Tuesday, July 16, 2019

PodMov Daily: Tuesday, July 16

Episode 1 has arrived! Start your Podracers.

How Fast is Too Fast? An Experiment in Podfasting

We’re kicking off our guest article series with a feature by our own Jared Easley. He sat down for an interview with Felix Montelara, founder of the Latin Podcast Awards, to discuss the beginnings of this important event. Felix has only been podcasting for 5 years, but has been supporting Spanish-language media and representation for decades. The 3rd annual Awards will take place during Hispanic Heritage Month this year, with the official date to be announced at Podcast Movement in Orlando! Listen to their inspiring conversation for Felix’s take on event networking and the joy of road trips.

Feedback's in Demand for DJs, Podcasters Alike

Collecting quality feedback is one of the well-known challenges of podcasting. With no built-in process for constructive criticism, podcasters often collaborate by reviewing each other’s shows. The radio industry, however, has an established framework for broadcaster improvement that may be migrating toward podcasts.

Last year, Jacobs Media conducted the radio industry’s first-ever online survey of on-air talent. 40% of the respondents told us that they never get “airchecked,” referring to a key process in radio. In an aircheck session, a radio Program Director offers expert criticism to a DJ, which is especially valuable for up-and-coming talent. This “layer of management” used to be commonplace in radio but is fading as Program Directors become overburdened. It’s not a standard that the podcast industry has yet reached, but is likely to be on the horizon.

As podcast networks grow and shows become more competitive, some predict that processes successful for developing radio talent can’t be far behind. The Podcast Makeover session at this year’s Podcast Movement will again showcase the aircheck as applied to a podcast episode. A live critique delivered by industry professionals is an opportunity both unfamiliar and coveted by many podcasters looking to sharpen their skills. If you’re a hardy soul with the drive to improve, this year’s session may be your time to shine!

Podfront UK: Stitcher and Wondery Join Continents

Brands and advertisers in the United Kingdom will now be able to access top-tier advertising slots in Stitcher and Wondery shows for the first time. The initiative, known as Podfront UK, joins the two networks’ forces to connect millions of U.K. listeners with sponsored content.

Midroll reports that the U.K. ranks third in listening across all 250 of Stitcher’s podcasts, according to Midroll. “Freakonomics,” “WTF with Marc Maron” and “Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations” are among the most popular. Wondery’s hits, including “Dirty John” and “Dr. Death,” have been massive successes as well, with millions of listeners across the pond.

Podfront will be led by podcast veteran Ruth Fitzsimons, who comes to Podfront UK from London-based Audioboom. The race to develop high-quality and high-traffic podcast networks outside the United States is certainly lively, with many more moments of pivotal growth expected in the near future.

Philadelphia Eagles Podcasts: Serious Business

Last year, the great city of Philadelphia hosted Podcast Movement, and now the Eagles are winning the podcasting game. Coincidence, or did we inspire a sports movement? Juuuust kidding.

With six current podcasts and more on the way, the Philadelphia Eagles have harnessed fan power into serious airtime. Across all platforms in 2018, Eagles podcasts drew 2 million streams, but media executives predict doubled downloads in 2019. Jen Kavanagh, the team’s senior vice president of media and marketing, is all about podcasting as strategy.

“[Podcasting] is catching fire in a way that it’s hard to ignore,” she says. “We live in a world collectively where there really are no boundaries anymore. Your fandom is no longer geographically restricted — especially with social media and the way we all connect.” Fans worldwide can access all 6 podcasts on the team’s site and app, and will soon have even more to choose from.

Among fan favorites are Eagles Live! and Feeding the Birds, which focuses on players’ nutrition and favorite foods. Team chef interviews and all the details on massive athlete meals keep fans hungry for more. Fan podcasts make football season last year round, keeping excitement —and ad revenue — soaring.

Find Your Perfect Ad Partner

Finding the perfect ad partner can be an endless quest—with uncertain results. You’re a podcaster seeking to get into the advertising game, but don’t have a million downloads. Maybe a sponsor in search of a great podcast to share your message. Trust us, there’s a better way than milling around the punch bowl. Where’s a savvy, proven matchmaker when you need one? With Podbean’s Ads Marketplace, podcasters and sponsors simply connect and make each other money in a few clicks. Now that’s true love.

No matter how you use the Podbean Ads Marketplace, you’re in control. Outline your campaign, set a budget, and reach listeners in a day’s time. Users can modify, pause, or cancel campaigns with a click.Podcasters are matched with top brands, or can run cross-promotion more effective than Facebook ads. You can opt out of any ads you don’t want to run on your podcast. Want smarter results in less time? We thought so. That special ad partner is out there, and Podbean’s Ads Marketplace is where the magic happens.

Here's what else is going on:

• Nielsen launches podcast listener buying power service: Clients will be able to profile shows using program titles collected from subscribers. Particular advertisers and specific program-level insights mean more precisely targeted ads than ever before.

• Tim Ferriss pulls the plug on pulled plugs: (Couldn’t resist.) The host has cancelled his ad-free, listener-supported experiment that began last month. Audience feedback showed a strong preference for the advertising model, so it’s back to business as usual.

• Relevant back catalogs are your friend:  These examples show that high-quality branded podcast episodes don’t have to be boring reruns. Ask yourself how your best shows from back in the day can apply to the present, and how you can leverage their value for a new audience.