I haven’t attended Podcast Movement before, and the number one question I got while I was there was: “so what do you think?”
Well, first of all it’s like every other conference I’ve attended where I spend more time having coffee and meetings than attending the panel discussions. I hope to go back and listen or watch the ones I wanted to see. (I can do that right? They’re on-demand somewhere, right?)
The crowd seemed to be split between networks and companies making a commercial business out of it, public radio folks, and the DIY crowd. There still seemed to be a good amount of amateurs and people that are just getting started, or think this is going to be their way out of a 9-5 job and they will get rich podcasting.
I agree with Perry Simon at All Access that there was a lot of enthusiasm and excitement for podcasting overall. And over at Jacobs Media they highlight the quality that is necessary to really break through. (Meaning, you have a tough road ahead DIY folks)
But no matter where you fall in the podcast crowd… if you’re Gimlet, Panoply, WNYC or just a real estate broker from the tri-state area we are all asking the same questions:
How do I get more audience?
How do I make money?
The only difference was that the established networks and sales reps were asking: where do I get more quality shows and inventory?
It’s a really exciting time to be involved in podcasting. As the industry matures, it’s only going to get bigger and better.
Here’s what I hope to see in the next year:
- Unified/standard metrics and some reliable form of “comScore” for podcasts.
- More advertising tiers. Right now the most common way to advertise is with host read ads. I’d like to see a really high premium placed on those host reads to allow for another robust tier of podcast ads to develop. Not re-purposed radio ads with car dealers shouting deals at you, but some level of agency produced ads that fit the sound and feel of podcasts.
As of now, I plan to go to Podcast Movement 2017… I just have to make more time for the actual show. That reminds me. I need to get back to Hivio too.
*the image on this article is from: http://podcastmovement.com
I agree, Tyler, those are the two big questions that every podcaster is asking. (And the smaller you are as a podcaster, the bigger those questions are.)
I do think we’ll see better metrics by next year — the IAB has been working with over two dozen players in the space and should be issuing something soon.
As for the advertising tiers, while I would like to see that, too, I also hear a lot of concerns that a “programmatic” solution (a la YouTube) will drive CPMs down, making podcasting less profitable. I’m curious to see where it all goes next.
-Seth Resler
Digital Dot Connector, Jacobs Media
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Thanks Seth.
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