PodMov Daily: Monday, August 2

Episode 474: Your Monday Mix

Adaptability is the Key to Earning Your Podcast Audience

Adaptability is the most useful trait a podcaster can have in 2021, says Edison Research SVP Tom Webster. His opening keynote at Podcast Movement will focus on adaptation, both in how creators behave and how they interpret information. As it turns out, Apple’s infamous auto-download bug wasn’t a total loss.

The bug is a helpful reminder that the failure of an automatic download doesn’t necessarily mean fewer listens, especially in the age of Spotify and YouTube: “Downloads and audience are two different things, and we should never get that twisted. If you are only measuring downloads, you are not measuring audience.”

Where auto-downloads are passive, the intentionality of a stream reveals more about how listeners perceive a show’s value in real time. Webster suggests we think of a stream as a ‘user-requested’ manual download, where there are no guarantees of repeat business week-to-week — “unless the show is great.”

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Surviving the Rapid “Gentrification” of Podcasting

The last 18 months have brought a flood of cash (and attention) that’s threatening the viability of independent shows, writes Miranda Sawyer of The Guardian. “In this big-pockets, big-boots era, when all the attention goes to celebrity shows, or those with a large marketing spend, how can lo-fi podcasts survive?”

Creators including Maeve McClenaghan, who makes the UK investigative podcast The Tip Off, offer thoughtful answers to that question. When it comes to approaching podcast companies with an idea, she says that “You have to make sure you’re a vital component” that can’t be replaced in the event of production.

Looking just at the British Podcast Awards, Sawyer likens the sea change to gentrification. On an individual level, the solution has always been the same: community. “Discoverability, talent, community and, yes, money are all what independent podcasts have always had to take on. It’s just that the stakes have got higher.”

Riverside.fm: Remote Podcast Recording, Done Right 

Riverside.fm is a podcast recording software with outstanding quality — and user experience to match. Separate audio and video tracks for each participant are recorded locally, independent of internet connection. With WAV audio and up to 4k video, your content is clear and perfectly in-sync. 

Remote recording doesn’t have to be a hassle. Just ask Guy Raz, Hillary Clinton, Spotify, and Marvel. Thanks to automatic backup and progressive uploading, files are secure and quick to access. Guests love how easy it is for them to join: Your interview is just one mouse click away, with nothing to install or download.

With multi-platform live streaming, screen sharing, video call-in, and more, this is recording done right. Visit the Riverside booth at Podcast Movement for prize giveaways, and sign up now for a free trial, no credit card needed.

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Here's what else is going on:

• Cash advance: There are now at least 1,000 paid shows in Apple Podcasts, according to Podnews. Just six weeks after the subscription feature was launched, “We’ve discovered more than 500 different channels in Apple Podcasts; and more than 30% of those channels are paid-for.” 

• Exchange rate: The audio app Fireside is expected to announce a partnership with Libsyn at Podcast Movement, confirms Ashley Carman of The Verge. Launched on iOS last week in a closed beta, the app is reportedly “accepting investments through the month of August” from users.

• Open seating: From Wednesday through Friday, 11 Podcast Movement sessions will be streaming free from the Spreaker Live Stage. Check the schedule for growth-oriented talks from top creators like John Lee Dumas (Entrepreneurs on Fire) and Sam Parr of The Hustle (My First Million).

• Real talk: “Most podcasters shouldn’t expect much conversion from social media to new listeners,” advises Arielle Nissenblatt, Community Manager at SquadCast.fm. “It’s important to keep up with social for your already existing listeners, but it’ll rarely bring you big new downloads.”