PodMov Daily: Monday, March 21

Episode 612: Your Monday Mix

Podcast Reach is Dominated by 4 Networks. What Now?

Half of weekly podcast listeners can be reached by advertising across just four networks. Podcasting is consolidating fast, wrote Edison Research SVP Tom Webster on Friday. Advertisers are passing over indie shows because it simply makes sense: “It is hard, and getting harder, to be an independent podcaster.”

A year ago, if an advertiser wanted to reach 50% of weekly podcast consumers, they could buy spots on the top seven networks. Seven down to four in 12 months. Major acquisitions and licensing deals continue to be a factor, like the partnership between SXM and audiochuck, the company behind Crime Junkie.

Why wouldn’t a brand entering the space cast a huge net instead of many smaller, riskier ones? Webster has a warning and a potential solution. “If indie podcasters don't find a way to organize and consolidate their buying power, some monetization options are just not going to be available for them. For you.”

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YouTube is Headliner's #1 Sharing Platform

Through the Headliner app, users share podcast audiograms to YouTube more than any other platform. This has been the case since the fall of last year. After speaking to some of these users, Headliner’s product team cites four reasons: searchability, serendipity, shareability, and ‘showing up.’

Serendipity: Autoplay is your friend. It can give potential listeners a quick exposure to the beginning of your podcast, which is why you need a great hook in your cold opening. Also, YouTube links are almost universally shareable, any site recognizes them, and they come with metrics and tracking.

Simplecast: Real Support for Small Podcasts. Always.

Since 2013, Simplecast has been dedicated to supporting small creators – those that have always driven innovation and creativity in podcasting. Simplecast’s industry-leading tools power shows of every size, from up-and-coming voices to some of the world’s biggest brands.

Podcasting’s open ecosystem is full of opportunity. Simplecast believes that every creator deserves access to the same tools, from deep analytics to magazine features. No matter how the industry changes, Simplecast shows why indie podcasters are never to be overlooked or underestimated.

So ahead and experiment. Try new things, reach new listeners, and get weird. Simplecast is here to help you succeed with powerful solutions to manage, distribute, share, and grow. It’s fast, easy to use, and includes everything you need to get started with real support: Your first two months are free with code PODMOV.

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Here's what else is going on:

• Sound snack: Twitter Spaces is testing an audio clipping tool on iOS, reports Allison McDaniel of 9to5Mac. Selected hosts can share 30-second highlights from recorded Spaces, which anyone on the app can view and listen to. Twitter plans to eventually release the feature to all hosts.

• Full color: Tomorrow at 12:00 pm ET is “Radio Boot Camp: How to Figure Out Your Sound.” PRX’s Jocelyn Gonzales will lead the workshop with a hands-on audio mood board process, teaching how to express your show’s values in sound. $100 registration, use code MUSIC for 10% off.

• Real estate: This Wednesday at 4:00 pm ET is “How to Organically Engage Your Audience at All Stages of Production” from Podcasting, Seriously. DCP Entertainment founder and CEO Chris Colbert will join Twitter Spaces to discuss making the most of your content. No account needed.

• Not again: Too many investigative podcasts fail to deliver answers, writes Caleb Pershan of Gawker. One recent hit is the latest in a “long line” that are all rabbit hole, no resolution. Instead, hosts “end up trying to convince listeners that the frustration of the journey is the interesting part.”