OzPodcastsAt OzPods 2019 the ABC yet again revealed their latest podcast research. We look at the results, and try to determine what they mean for podcasters.
You can twist stats and “creatively interpret” them to mean anything you want.
It’s worth noting that to a large degree, this survey was promoted by the ABC, and at least some of the responses are thus somewhat self-selected. Still, some stats are better than no stats.
With that in mind, here’s some thoughts on the ABC podcast survey results.
Finding: For those who listened to a podcast in the previous week, an average of six podcast episodes were listened to.
No matter how many listeners your podcast gets, remember, you hold a special place in their listening diet. It’s very likely you are among a small handful of podcasts they digest, which is terrific! But, remember to respect their time and give them a reason to keep coming back if you’d like that to continue.
Finding: Podcast listeners prefer original content rather than catch-up radio podcasts, with the majority (76%) of episodes listened to in the past month being original podcasts.
This result reflects not only the change in the podcast “charts” of the last ten years or so, but explains why radio stations and media outlets have begun launching podcast-only series alongside their “listen-later” radio material as podcasts.
Personally, I’d argue this also reflects a growing appetite for unique voices and unusual content and experiences that, by definition, traditional media outlets shy away from.
Finding: Word of mouth is the number 1 means of discovering new podcasts … listeners are most motivated to try new podcasts from the Episode Descriptions (including Headline, 71%).
There’s never been a better time to spread the word about your podcast. Sometimes when you want people to talk about your show, it helps for you to do the work for them!
Crafting a succinct description of what your show is and why people should listen, if you’ve never done it, might even be beneficial in reminding you of your true north. Then tweet, email and shout your purpose from the rooftops.
When you have a potential listener on the hook, make sure they they are greeted with a clear and informative podcast description. Tell them why they should listen/subscribe. (Hint: Leave our your extensive biography or credentials. If they are interested in your topic, your experience and knowledge about it will be evident.)
Read the full ABC Podcast Survey Results for all the insights from the research.
