Editor’s note: The Daily will be off on Monday, returning Tuesday with your morning headlines, resources, and tips.

PodMov Daily: Thursday, August 26

Episode 492: Your Thursday Podthoughts

Rethinking the Funnel Strategy in Podcast Marketing

The concept of a marketing funnel is straightforward — much more straightforward than listener acquisition. In Podcast Pontifications, Evo Terra suggests that podcasters reconsider the funnel as a comprehensive strategy. The model can be useful, but doesn’t quite mirror the behavior of potential audiences.

“Broadly speaking for podcasters, [the funnel] means making a lot of people aware of your podcast, then getting some of them to consider listening to your podcast, and then getting an even smaller set to actually listen.” In this multiplatform age (‘Be everywhere!’), there’s a wide variety of pathways and entry points.

A listener who finds a YouTube clip, for example, may skip the ‘awareness’ stage completely. “Will the new person have any idea what’s going on when they view the page or watch your video?” Terra asks. A well-adapted funnel will offer a smooth introduction to the show, no matter where or how it’s reached.

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What is Loudness? An Update to the Ultimate Guide

“From the production side, deciding on the ideal audio level when mixing a podcast or radio project is challenging,” writes Jeff Towne of Transom. Rob Byers has updated the organization’s classic Audio Producer’s Guide to Loudness, showing podcasters how to use this one factor to create better mixes.

To determine ideal loudness, podcasters need to measure audio levels in a way that accounts for how people perceive sound. This technology is what keeps listeners from having to turn the volume up or down to compensate for unevenness. No one enjoys being startled by a blaring infomercial during a TV movie.

“When presented with different audio elements in a mix — a voice recorded in the studio against a Zoom call, for example — you’ll be able to balance them so they sound consistent,” Byers explains. Published by NPR, his other audio production resources include expert guides to training the ear and mixing stories.

Dynamic Content: A Powerful New Tool from Buzzsprout

With Buzzsprout, it’s faster than ever to keep your podcast fresh — and your listeners up-to-date. The new Dynamic Content tool lets you easily add and remove short pre-roll (intro) and post-roll (outro) content to your episodes. It's the perfect solution for timely messaging.

Whether you’re promoting a virtual event or giving a special shout-out, Dynamic Content makes it simple to swap, automatically add content to new episodes, or apply it to your existing catalog with a click. Old files are removed and replaced, so there’s no clean-up.

For podcasters, this new tool offers more than flexibility. It benefits your audience in more ways than one: Buzzsprout respects your listeners’ privacy. Unlike most Dynamic Ad Insertion, the Dynamic Content tool includes no tracking or targeting. Ready to make the switch?

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Here's what else is going on:

• Year Factor: Joe Rogan has lost influence since his podcast became exclusive to Spotify, reports Ashley Carman of The Verge. According to a new data investigation, “his show has declined as a hype vehicle for guests, and Rogan’s presence as a mainstay in the news has plummeted.”

• Team effort: Blue Wire has launched a program to get high-profile student-athletes into podcasting. Blue Wire Hustle will provide “technical and educational support, distribution and ad-network sales for its podcasters.” To comply with NCAA rules, revenue will be independently tracked.

• Sonic youth: Wondery and Amazon Music are all-in on children’s podcasts. They’ve finalized an exclusive licensing deal with Tinkercast (home to Guy Raz’s NPR hit Wow in the World), and earlier this week hired a new franchise development executive to lead expansion into kids’ content.

• Partial credit: A new audio storytelling app, Mindset, will offer content from “artists who aren’t interested in becoming full-time podcasters.” The platform for millennial and Gen Z audiences is being launched by DIVE Studios, known for its podcasts hosted by English-speaking K-pop stars.