PodMov Daily: Thursday, November 7

Episode 82: Your Thursday Podthoughts

Your Editor Recommends: The Allusionist Live

This past Monday evening, your editor had the pleasure of seeing Helen Zaltzman and Dr. Martin Austwick of The Allusionist perform in Dallas. The live special No Title is snarky, winding, defiant, and immensely funny, making for a joyful atmosphere at the historic Sons of Hermann Hall.

“What is the point of titles?” Zaltzman began. Fans of the podcast knew to expect a complex and insightful adventure ahead, and new listeners delighted in discovering the show’s structure. Primarily about gender in language, No Title explores the history and potential future of the honorific. (Of course, a medieval werewolf romance makes an appearance.) “You can reflect a version of the society you want in the language you choose to use,” Zaltzman says.

The tour continues through December 15 and includes 8 U.S. cities plus the Vancouver Podcast Festival and Hot Docs in Toronto.

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Spreaker Prime Podcasters Generate $1M in Ad Revenue

In a “quick snapshot” of initial success, Spreaker Prime has released a first-quarter revenue report. The service, billed as a “white-glove service for talented independent podcasters and networks,” utilizes the programmatic ad tech of parent-company Voxnest.

Since the launch of the Prime service, its users have reportedly “generated $1 million in ad revenue, “with sixty-percent of the profits going directly to the podcasters.”

Users need 5,000 downloads per month to qualify to join the revenue-sharing program. “We knew Spreaker Prime could be the perfect way to dispel the myth that you must have millions of downloads to make money podcasting,” writes Ivey Amburgey.

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Drowning in Content: Steven Goldstein on Audio Overwhelm

“While it may be the best time for content creators, counterintuitively, it may be the worst time for overwhelmed consumers,” writes Steven Goldstein. “So much of the content looks fantastic. And that, it turns out, is a major problem.” The Amplifi Media CEO certainly has a point. Goldstein’s latest post is about why consumers are “drowning in content” and how the overwhelm affects their choices.

At Amplifi, the marketing conversation around a new podcast now takes place within the first of three phases. Focusing on the ‘key issues’ now means forming a distinctive branding strategy. As Goldstein figures, “With so many options, good content will be crushed by great content and similarly, average marketing will be pounded by standout marketing.”

Happy Thursday, readers, and thanks for coming out to support live podcast events. Upcoming North American tour dates from The Allusionist are below — is your town on the list?

Friday, November 8, Vancouver Podcast Festival

• 10:00 am – Masterclass: Under the Hood of the Allusionist
• 12:00 pm – Masterclass: Down With Marimba: Making Music For Podcasts by Dr. Martin Austwick
• 8:00 pm – No Title

• Sunday, November 10 – Hot Docs Podcast Festival, Toronto
• Tuesday, November 12 – Chicago, IL
• Tuesday, November 19 – Minneapolis, MN
• Saturday, November 23 – St. Louis, MO
• Tuesday, November 26 – Seattle, WA
• Monday, December 2 – Portland, OR
• Thursday, December 5 – Salt Lake City, UT
• Monday, December 9 – Phoenix, AZ
• Sunday, December 15 – Los Angeles, CA

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Here's what else is going on:

• Sonic youth: The Canarsie branch of the Brooklyn Public Library is home to the podcast KNRC Youth Radio. Local teenagers create episodes that range from testimonials to debates. Librarian Cassie Hickman, who founded the program with a grant, shares the project’s origins and impact with BKLYNER.

• Ad-venture: “If voice is a new operating system,” what kinds of startups pique the interest of “smart money”? Eric Peckham asked 5 venture capitalists in the audio space. Reportedly, podcasting and smart speaker integration will grow toward personalization and increased monetization opportunities.

• Captain’s chair: At Radio Ink’s annual Forecast conference on November 20, Fred Jacobs will be leading the group head panel. The Jacobs Media president plans to “reveal the ‘idea’ side of leadership,” venturing “beyond the usual questions about the outlook for the coming year and the bottom line.”

• Cali classroom: Podcaster and columnist Tracy Hazzard will give a seminar, “How to Create and Monetize Your Podcast,” on November 19 in West Hollywood, CA. The session will cover topics including production, development, audience growth, and monetization. Tickets available for online access.