Podcast marketing is a huge thing nowadays, and several businesses have used this strategy to successfully grow their business. At the outset, only a few people saw the relevance of podcasts. For some, it’s just another modern radio program that is not within their interests. But the truth is far from that.
Today, podcasts are easy to locate, obtain, and access. Listeners can simply tune in at their most convenient time. Listeners can also download and retrieve podcast episodes whenever they want to. The most recent podcast stats show that as of 2022, there are more podcast listeners than Netflix subscribers. The COVID-19 pandemic contributed partially to the growth in this field in the last two years. Since the onset of the pandemic, podcast listeners have multiplied while also getting more diverse.
If you want to know how podcasts evolved to be the popular on-demand service that we now know today, then keep reading below.
What Is A Podcast?
A podcast is a multimedia format consisting of a collection of voice-based digital files. It’s a neologism derived from “broadcast” and “pod,” and many people associate it with the iPod’s rise to popularity—and for good reason.
Ten years after the internet radio was created, the podcasting you know today emerged. Before the introduction of a modern podcasting media network, podcasts were known as “audio blogs.” These audio blogs served as a groundbreaking means for individuals to distribute their voices over the internet by enabling them to capture, upload, and distribute content. In the early 2000s, David Winer and Christopher Lydon launched audio blogging. They distinguished this practice from both broadcast and internet radio in various ways.
Primarily, podcasting favors niche listeners with unique material, much like cable television and blogging. Aside from that, podcasts allow producers to make edits or incorporate sound effects in advance. Live radio does not offer the same possibilities. In other words, podcasts are a more curated form of radio broadcasting.
How Podcasting Started to Thrive
The concept of a Podcast was first invented by Ben Hammersley of The Guardian in 2004 when he used the words “iPod broadcasting.” Apple founder, Steve Jobs, made it possible for the average listener to access podcasts by integrating them into the iTunes interface.
Most Apple customers now have access to thousands of podcast subscriptions. These people are able to save episodes to their devices and listen to them later – even without an internet connection. While this is normal now, it was a groundbreaking development in 2005.
The “Podcast” Boom
Fast forward to 2022, when over a billion people are downloading podcasts each month, and this is now considered one of the fastest-growing media on the planet. It has grown from simple audio recordings to audio files that rely on special effects and storytelling techniques to spread knowledge and entertainment to various listeners. The low production costs of podcasting have also inspired other content creators to venture into it.
It is now feasible for small businesses to start their own podcast because of recent advancements and easier accessibility. By 2024, industry experts estimate that there will be 100 million podcast listeners in the United States alone. As you can see, this great interest in the medium signifies an imminent change: the era of podcasting is becoming prominent.
More platforms have also entered the picture. Spotify has been competing with Apple for years now and came close to surpassing Apple in 2021. The Swedish streaming service took a series of strategic steps to become one of the leading podcasting platforms today.
Early pioneers of podcasting were enthusiastic about giving independent creators the ability to break free of traditional media boundaries. The industry is now following in the footsteps of film and television streaming. A number of popular podcasts are vying for distribution, reach, and growth.
The Future Of Podcasts
This is merely the beginning for podcasting. Podcast analytics have caught up to corporate needs, enabling enterprises to see who has listened to their content and the total amount of time spent on it. Hence, starting a podcast is now considered a great way for businesses to foster brand recognition and customer engagement.
Nowadays, listeners can tune in to a podcast anywhere and anytime. This media format is a better alternative for audiences who are always on the go as it does not require full attention. People can listen to a podcast during their commute, and even while working or doing chores at home.
Takeaway
Podcasting has exploded into a billion-dollar industry since the turn of the millennium. It is now one of the top multimedia formats in the world. You can say that it is just a more evolved form of radio broadcasting. However, unlike radio programs, podcasts are not limited by geographical location, format, and accessibility. On the contrary, listeners can stream a podcast of their choice anytime and anywhere through a platform and a stable internet connection.