This Week In The Podverse, August 2, 2024
Catch up on this week's top stories in the podcasting industry...
Innovation
Rockford Public Schools Launches New Podcast
Rockford Public Schools, [Rockford, Michigan] has launched a new podcast, "Rams News and Views," hosted by Superintendent Steve Matthews. Premiering in April, the bi-monthly show highlights district achievements, student and staff stories, and key issues. Recent episodes have covered topics from construction projects and literacy to the role of music education.
Podbean’s New “Blog to Podcast” Tool Makes It Easy!
Podbean has launched its new “Blog to Podcast” feature, enabling bloggers to effortlessly convert written content into engaging audio experiences. This tool allows users to transform their blog posts into podcasts using AI-generated voices, broadening their reach and accessibility. The process involves importing blog content, generating audio, and publishing episodes to major podcast directories and social media platforms. This innovation supports Podbean’s Unlimited Audio Plan, allowing creators to easily repurpose their existing content and expand their audience.
Yemi Alade Releases New Album "Rebel Queen"
A spotlight on the ‘All Things Heard’ podcast features Nigerian artist Yemi Alade, known as "Mama Africa," who has unveiled her latest album, "Rebel Queen." This new release features a dynamic blend of musical styles and languages from across Africa, including Yoruba, English, Igbo, French, and Swahili. Alade's experiences traveling across the continent deeply influence her music, creating a sense of unity and cultural celebration. Highlighting collaborations with artists like Angelique Kidjo, Alade uses her music as a powerful tool for love, peace, and motivation. "Rebel Queen" is a tribute to the strength and beauty of African women, aiming to uplift and celebrate their contributions.
New Tool Episodes.fm Simplifies Podcast Promotion
Episodes.fm, a new platform from podcast industry veteran Nathan Gathright, offers a streamlined way for podcasters to share episodes. By automatically directing listeners to their preferred podcast app based on their device, Episodes.fm eliminates the need to manually manage multiple app links. The tool is fast, free, and simplifies the sharing process by consolidating all podcast app links into one place. While the platform is still evolving, with potential improvements such as enhanced playback features and direct platform links, it promises to make podcast promotion easier and more efficient for creators.
Challenges
Podcast Advertising: Industry Insights and Concerns
James Cridland, editor of Podnews and radio futurologist, raises concerns about the current state of podcast advertising. In a recent LinkedIn post, Cridland highlighted a significant issue: while ad spend in podcasting has grown by 22%, the number of ads has increased by 20%. Ideally, podcasting should see a rise in ad spend without a corresponding increase in ad quantity, suggesting that podcasts should charge more for ads instead of merely selling more ad slots.
African Podcast Network Prioritizes Brand Safety
Eight months ago, the African Podcast Network faced challenges in scalable podcaster campaigns and brand confusion. Today, they've made significant progress by focusing on brand-safe podcasters, boosting revenue and network reliability. Innovations in technology have streamlined their campaigns, turning mistakes into growth opportunities.
Loose Talk Podcast Receives Mixed Reactions for 4-Hour Episode
A recent episode of the "Loose Talk" podcast, which lasted 4 hours, received a lot of different reactions. Some liked the long show because it had interesting talks and helpful information. Others thought it was too long. Listeners enjoyed the discussions about protests and important topics but wanted more straightforward talk about the Nancy movie saga. Overall, people found the episode thought-provoking, but opinions on its length and content differed.
Opportunities
New Podcast "Extraordinary Ordinaries" Helps Combat Loneliness in Nursing Homes
A new podcast, "Extraordinary Ordinaries," is helping to combat loneliness in nursing homes by featuring residents sharing their life stories. Run by Community Gro and supported by the federal government's Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme, the project allows seniors to feel relevant and connected. The initiative, which started in north Queensland, has received positive feedback and aims to expand to more facilities, although more volunteers are needed to meet the growing demand.
‘The Leading Woman Show’ Podcast Debuts to Promote Gender-Balanced Leadership
WILAN Global has launched "The Leading Woman Show" podcast to provide a platform for women in leadership in Nigeria to discuss issues related to achieving gender-balanced leadership. Available on major podcast networks like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music, the podcast aims to make its crucial content more accessible and engaging. Each episode will feature interviews with diverse women leaders, offering insights and actionable advice for aspiring leaders. This initiative reflects WILAN Global’s commitment to supporting women in leadership globally.
Discover the Secrets to Pro Podcast Interviews – Free Ebook Inside!
Heneka Watkis-Porter, a renowned Jamaican entrepreneur, corporate podcast host/producer, coach, 7x author, international speaker, and host of The Entrepreneurial You Podcast and TV Show, is launching a new website. She is offering a free ebook titled Podcast Success: Interview Like the Pro You Are to celebrate this milestone. This ebook provides useful tips and insights on mastering podcast interviews, drawing from Heneka's extensive experience and her conversations with top influencers like Lisa Nichols, Les Brown, Richard Branson, John Lee Dumas, Paul Carrick Brunson, and Seth Godin.
Dave Jackson Joins Podpage.com as Head of Podcasting
Dave Jackson is now the Head of Podcasting at Podpage.com. He says that making good connections is very important in podcasting. Residents of the Podverse are excited and have sent him congratulations. We think his new position will help the industry a lot.
"Haunted New Orleans" Hits #1 on Apple Travel Chart
Brandon Schexnayder's new podcast, "Haunted New Orleans," is now the #1 Travel Podcast on Apple's Places & Travel Chart. This happened without special marketing. Brandon made a great trailer, used AI for the cover art, and announced the show on the Southern Gothic podcast feed, reaching 10,000 listeners in 48 hours. Apple featured the podcast as one of the Top Trailers for the week. Brandon found out about the success after his family vacation. This shows how good content and a little luck can make a podcast popular.
Whatspodcasting: A New Community for Podcast Enthusiasts
Drounz, the creator behind "Whatspodcasting," is revolutionizing the podcast experience with live listening events. Imagine a concert, but for podcasts—bringing people together to listen and discuss various shows. The latest event featured podcasts like Fantastic History of Food, These Are the Issues Podcast, and The Young God.
Podcast Market Growth Amid Untapped Potential in India
The podcast industry is set to see a 12% growth in advertising revenue this year, reaching $2 billion and projected to hit nearly $2.6 billion by 2026. Despite this growth, India's podcast market remains largely untapped, with only 12% of the population tuning in. This contrasts sharply with the US, where nearly 30% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly.
Olympian Insights from "Keep the Flame Alive" Podcast
Libsyn recently featured the "Keep the Flame Alive" podcast, hosted by Jill Jaracz and Alison Brown, which provides year-round coverage of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Since its inception in 2017, the podcast has delved into various aspects of the Games, offering unique insights and behind-the-scenes stories that fans love. Notably, the podcast has achieved significant milestones, including media accreditation for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics.
Introducing Atabey™ & Co.: A New Chapter for Empowering Podcasters
In April 2022, Sasha founded Boundless Audio to amplify underrepresented voices in podcasting. After facing challenges and becoming the sole member by August 2022, Sasha partnered with Brittany in 2023. They acquired WOC Podcasters in February 2024 and rebranded to Atabey & Co., inspired by the Taino ancestral mother, symbolizing strength and nurturing love.
Glitch Africa Expands Podcast Network to Ghana
Glitch Africa is excited to announce that it is expanding its podcast network to Ghana. This is a big step for the company and for podcasting. It shows how important African voices are becoming in media around the world. By working with local creators and leaders, Glitch Africa will make and share great content that tells the true stories of people in Ghana. This will help include more diverse voices and make sure everyone's stories are heard.
Black Podcasting Awards Launches "One Black Podcast a Day"
The Black Podcasting Awards has a daily newsletter, "One Black Podcast a Day," that spotlights and supports Black podcasters. The latest edition features diverse shows, including “The Working While Black Show”, “Nice Talk with Nikki Ogunnaike”, “Listen Up Future Nurse”, and “What Happened in Alabama?”. The initiative aims to promote Black voices in the podcasting industry and encourages readers to engage and support financially.
Moody Radio Launches "The Honeycomb Chronicles" Podcast for Kids
Coming in August 2024, Moody Radio introduces "The Honeycomb Chronicles," a new podcast designed for children ages 8-13. This narratively driven radio drama serves as a companion to the Today in the Word Family Study, teaching biblical life principles through relatable stories. The podcast follows Max, Catalina, and Colin, members of "The Honeycomb Club," guided by Mr. Mitchell. Through their adventures, the children learn to engage their faith, seek guidance from God's Word, and value important life lessons.
"A podcaster’s strength lies in his ability to listen."
Thanks for covering this space. I always find something new.