We've run a fair few surveys and reports this year, all of which have produced some interesting and actionable data. On this episode, we look at nine headline stats from 2024, and talk through the takeaways and lessons we can glean from them.

1. “If It’s Not Got an RSS Feed, It’s Not a Podcast,” say 67% of Podcasters
2. Most Podcasters Upload Audio-First Content to YouTube
3. Survey Reveals How Listeners Want to Engage With Your Podcast
4. Only 8% of Podcasters Enter Awards
5. Only 1 in 4 Podcasters Monetise
6. The Blue Yeti is Still the Most Popular Mic
7. Instagram and Facebook Are the Most Popular Social Platforms for Podcasters
8. Data on How Podcasters Measure Success
9. Most Listeners Find it Easy to Discover New Podcasts

It's tempting to take a break from podcasting over the holidays, not because you necessarily want to, but because you think your audience will do the same. However, data from the latest Podcast Marketing Trends Report suggests that isn't true, and December is actually one of the top months for combined podcast downloads.

On this episode, we dig into the details and offer some tips for keeping your feed active without doing yourself out of a well-earned rest.

Mentioned

• Keep Publishing Over the Holidays, Podcast Report Says
• Your Podcast Won't Go Viral, and That's a Good Thing

It's time to delve into the findings of our 2024 Podcast Discoverability Survey. Here, you'll find data on everything from whether or not it's easy to find new podcasts, to how audio quality and ads affect podcast listenership.

We also talk through some other new posts on the site, as well as some published elsewhere (including one that we disagree with quite heavily!).

• The Podcast Discovery Report 2024
• MOVO iVlogger-PRO Review
• Best Podcast Directories
• Full Disclosure: The Power of Unedited Audio (Blubrry)
• Do we need to kill off the word Podcast? (John McDermott)
• Adapt or Get Left Behind: The Future of Podcasting Is Multi-Platform (Max Cutler)
• The Hidden Risks of YouTube and Spotify That The Suck-Up Podcast Bros on LinkedIn Won't Admit (Neal Veglio)

In this episode, Colin covers two major topics to help podcasters improve their shows. First, he dives deep into creating a unique value proposition, sometimes called a unique selling proposition (USP) for your podcast, explaining how to make your show stand out and attract more listeners. He breaks down what makes a great USP, using examples from brands like Airbnb and Fjallraven, and shows how to apply these principles to podcasting. The second half focuses on interview preparation, where Colin shares nine actionable tips to conduct better podcast interviews, from proper guest research to creating engaging conversations that benefit both the guest and the audience.

There are plenty of places online where you can ask for podcast comments and get in on the episode discussion. Here are some of the more popular options.

And, does your podcast need a media kit? Yes, definitely. A podcast media kit is a package of information about your podcast that’s easy to share and consume.

Also Mentioned

• The Podcraft Academy
• The Podcraft Listener Space

It isn't hard to make a podcast. Making a good podcast, however, is not easy. Here are nine common podcasting mistakes: think of this as a map to the traps that many podcasters tend to fall into, so you can avoid them.

Also Mentioned

• Alitu: The Podcast Maker
• Podcraft Listener Community
• Best Podcast Boom Arms
• 3 Signs Listeners Are Making More Time for Podcasts

To grow audiences of people as passionate about your show’s topic as you are, podcasters need to do the work to engage non-listeners. Not only does this grow your show, but it helps the podcast medium as a whole. It’s rare for a podcast listener to only listen to one show, so others will benefit from the work each creator does to engage non-listeners. As the old saying goes, “A rising tide lifts all boats”.

We’ve written about the “Why” before; now it’s time to turn to the “How”. So here are 13 tips and strategies to reach podcast non-listeners and turn them into podcast lovers. 

Also Mentioned

• Best Podcast Gifts
• The Yoto Player
• The Lizard Pro Boom Arm
• The Podcraft Academy
• The Podcraft Listener Space

If you’ve published your first handful of episodes and already feel your momentum, motivation, and inspiration slipping away, then here are eight pieces of advice to help you turn things around.

• Preventing Podfade
• Whatever Happened to the Blue Snowball?
• Best Podcast Interview Questions
• Why Does My Audio Hiss?
• The Podcraft Academy
• The Podcraft Listener Community

Many podcasters are looking beyond download stats to get success metrics for their shows. But the nature of podcasting doesn't make it easy. On this episode, we discuss data from a study that suggests indie creators want podcast measurement standardisation.

Also Mentioned

• Podcasting News & Analysis
• Podcast Promotion on WhatsApp
• Finding & Using Podcast Music
• Best Patreon Alternatives for Podcasters
• The IndiePod Community

There’s no doubt that we’re living in a world of micro-content overload. With the rise of short-form platforms like TikTok and Instagram, creators and brands are in a continuous fight for a piece of our attention spans (which are now shorter than a goldfish’s, apparently, thanks to smartphones). 

You don’t need to look far to see marketers proclaiming the death of long-form content. I’m paraphrasing here, but it’s certainly the sentiment we’re being fed: Our lives are way too busy, there’s too much to consume, and no one has the time or patience to go deep into the detail anymore.

But is this really the case? And is the rise of short-form content really a threat to podcasting?

• Full article: Is There a Future for Long-Form Content in a Short-Form World?
• How to Sell Podcast Episodes
• OpusClip Review
• Top 10 Worst Pieces of Podcasting Advice (Blubrry)
• 6 Ways To Turbocharge Your Podcast Growth With LinkedIn Ads
• Help Share the Podcast Discovery Survey

One of our IndiePod Legends on Season 20 was Daren Lake of the One Percent Better Runner podcast. Throughout the season, Daren talked passionately and enthusiastically about his content-stacking approach and how he produces each episode in a way that enables him to meet his target audience where they are - on dozens of different platforms.

And the good news is that he's just laid out his entire framework for us, step by step. In ​How to Create 24 Pieces of Content From One Video Podcast​, Daren holds nothing back as he walks us through his remarkably effective workflow.

This guide provides a straightforward process for creating 24 high-quality content pieces from a single episode, covering audio, video, written and image content. It’s a direct plan designed to enhance your podcast’s promotion efficiently and cost-effectively, helping you to achieve significant growth without extra frustration or financial burden.

Also Mentioned

• Help Share the Podcast Discovery Survey
• Work With Daren Lake & Pod Paste