Podcast Pontifications

Custom podcast apps -- a dedicated mobile app that's just for your show and your show alone -- haven't been widely embraced. In this short episode, I'll talk about why that may be changing in the near future.

While it's easier than ever to make a custom app for your podcast, they aren't all that convenient for most listeners. Put another way: there isn't an advantage to listening to the content in app.

But that might change.

If a podcaster -- or group of podcasters -- is able to create compelling content beyond their regular episode release, then an app can be a fantastic way to share that with the right audience. Audio. Video. Images. Documents. All of that is possible to share on a custom app right now.

But that's just scratching the surface. An app that lets listeners connect with the host of the show better and immediately. An app that lets listeners connect with each other, sharing information and building their own tribe. An app that truly makes a comprehensive experience. That's what the future holds.

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

Ask the pundits and you'll hear plenty of reasons why paid podcasting will never really take off in America. Most often cited is "the djinni is out of the bottle".

But they forget that other media (see: TV, radio) have plenty of success stories in doing just that, and now both have rich ecosystems where paid and free content exist in essentially the same form.

Recent moves such as Slate's Supporting Cast platform, Substack's new audio-centric paid newsletter offering, and Himalaya's $100M investment round are just the more recent moves that could signal changing attitudes around the concept of paid podcasting.

Will they be enough to get anywhere near the $7.3B that Chineses podcasters earn mostly through paid subscriptions? Maybe. If we're ready to commit to podcasts worth paying for. 

That's what we'll discuss on this episode.

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

Video was once a strong format in podcasting, but that's been awhile. Today, only a single-digit (or sub-single-digit) percentage of podcasts are video-only. But will it always be that way?

There's no doubt that video is popular. More popular than audio, if you compare TV vs radio. Or even the number of YouTube videos available compared to the tiny number of audio-only podcast episodes.

But before you abandon your podcast to beef up your YouTube page, you might want to listen to this short episode. Because without a serious shift in consumption habits and content creation, the podcast-as-video segment is likely to remain very small. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

"Live podcasting" is a growing trend. From existing services like Spreaker Live, re-tooled platforms like Periscope's new audio-only option, to new devices like the Rødecaster, plenty of people are betting heavily on making it easier for podcasters to go live.

But is that a good thing?

In this short episode, I'll cover the shortcomings all of these players face, and talk about the two key things required to make a "live" podcast work well.

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

For all the buzzing from us podcasting insiders, speculation from tech reporting companies, and even financial media companies weighing in on Spotify's buying spree, we're not doing a good job of answering the question on most podcasters' minds:

What is the implication for my podcast, and what should I do right now?

In this short episode, I'll answer that question, as clearly and concisely as I can, with four primary points:

1. Relax. No changes will be seen for weeks/months to come.
2. Check to make sure your show is on Spotify. And if it isn't, fix that. (All of my clients' shows are already on Spotify. You're welcome.)
3. Think about Anchor as a possible additional distribution point. (All of my client's shows are already on Anchor's platform. You're welcome.)
4. While we can't know what Spotichor (yes, I'm totally coining that) will look like in the future, you should double-down on making the best episodes for your show as possible. Quality and attention to detail will matter even more than they do now.

Lots more details in the audio itself, so click play. It's less than 10 minutes. You'll love it. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.