It’s no secret that we love all things audio, so we’ve been fascinated by the phenomenal rise in popularity of podcasts over the past decade. During that relatively short time, millions of podcasts have hit the market, making news, comedy, politics and more accessible to a huge market.
Podcasts really arrived to the masses in 2014 with the terrific ‘Serial’, the crime drama focusing on an enthralling true story, hosted by ‘This American Life’ producer Sarah Koenig. If you haven’t listened to it yet, you really should. Anyway, since then, podcast download numbers have gone through the roof. Subscriptions are now in excess of one billion, according to The Washington Post, and research from Edison states that monthly audio podcast consumption grew from approximately 39 million monthly users in 2014 to approximately 46 million in 2015 – the highest number on record. If you’re considering putting a podcast together, now really is a golden age, and Voice Takeaway is here to help you on your way.
Why are podcasts so popular?
The resurgence of podcasting is incredible to watch from our perspective. More and more of our audio and production clients are dipping their toes into the world of podcasting, but why have they become so popular?
Many podcast subscribers were previously regular radio listeners; now, that audience is more used to audio on-demand and podcasts deliver that convenience time and time again. People now listen to podcasts in the places they used to listen to the radio; in the car on the commute, in the kitchen when cooking and just before bed.
The quality of podcasts has no doubt helped with its increased popularity; ten years ago, episodes would be recorded by amateurs and production quality wouldn’t be that high. Now however, podcasting often comes with great production – but doesn’t require the budget of, say, a radio show. Let’s face it, all you really need to record a podcast is a microphone or two and you can leave the editing to people like us.
It’s no wonder that more businesses are catching on to the idea of making a podcast.
Is podcasting profitable?
More podcasts than ever are choosing to run advertising, which often pays for the cost of recording and producing the episodes several times over. Advertising on podcasts is significantly cheaper than placing an advert on radio, so you can understand why more businesses are doing it. And podcast advertising is definitely working; research shows that people are more open to listening to podcast adverts, as skipping them isn’t as straightforward as changing radio stations when an advert comes on there, for example. Essentially, a podcast audience is a more engaged audience. And what does a more engaged audience mean? Greater potential for generating sales.
How can Voice Takeaway help?
Over the past 12 months, the number of people listening to podcasts has gone up by 25%, with hardcore fans listening to an average of six a week. If you’re considering putting together a podcast, those are explosive figures, with huge potential revenue for your business.
Voice Takeaway can help make your podcast idea a reality. We will bring our production experience to your podcast series, seamlessly mixing your audio with clips, music and adverts.
By handing your podcast production over to us, you can get on with what you love the most – creating great content and generating more sales for your business.
Get in touch with us today to discuss your podcast plans. We can’t wait to hear what you have in mind!