Podcast Movement 2016

TWITTER: @Glued2TheScreen

#PM16

There was a LOT of talk about
#DIVERSITY

From MY observation of the sampling there?
Preaching to the choir.

This IS a diverse group.

Viewed as business segment, it is a #VERTICAL
BUT In reality, it is a HORIZONTAL cross section. Friendly people,
OPEN to OPINIONS and WILLING TO LISTEN.

No diversity problem here THAT I CAN SEE.

Which is a LONG way of saying:

Technically speaking,
the TIME spent preaching was “wasted” (on THIS audience, IMHO)
and as you get older…
… you become more careful with your time.
AND you get grouchier.

PODCASTING IS GROWING

It has grown from 17% to 21% monthly usage in the past year but talk about the FUTURE was all over the map.

I prefer to start from HERE:

Radio and TV market penetration is around 93%, which means 7% of the U.S. cannot use OR choose not to use these wonderful devices like the rest of us. There are both audio and video podcasts, so think of them like radio and TV shows, but ON DEMAND. Nice, right? Do YOU think on-demand is a segment that will GROW or decline? We all want MORE FREEDOM to do things WHEN we want to do them.

That is an in-your-face way of saying… in the long run, podcast “use” will eventually grow to 90% or so, matching radio and TV. I think it is inevitable.

So, MY crystal ball says podcasting WILL grow to 90%.

It gets hazy when forecasting how FAST, but it clearly indicates FASTER THAN YOU THINK.

It will be FAST due to changing demographic trends alone.

It will be FASTER THAN YOU THINK because SEVERAL technological advances are marching into wider deployment at the same time — CONVERGING — creating a multiplier effect.

There were many RADIO PEOPLE in attendance AND on-stage. Of those I spoke with, they seem serious about taking advantage of what they did not see as a real opportunity just a few years ago… but now DO.

PODCASTERS ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT THEIR CRAFT

Based on the sampling at #PM16, the disparate collection of podcasters is a natural resource from which future ‘casting professionals (radio, TV, podcast, vlog, whatever) will bubble up. There is true talent being missed by the rest of the world. Let’s fix that!

Others who still need to polish their delivery or become smoother at interviewing or get a handle on engineering are investing a remarkable amount of time and effort (and money) into producing quality content. It doesn’t matter if the topic is serious or silly, the dedication appears to be the same. I love it. You can hear their passion.

The quality and variety of #PM16 sessions was good. The organizers did a fine job, no major logistical flaws that I saw, the venue was nice.

Many “big names” in the biz were there, which adds excitement, and very approachable.

It was impressive watching @AndrewWarner have his way with a large group of fans. He abused a few. There were tears.

Seriously, ALL the sessions seemed to “work”. Not too much rah rah, just enough mind-numbing data*, good balance between creative and technical, not too long or short, and a decent focus on “business”. Many shared notes and details for individual sessions so, if you care, more can be found.

*I happen to like data but concede it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. I was hoping for even more, and newer, data. There’s never enough for me.

Here are two quick things about Kevin Smith, one of the keynote speakers:

• I watched only a few minutes of the keynote due to a conflict but, during that time, he dropped more F-bombs than in a half-hour of Goodfellas. Which is OK, it is my favorite word, I just personally like to reserve use… it adds power that way. Seriously, every 6–7 words. It’s not the language that bothers me, it’s the 15% or so “noise” in the messaging… because what I heard (in between) was a solid business message with actionable tips to podcasters from someone who was achieving success doing it. You have to respect that.
• I spoke to @mediamitch, one of the founders of Podcast Movement and a podcaster, who snagged an interview about it afterward. As soon as done, while the mic was still live and in Kevin’s face, he said he asked Kevin to record a short promo for his personal podcast (The Sci-Fi Maker Show). Without asking why or getting wrapped up in details, Kevin quickly began talking and produced a great piece on-the-fly… then asked “is that OK?”. It was perfect. Over in seconds. A pro is ready and can do that. Want to promote YOUR podcast? Be as ready.

In addition to concern about the general health and direction of their industry, podcasters also want to GROW their individual podcasts’ target AUDIENCES. Most simply promote it on another podcast, a common practice, but not necessarily the most effective.

Not just MORE listeners, ones who “best fit” the podcast. THIS is a “problem” to solve.

BASIC TECHNOLOGY HAS LED GROWTH UNTIL NOW

It’s clear that smarter phones, faster mobile data speeds, wifi network access expanding everywhere, and the greater capabilities of modern web browsers are the base of podcast INDUSTRY growth. IF today’s tech would have been there 8 years ago, this current “boom” would have happened then.

One singular and RECENT event is Google’s addition of podcasts to their Play Music app, which contributed a small but noticeable bump. I think this exposure might account for another 4% next year, which is to say, this ALONE might drive penetration from 21% to 25% but not much more. Nothing more than an educated guess on my part.

Everyone sees clear trends toward MOBILE and VIDEO. I guess mobile is anything without a power cord to the wall since it does include an iPad? Many podcasters are experimenting with video and ways to repurpose content.

Not many are willing to go out on a limb and predict the future, but I feel podcasting might even grow BEYOND 25% in 2017.

What would drive THAT kind of growth?

APPLICATION SOFTWARE IS CATCHING UP

Like podcasting, some software technologies such as HTML5, CSS3, and Javascript have been around for a while. It takes time to create complex PRODUCTS utilizing their new capabilities, though, and they are beginning to emerge.

As mentioned, the data show a strong trend toward MOBILE… here is where I think it gets interesting.

Some people think a software solution must be delivered as a Native App running on iOS or Android or Windows, visualize it on a smartphone, and will quote market survey data to support that view.

Few notice that, in the SAME DATA, consolidating WEB BROWSER use by podcast consumers across desktop, phone, and tablet adds up to a similar size segment.

There was very little talk about podcast WEB APPS which, IMHO, will become mainstream. Here is why:

Building and deploying software is not cheap or easy, and consumer expectations are pretty high, so IF there is a way to solve a problem leveraging on newer browser technology, THAT will be the preferred route. It eliminates having to create and maintain multiple versions of programs (applications) for different hardware platforms. Instead of a native app running on the hardware’s operating system, any BROWSER becomes the platform for the WEB APP. Code once and deploy across all browsers and devices.

Another veteran observation from the computing industry: it may take time, but PROPRIETARY LOSES to open standards. Apply this lesson when discussing NATIVE app versus WEB app. It also means WE, meaning each of us, do NOT have to download and install a native app on every device we use or worry about keeping it sync’d in order to enjoy podcasts.

What, ME download and install a separate native app for every podcast I want to listen to? Get real.

And, please let us not start on granting permissions to native apps that I KNOW can get the job done without any permissions in the “lowly” but ubiquitous browser!

In the not-too-distant past, there was NO CHOICE… native app it was and native app it has been but, native app it WILL BE? Watch that shift to WEB APP due to sheer practicality. Realistically, CONSUMERS of podcasts don’t much care and aren’t required to know if it is a native app or web app, they just want to enjoy the experience with minimal hassle.

This technical minutia is “inside baseball” EXCEPT it actually has serious MARKETING implications, so podcasters SHOULD care.

TWO CORE PODCASTING ISSUES

I was watchful for answers to a couple of persistent podcasting problems I hope my software will ultimately address:

• DISCOVERABILITY
• SHAREABILITY

Things are still too hard.

The ability to discover new podcasts and find new types of content was a topic that came up in a couple of sessions but only that it was something needing fixing.

I was hoping to hear new approaches but there were few. One vendor did talk about machine learning. Cool… I want the RIGHT content bubbling up to my attention automatically, without even asking!

It doesn’t seem like the significance of the shareability problem is fully appreciated, though.

Almost every “solution” to better sharing, actual or proposed, started with downloading a native app. That approach cuts true sharing and community-building off at the knees; completion and engagement instantly drops to a small fraction.

ONE PODCAST MONETIZATION ISSUE

Top of mind for many, but not all, podcasters is how to generate revenue from their podcast. There are many approaches but it is clear LISTENER DATA is very important to the BIG advertisers and, therefore, big podcast networks.

It’s funny, though, to still hear some folks challenge tracking data for podcasts and defend Nielsen-type rating methodologies in radio and TV. Laughable.

Increased data granularity should lead to more effective ad placements and most of this effort is to support CPM ad rates. BUT, most smaller podcasters find sponsorships, etc., achieve higher returns than ads. Often MUCH higher. Without that data.

I sense serious trust issues when listening to various vendors involved in this topic. Podcasting is based on the openness of RSS and talk of proprietary rating systems is not attractive.

There are still some who do not understand dynamic ads. Static ads are embedded in podcast and become a part of your audio file. Dynamic ads may not seem any different on the surface but are inserted (via network) at the time they are played.

ONE ODD THING

I tweeted this but adding it here as it seemed strange to me.

#AUDIBLE “Channels” announcement to #podcasters at #PM16?

NOT #podcasting.

No #RSS.

PODCAST MOVEMENT 2017

If you are thinking about getting into podcasting and, let’s admit it, who isn’t? Anybody can be a podcaster! It’s easy… all you do is talk! Anyway, I encourage you to consider attending the next Podcast Movement as it will probably be the best investment of time and money devoted to your soon-to-be new obsession.

And you’ll get to know some wonderful people.

Mark your calendar: AUGUST 23–25, 2017 in Anaheim, CA.