Hey Insiders, Today's newsletter is exclusively the Top Podcast Takeaways; it's the finale! I won't be writing next week but will have a colleague cover for me so you're kept up to date with the news. Please take this is as a reminder to say a big thanks to all in podcasting that have added value to your year. Happy Holidays, |
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TOP PODCAST TAKEAWAYS – AUDIO & SOUND 
Industry professionals speak out on the state of audio in the present and near future. - "The robots are nipping at our heels. From training AI to synthesize hosts' voices to automatic audio restoration and mixing, audio engineers should make sure they add real value to their production teams if they want to stave off elimination. The robots will soon become refined enough to take over much of the technical work that needs doing."
- "The quality of audio went down drastically as everyone and their grandmother started recording sound from their homes. Yet, audio quality didn't get any better in 2021. The complacency and disregard are easier done than making that little effort to make sure your audio recording is clean. Post-production isn't magic, and making sure you're recorded well makes such a difference. Also, listeners can only be so forgiving. I do think that we are going to continue in this DIY style of online and home recording. However, in trying to create our blanket fortress-cupboard studio setup, we are going to be compromising on our video aesthetic. Choose your armor wisely."
- "There's no reason for smaller, indie producers to produce poor content anymore: poor quality audio and "cookie-cutter" or ill-considered content that may have gotten some traction a few years ago, in the earlier halcyon days of the podcasting industry, simply won't win out anymore. The reason is clear: podcasting has evolved and continues to mature, and the listener now has more choice within any given niche. In order to stand out, shows must be thoughtful, employ quality audio, and never assume that people will listen just because a show exists."
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TOP PODCAST TAKEAWAYS – CONTENT & PRODUCTION Industry professionals and podcasters recognize the value of indie in production, while looking to share insights on what kind of content will perform better in the coming year. - "Independent production houses like Lemonada and Bucket of Eels are leading the way with wholly original content. Larger brands are eager to attract top talent, but creators are finding their way to deals and new audiences without big-name backing."
- Claire Tighe, Independent Producer and NYU Journalism Professor
- "I keep talking about this podcast called 'Draw Together' from illustrator Wendy MacNaughton, released this year, that seems to be the first drawing podcast. You might assume that with millions of shows, there are probably lots of drawing podcasts, but they honestly are all about interviewing artists or talking about creativity in some fashion. Nothing else is an actual show where you literally grab a pen and paper and draw along. Although there are millions of podcasts at this point and every topic has been covered, there is still room for new formats. Not every niche podcast has to be a discussion show about that topic."
- "Expansive and ambitious show pitches will include VR & AR components for community building and flag-planting in simulated realities."
- Shreya's takeaway: Be unafraid to experiment with local podcasting content, especially in non-English languages. As big corporations bring their money to podcasting, they will segment and target deeper than the USA's English-speaking market. There's bound to be growth in your language and country.
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TOP PODCAST TAKEAWAYS – GROWTH & ACQUISITION (Pt.2) In this continued section, we hear from industry professionals on growth in podcasting this year. - "Investments of large sums of money continue to flow into the space. Yet, we saw that just because a mega-corporation is willing to invest doesn't necessarily mean they will gain mega-market share overnight. Podcasting continues to be fueled by various content creators, developing ad tech, listening tools, and of course, more listeners, but fragmentation remains. We have a big game of musical chairs happening in the podcast space. Experts from one company move to another. Titles change, company ownership changes, but the players stay the same."
- "I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "our sales team can't sell fiction." 2021 finally proves this is more about the sales team and less about "fiction podcasts." I am so proud of the team at Fable and Folly and how we proved you can build a business selling sponsorship on fiction podcasts."
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TOP PODCAST TAKEAWAYS – ADVERTISING & ADTECH (Pt.2) In this continued section, we see insights plus predictions indicating the undeniable growth of podcasting and why educating ourselves on podcast adtech is crucial. - "Podcast advertising is only at the very beginning with a forecasted $2B revenue by 2023 just in the U.S. (source: IAB). New and emerging markets are still in the early stages, and they are expected to flourish in the next few years. Host-read ads especially are extremely effective due to the intimate relation between podcast hosts and listeners, which fosters trust. Great times ahead for this industry!"
- Shreya's Takeaway: Educating yourself on advertising and adtech is vital, no matter how new your podcast is or how much your brand is investing in podcast ads. Subscribe to Sounds Profitable, and you'll thank me.
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TOP PODCAST TAKEAWAYS – NOTEWORTHY MENTIONS I received some great takeaways that didn't quite fit in any one category. Here goes: - "Women's representation in the space still has a ways to go, and there should be no podcast list (especially a "best of"!) that is all men moving forward, whether an informal one on Twitter or one in a publication. I just don't want to see it!"
- "I heard a lot this year that hiring teams are looking for producer talent but facing steep competition in attracting qualified candidates. With the entertainment industry crossing into podcasts more each quarter, fair pay and visibility remain top-of-mind for would-be hires."
- Claire Tighe, Independent Producer and NYU Journalism Professor
- "If you are looking to grow your podcast's listenership, take time to build relationships with other key players in your podcast topic. That means looking beyond Podcast Twitter. While Podcast Twitter is kind to each other, it is a circular space. If your podcast is about beluga whales, get in with the marine biology, ocean conversation, and oceanic communities on Twitter, Reddit, and beyond."
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- Lauren Passell has curated the 100 podcast marketing tips she shared as part of #Tweet100.
- Lauren also had a podcast marketing-related takeaway for us: "Promo swaps used to be almost completely on the honor system, but I've seen a fast increase in people who wish track downloads through Chartable. Podcasters, get dynamic ad insertion! That reminds me of another thing I look forward to in 2022: creative ways to use DAI. Bryan Barletta already does this. Love seeing people use them not just for ads, but ways to make their content more ... well, dynamic!"
- Producers of the show "Fat Leonard" have been ordered to turn their unaired recordings over before trial. This is a result of a subpoena issued by an attorney defending one of the six naval officers the show and its central character, Leonard Francis, are accusing of bribery.
- Hark Audio, an app that curates moments from podcasts into themed playlists, is doing 31 Days of Hark on Twitter: a thread that features podcasters and other industry professionals' favorite podcast moments. Disclaimer: I heard of this because I was approached to be on the list; I said yes!
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 |  | This newsletter was curated by podcast geek and marketer, Shreya. She loves storytelling in all forms but podcasts are her favourite. A resident of Vancouver, when Shreya isn't writing, thinking about, or listening to podcasts, she works for an ultimate frisbee organisation. Someday, she plans to create her own podcast on classic rock. Follow her adventures on Twitter. Do you or anyone you know host an indie podcast? Hit reply to tell me about it. I might feature it on Pods On The Block! |   | | Editor | Aaron Crutchfield is based in the high desert of California. Over the last two decades, he has spent time writing and editing at various local newspapers and defense contractors in California. When he's not working, he can often be found looking at the latest memes with his kids or working on his 1962 Ford. | |
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