Today at Stream On, artists, songwriters, podcasters, and authors from around the world joined us for the latest announcements and hands-on demos of the new tools and resources coming to our platform. We also hosted a companion event, Play On, which featured a series of talks and interactive sessions to inspire and educate creators about how they can unleash the full potential of our platform.
Among these sessions was Ear to the Ground, a workshop on trends, insights, and recommendations for podcasters to find, grow, and keep their audiences. Head of Partner Management Jordan Newman-whose team creates relationships with the most prominent and promising podcasters on Spotify-took the opportunity to pull back the curtain on some of the global trends we're seeing across our platform. Between the volume of podcasts created, the growing importance of video, and evolving consumption habits, podcasting has changed enormously in recent years.
Jordan's session equipped podcasters with insights to better understand listening trends-how, when, and why audiences listen-and tips for how to harness these insights into action. Read on for a few of his recommendations.
1. People shouldn't judge a podcast by its cover (but they do, so be prepared) A detail that's often overlooked also happens to be one of the most impactful things that helps draw listeners: cover art. Cover art, the podcast title, and episode titles engage listeners right away, so they should be immediately enticing.
During testing, the Spotify Insights team learned that listeners browsing for their next show prefer covers that convey the most information-that capture the attention of listeners while also giving them an idea of what they can expect to hear. So cover art with a well-known host might attract listeners, while a picture of a person they've never heard of before is less likely to draw them in. Abstract imagery only works if the show's title is super descriptive: For example, New York Times' The Daily features abstract colors in its cover art; however, it also prominently displays the informative title and the publication's logo so listeners know what to expect. Taglines are another way to give listeners clues when a show's name isn't so obvious.
When in doubt, choose options that best convey the show's subject matter and are easy to read. You've likely got one shot to stop a scroll in its tracks.
2. Choose a frequency, and stick with it When and how often a podcast releases new episodes makes a big impact on whether a show finds and keeps its audience. The majority of our top shows are always on, running weekly or daily throughout the year, and driving three times more consumption per show than seasonal shows that run in short spurts. And it turns out that most Spotify listeners seek always-on content, with 75% of our podcast audience exclusively listening to always-on shows. Always-on listeners spend more time listening to podcasts than seasonal listeners.
While not every show can or should be always on, if a show's creative supports the opportunity to publish regularly, then fans are more likely to return weekly or monthly. Releasing episodes consistently and frequently has major benefits. Even if a show takes a break for just a couple of weeks, audiences drop off. Re-runs, however, can reach similar levels of listenership, proving that it's better to occasionally publish old content than to publish no content at all. Keeping a consistent publishing cadence doesn't guarantee your podcast will go viral, but it can help you gradually attract more listeners and grow organically.
3. People are creatures of habit, so consistency is key When a show is published is a crucial factor to its success. Our data shows that people listen to podcasts frequently and within their routine. During weekdays, podcast listening spikes in the early morning and evening-commute times-and stays consistent throughout the rest of the day. On the weekends, listening remains heavy even into the evening.
We see more informative and motivational genres like news, health and fitness, and business peak in the morning. Listenership of other categories like sports, and society and culture, pick up in the morning and remain stable throughout the day. Comedy and true crime listening grow steadily throughout the day. Our research also shows that people are more likely to have an appetite for discovering new content and watching video podcasts later in the day.
Something else our research shows is that podcast listening habits are stronger when they are attached to another routine like exercising, commuting, cooking, folding laundry, or just winding down for the day. So when these routines happen, they create a podcast moment in which a listener seeks out content. And hopefully, they're finding it. So when in doubt, publish episodes as early in the day as possible.
4. Use Spotify for Podcasters tools to deepen your connection with fans The strongest predictor of heavy engagement in podcasts is whether or not listeners have formed parasocial relationships with the hosts: Good hosts aren't just hosts, they're friends, gurus, and guides.
One way to do this is to create authentic and vulnerable moments, and generate a sense of reciprocity with listeners. Features like Polls and Q&A in Spotify for Podcasters make it possible for listeners to engage with the personalities behind their favorite podcasts, and for creators to hear directly from fans. While these features are nascent, and their full potential and impact are still being understood, we've seen promising signals for what interactivity means to a show's growth and retention. On average, listeners who interact and respond to a poll or Q&A listen to more of that show. And those people are twice as like
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
04/05/2024
NEW YORK As the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month kicks off in May, Nielsen has released an extensive new report diving into their media habits with data sh...
04/05/2024
PHILADELPHIA As National Military Appreciation Month gets underway, Comcast has announced several new initiatives to help veterans, service members, and their f...
04/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced a tentative agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled...
04/05/2024
The Broadband Forum has announced major enhancements to key 5G convergence standards that the group said will help advance next-generation applications, improve...
04/05/2024
Spotify Wrapped Campaign Spot Graded With DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Blackmagic Design today announced that Colorist M...
04/05/2024
Three Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alums Nominated for Tony Awards An additional eight alums and two current students performed in nominated productions.
...
03/05/2024
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
03/05/2024
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Actors K stutis Cic nas and Greta Grinevi i t , Director Marija Kavtaradze and Producer Marija Razgute attend the 2023 Sunda...
03/05/2024
If you aren't familiar with Danny Ocean's music, it's only a matter ...
03/05/2024
Spotify has an unwavering commitment to supporting emerging artists across all genres, to helping them launch and thrive in their careers, and to connecting the...
03/05/2024
Como uno de los sonidos de mayor expansi n en el mundo, la M sica Mexicana va m ...
03/05/2024
As one of the fastest-growing sounds worldwide, M sica Mexicana is more than jus...
03/05/2024
NEW YORK FuboTV reported that it lost 110,000 subs in Q1 2024 but it exceeded its guidance for the quarter with double digit year-over-year increases across key...
03/05/2024
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Creativepool is giving a last call to the creative i...
03/05/2024
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
By 2032, the esports market is expec...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Shannon Bream, Fox News Sunday anchor and chief legal correspondent, sat for a keynote chat at The Business of TV News, with Tom Umstead, senior co...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Asked how important is local news, Martha Raddatz, who has covered foreign conflicts for decades and moderated presidential debates for ABC News, s...
03/05/2024
Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion cash offer fo...
03/05/2024
CBS announced its 2024-2025 primetime schedule, which features the new dramas NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson, and new comedies Poppa's House and Georgie ...
03/05/2024
Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reduced its red ink in the first quarter, despite losing 110,000 subscribers since the end of the year....
03/05/2024
Walmart is reportedly about to release a new 4K streaming box/smart speaker hybrid device for Google TV that could retail for as low as $50, according to a repo...
03/05/2024
Enhancements to its Delivery Workspace solution provide increased content delivery robustness and security
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 3, 2024
Enha...
03/05/2024
According to reports, if the bid is successful, Sony would be the significant majority shareholder of the new private company
By Jenny Priestley
Published: M...
03/05/2024
Located in Manchesters Spinningfields district, the course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight for a career in the creative s...
03/05/2024
Lightbridge has created a new Cine Reflect Lighting System kit, dedicated to enabling artistic lighting with consideration of today's productivity practical...
03/05/2024
Broadcast media systems integrator BeckTV and Lawo worked together on a large-scale AES67 build of radio control rooms at KPBS, San Diego's NPR and PBS memb...
03/05/2024
Raleigh, NC, April 12, 2024 SmallHD announces PageOS 6, a powerful software update free for owners of SmallHD monitors, featuring increased functionality, exp...
03/05/2024
SmallHD announces the Quantum 32 a new 31.5 OLED monitor designed to provide reference HDR/SDR images for post-production final color grading, as well as cri...
03/05/2024
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 Lea...
03/05/2024
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced that the 11th edition of the Amagi Global FAST Rep...
03/05/2024
Riedel Communications today announced that Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) is relying on a media and intercom network based on Riedel technology for the renewal of...
03/05/2024
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
03/05/2024
Media technology innovator Limecraft will exhibit the latest updates to its online platform on stand G79 at the 15-16 May 2024 Media Production & Technology Sho...
03/05/2024
Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is partnering with console manufacturer Solid State Logic, professional monitor manufacturer PMC and acoustic panel and d...
03/05/2024
Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over the internet, is set to join forces with its UK partner Zest Techn...
03/05/2024
NAKIVO Inc., a fast-growing software company dedicated to protecting physical, virtual, cloud, and SaaS environments, announced its Q1 2024 financial results to...
03/05/2024
Hiltron Communications announces an addition to its range of satellite communication products and systems: a field-upgradable motorisation kit specifically desi...
03/05/2024
Visit LiveU at Stand D30
With this year an exceptional one for major sporting events alongside multiple, key elections, the power and flexibility of LiveU'...
03/05/2024
Agile Content, the leader in the development of technology and solutions for the provision of television services over the Internet, announces Koldo Unanue as i...
03/05/2024
Eight co-signers representing streaming services, pay TV operators and public interest groups have sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging their Committee...
03/05/2024
BOSTON Brightcove has announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business, a new generative AI assistant on Amazon Web Services (AWS)....
03/05/2024
NEW YORK CBS has declared that it will finish the 2023-24 season as Americas Most-Watched Network in primetime for the 16th consecutive season....
03/05/2024
A new survey indicates that U.S. businesses and consumers had an overall positive attitude towards their technology spending plans in the first quarter of 2024,...
03/05/2024
Sony and Apollo Global Management have sent an offer letter to Paramount Global's board of directors making an $26 billion all cash offer for Paramount Glob...
03/05/2024
EMG / Gravity Media has appointed Charlie Cubbon chief operating officer (COO) and Jamie Hindhaugh regional CEO for the U.K., U.S., Australia and the Middle Eas...
03/05/2024
Final 2024 Season Games to Air Saturdays on WRAL at 10:30am in May, Championship on June 1
Taping for the final episodes of the 2024 season of WRAL-TV's Br...
03/05/2024
Estrella MediaCo said it is expanding its connected TV portfolio by launching three new channels with Curiosity that will first appear on Samsung TV Plus....
Today at Stream On, artists, songwriters, podcasters, and authors from around the world joined us for the latest announcements and hands-on demos of the new tools and resources coming to our platform. We also hosted a companion event, Play On, which featured a series of talks and interactive sessions to inspire and educate creators about how they can unleash the full potential of our platform.
