In & Around Podcasting

Join Mark and Danny in this bonus episode, as they reflect on the past year of In & Around Podcasting, share some important advice about frequency of publishing, and what's coming up in 2025.

There are many valuations of the podcast industry, depending on what report you read.

• Polaris valued the global worth at $13.7B in 2021, expected to grow an average of 31.5% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) through to 2030 (seems supremely high)
• Fortune Business Insights show is as $2.2B in 2022, projected to grow to $17.59B in 2030, a CAGR of 29.8%

Meanwhile, the IAB shares US ad revenue as $1.8B in 2022, rising to $1.9 in 2023 (which seems closer to Fortune Business Insights and their global ranking). So you can see why there's confusion.

Join Mark and Danny, and this week's guest co-host Rob Greenlee, as they break this all down in the usual In & Around Podcasting way.

Our guest co-host this week: Rob Greenlee

Rob Greenlee, a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and podcasting pioneer, has spent over 24 years shaping the online media industry. As founder of Spoken Life Media - Adore Podcast Network and Creator Community, and Multi-Camera Video Production. He is also host of Podcast Tips with Rob Greenlee and Trust Factor Shows, he empowers creators with practical insights and innovative strategies. Rob’s background includes leadership roles at Microsoft, PodcastOne, Spreaker, and Libsyn, where he drove content development, distribution, and partnerships. He also co-hosts the 12-year running New Media Show with Todd Cochrane, providing weekly industry updates. As Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame, Rob continues to champion the podcasting community worldwide through speaking and mentorship.

As Artificial Intelligence continues to be ever more present in podcasting, discussions and conversations have appeared online at an equal rate on whether this is a good or bad thing for the podcasting industry.

Does it make life easier when it comes to creating content, or does it run the risk of making podcasting redundant through an increased lack of originality?

Join Mark, Danny, and guest co-host Liam Heffernan as they dissect the article and review each viewpoint.

Our guest co-host this week: Liam Heffernan

It used to be that podcast downloads were the main data point podcasters would use to track their growth. The thinking was, get X amount of downloads per month and sponsors will jump at you with wallets full of cash. While that may have been the way back in the day, today's success metrics looks a lot different when it comes to podcast success.

In this special live recording of In & Around Podcasting from PodSummit YYC 2024 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Danny is joined by Kattie Laur and Tim Truax to talk about how you can take advantage of them, and reframe your thinking and discussion around monetization and sponsorship.

Takeaways:

• The podcasting industry is evolving, and metrics should extend beyond just downloads.
• Engaged listeners are more valuable than sheer download numbers when seeking sponsorships.
• Indie podcasters should focus on local sponsorships to create meaningful monetization opportunities.
• Understanding your audience's engagement can help shape your content and sponsorship strategies.
• Value for value models allow listeners to support creators without traditional sponsorships.
• Experimenting with different ad formats can improve listener retention and engagement rates.

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• Bumper
• Captivate
• Apple
• Spotify
• Acast
• Douglas
• AG1
• Buy Me a Coffee
• North Bay Echo
• Canadaland

Our guest co-hosts this week:

Kattie Laur

Kattie Laur is an award-winning, freelance podcast producer and writer based in Brantford, Ontario. She has a life-long love of public radio, and has been clinging to the podcasting space since 2013. As both a professional and independent podcast creator, Kattie’s insights have her keenly focused on making the Canadian podcasting ecosystem sustainable, equitable and world-renowned. Kattie writes the biweekly newsletter for the Canadian podcasting ecosystem, Pod the North. Pod the North’s regular readers include many media excutives from the likes of CBC Podcasts, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. She is currently also working on her debut podcast, Canardian, in association with her newsletter coming Spring 2024.

In a recent article on Hollywood Reporter, top podcasters like Rachel Maddow, Bill Simmons, Josh Lindgren and more shared their take on the biggest issues facing podcasting. These included visibility, podcast apps, lower advertising, and more.

Join Danny and guest co-host Dan LeFebvre as they dissect the article and review each viewpoint.

Our guest co-host this week: Dan LeFebvre

Host of Based on a True Story, the podcast that compares Hollywood with history.