Companies chasing podcast subscription cash need many of us to change our minds, writes Kevin Tran of Variety. In June 2020 and in early March of this year, YouGov surveyed listeners: “Have you ever paid or donated money to access or listen to a podcast?” The results imply that attitudes haven’t shifted much.
Initially 78% of U.S. podcast user-respondents said they had never paid in any way to listen to a podcast. Nine months later, that figure is at 75%. Tran’s back-of-the-napkin math suggests that Americans (who have not previously paid for podcasts) may spend a ballpark of $13 million per month over the next year.
A smaller subset of loyal listeners has been most willing to pay, and Tran thinks it’ll likely stay that way. “Still, this type of revenue growth could be attractive to indie podcast studios (likely to be the ones reaching dedicated podcast listeners) looking to expand beyond ad revenue in the year ahead.”
If your plan as a podcaster is to go big or go home, how are you going to fund that? Realistic expectations look different than they used to, says podcast philosopher and strategist Evo Terra. It’s true that startup and distribution costs haven’t changed much, unlike the expense of competing for listeners.
This spring there will be millions of shows available. “While the costs to add one more podcast to that list and make it potentially available to all of those people haven’t gone up at all, the cost to actually reach them has increased. Big time,” Terra points out. Mass circulation requires a promotion budget to match.
The “amazing equal-opportunities enabled by the internet” have always been part of the podcasting fabric. It’s no longer the case that shows will attract the audiences they deserve. (Some would say that celebrity podcasts prove this.) For the most realistic shot at success, aim high, but not for the very top.
Now more than ever, the world feels like it is spinning out of control. Millions of people are struggling with their mental health, marriage, parenting, and family relationships. The Dr. John Delony Show, a new podcast from the Ramsey Network, answers life’s messy questions.
Host and Ramsey Personality Dr. John Delony, a leading voice on mental health, relationships, and wellness, takes a practical approach to tough topics we all face. Dr. Delony’s caller-driven conversations help listeners work through anxiety, depression and disconnection with new tools and plenty of humor.
Ready to take charge of your mental health? It’s time to cut through the chaos and start building a more confident future. Send in your questions and join the conversation three times a week. Subscribe to The Dr. John Delony Show wherever you get your podcasts.
The boundaries become the path, funneling your brain’s full processing power into each step forward.
The first step is almost always the same, which is to instill confidence in the…
Podcasting is an infinite game—we play in order to keep playing.
It’s better to be good and liked than to be the best and have nowhere…
We’ve had a busy few weeks since Evolutions wrapped up! This week, we're sharing the…