PodMov Daily: Thursday, June 16

Episode 667: Your Thursday Podthoughts

Who Exactly Are America’s Podcasters? 

Good news: We’ll soon find out who’s making all of these podcasts. Sounds Profitable’s first research project, in partnership with Edison Research, is the first credible study of the profile of podcast creators in America. “The Creators” will become an annual release, marking a turning point in podcasting’s history.

The impact will be profound, says Sounds Profitable editor Bryan Barletta. “Podcasting’s audience has become much more diverse over the last five years, and now it’s time to empower more women to make podcasts, and also find ways to get the tools of podcasting into more lower-income creators – we need their ideas!”

This new data forms the clearest-ever picture, from demographics to listening behavior. As Barletta says, better representation starts with understanding whose voices we hear. “The Creators” will be presented by Barletta and Tom Webster in a free webinar on Tuesday, June 28 at 1:00 pm ET. Register and thank us later.

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‘1,000 True Fans’ Hasn’t Failed Podcasting

In his famous 2008 essay, Wired editor Kevin Kelly proposed that online creators only needed 1,000 ‘true fans’ to make a living. That optimistic theory may finally be realistic, writes Deep Work author Cal Newport in The New Yorker. “A shining example of the 1,000 True Fans model is the podcasting boom.”

One case study is Breaking Points, a year-old YouTube show and podcast run by two former network journalists. Newport dissects its premium-subscription business model, supplemented by podcast and YouTube ads. The hosts aren’t making a killing, but they’re doing well. Listener loyalty drives everything.

Podcasters, if there’s a must-read article of the week, it’s this one: “Earning a middle-class salary by talking through a digital microphone to a fiercely loyal band of supporters around the world, who are connected by the magic of the Internet, is about as pure a distillation of Kelly’s vision as you’re likely to find.”

Nomono: High-Quality Field Recording, Made Simple

Field recording can get complicated – no one knows better than podcasters. Nomono simplifies recording, production, and collaboration for creators on the move. Completely wireless from microphone to cloud, Nomono’s self-contained recording kit takes the hassle out of making great content.

The Wi-Fi enabled Nomono Sound Capsule combines four ultra-compact lavalier mics with a 360-degree spatial audio microphone array. With automatic backup, full mobile app controls, and advanced processing capabilities, it’s a broadcast journalist’s dream. Best of all, it weighs less than four pounds.

Nomono’s companion cloud service and web app make team organization effortless. (Explore for free in public beta to see the magic in action.) Ready for projects that move faster and sound better? Designed and manufactured in Norway, hardware will be available soon in the Nordics, US, UK, and EU.

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Here's what else is going on:

• Lost < found: A new post from Apple Podcasts explains how search works within the app. Unlike metadata, ratings and reviews are not factored into results. “Specific and unique” titles for your show, episodes, and channel will help boost your ranking. Emojis and commonly used names will not.

• Ask nicely: A “Crowdfunding Deep Dive” from The Podcast Academy is coming up on June 21. In the one-hour masterclass, Andrew Sims (#Millennial, MuggleCast) will share crowdfunding tips with a particular focus on Patreon, the platform he uses to monetize his own shows. Free registration.

• Nature walk: “The Art of Sound” is next Thursday, June 23. Acclaimed sound artist Dianne Ballon will present special recordings from the coast of Maine, stories of field recording, and the discovery of a ‘lost’ sound. Email friendly librarian elewis@rocklandmaine.gov for the Zoom link. Free registration.

• Self serve: Spotify is planning to develop “the industry’s first third-party brand safety and suitability reporting tool.” A partnership with Integral Ad Science, efforts will start with third-party content on Spotify. Brands will soon enjoy ‘transparency and confidence’ in podcast advertising – on Spotify.