster Nina Seredai-Udalova and featuring the incredible Rachel Meuleman .

Life Audit | تدقيق الحياة

Watch the latest episode of Bdoun Sukkar, created by Poddster Razan Niazi .

Redefining Meat: Inside Abu Dhabis First Plant-Based Meat Facility with Switch Foods - Edward Hamod

Watch the latest episode of the Let's Chew Podcast, created by Gulfood - The World's Biggest Annual F&B Event , hosted by Poddster Juweyria Hersi , featuring guest Edward Hamod .

From vision boards to reality, 6 years in Dubai milestone edition!

Watch the latest episode of The Lifestyle Hub Podcast, created by Poddster Jason Grima .

Anything Everything Episode 6 - Overcoming adversity & strength training with Daria Tsinaridze

Watch the latest episode of Anything Everything, created by Poddsters Sami N. Dandachi and Tarek Abou Chakra , featuring guest Daria Tsinaridze .

EP08 - Parenting in Dubai

Watch the latest episode of Let's Talk DXB, created by Poddster Sharon Missah .

The Power of Leadership

Watch the latest episode of Real You Show by Layal , created by Poddster Layal Hassi .

😊 Thank you for tuning in!

We hope you found this first edition of This Week In Podcasts helpful, informative, and engaging.

As always, feedback is welcome and appreciated. Tell us what you'd like to see more of, whom you'd like to see featured and more.

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Catch you next week 🙌