Spotify Adds Comments | 3 Things in Podcasting

[00:00:00] Hello and welcome to podcaswer close this is another 3 Things in Podcasting. Today is July 12, 2024. I'm your host, Joe Casabona, and here are the things that I want to talk about today.

[00:00:17] Now it's called 3 Things in Podcasting. I have a quick bonus for you. I started to record this video with a different story and then I kind of started to poke holes on it, and I realized there was something else that I wanted to cover.

[00:00:29] So, I don't know, you could think of this as like a numbers zero but a study came out this week saying that YouTube is now the most popular podcast player among American adults.

[00:00:46] And I was reading through this is really interesting data. But some of it's questionable with any kind of stats they kind of pushed this weird narrative and there were 600 and 3 weekly podcasters consumers.

[00:01:01] So, I think for like Westwood 1 and cumulus maybe is reach. 633 is not a lot. I don't think. I'm not a statistician if you are, you know, feel free to leave a comment.

[00:01:15] But it is really interesting because of showing that more and more American adults are at least listening to podcasts or watching podcasts on YouTube. Some of the time I'll say like here like 53% of those who listen to or watch podcasts on YouTube, say they consume the same podcast on other platforms. That's how I run it.

[00:01:40] I'll like watch a podcast on YouTube. And if I walk away, I will pick that podcast up again in my podcast listening app of choice which is overcast. I won't even like continue in the YouTube app.

[00:01:54] And I usually do that for sports podcasts. My favorite like game of thrones channel, alt shift X has started doing there like three hour weekly live streams post episodes which is wild to me.

[00:02:07] And then they do like a longer breakdown and they release those as a podcast as well. So I'll usually do some combination of watch or listen there. The visuals are really good for that. So if I can watch that, I will watch that.

[00:02:21] But I just that was a really interesting thing to highlight. The actual topics we're talking about today for three things are the podcast host put out their study about most popular gear the last time they ran this was 2019 and there have been some changes.

[00:02:34] You're worthy has announced their first annual independent podcast awards and Spotify is adding comments. So let's get into this second story. By the way, all the links will be in the description for this episode whether you're watching on YouTube or if you're consuming any podcast app of your choice.

[00:02:59] If you want to subscribe to the newsletter and to the show, you can head over to podcastwork flows.com slash join.

[00:03:06] Okay, so let's get into the actual first thing what gear software and setups do 500 plus podcasts are using 2024. So I'll just say right at the outset that I said like cumulus media 600 is not good enough.

[00:03:20] The podcast host while it has a great reach and does great work doesn't have the reach of cumulus media. And so you know 500 12 is I think good and they, you know, they have some caveats here at the beginning.

[00:03:33] I think I have so I would encourage you to kind of check this out. I think I want to do a bigger write up on this because I took some notes here in Apple notes where I think, you know, I I'd like to write those things up but some of the things that I found interesting 21% have been podcasting under a year 7% of podcasts over 10 years.

[00:03:58] They do this weird breakdown were like these are the numbers here but then like probably for like statistically interesting purposes. Like okay, here they show less than a year one to five years five plus years but then later on.

[00:04:18] They do breakdown okay, this is the breakdown that they generally do so maybe I missed that maybe like I got I mean full disclosure I got an early draft so maybe they did update some of these numbers.

[00:04:31] But I didn't think those numbers were consistent at least that's why wrote in my notes. But it looks like they, they are now so anyway the big takeaways blue yet is the most popular podcast microphone this makes sense.

[00:04:44] They've got like brand recognition and it's like cheap enough and it looks cool and like old old hat podcasters hate it.

[00:04:53] But there's a reason that a lot of people buy it I have a video about how I don't think it's a good podcast microphone but you can make it work.

[00:05:03] Samsung Samsung Q2U was number two and the sure MB7 was number three which is interesting because the last time they ran this survey. The Samsung Q the the sure MB7 didn't exist so it's really interesting that that has jumped to the third most popular.

[00:05:28] If we look at by experience level less than a year is blue yeti by the time we get to five plus years blue yeti is down to seven point two I think this makes sense right.

[00:05:37] Five plus years I think it's interesting that the MB7 now beats out the SM7B which is the mic I'm using. And it's probably because like when you're ready for an upgrade the MB7 is great now like it didn't exist when I bought the SM7B.

[00:05:52] But if I was doing it today I'd buy the MB7 like there's no reason for me to own the SM7B now and I would save myself about 250 bucks or maybe 200 bucks.

[00:06:03] For 50% who responded they are using their first mic previous mostly upgrades from the blue yeti which is interesting. 39% of owned their mic less than a year. USB is just barely the most popular I guess it is the most popular if you can buy it with combo.

[00:06:24] And then again like when you get to five plus years it's like an XLR mic. 30% don't know whether their microphone is dynamic or condenser which makes sense because I think almost 30% have been podcasting or 21% you know 21 plus 18 so that's almost 40% have been podcasting for two years or fewer.

[00:06:49] And if you're just here to talk then you know if you bought a microphone because it got recommended I wouldn't expect anybody to know. Like if it's a dynamic or condenser mic.

[00:07:01] 52% using audio interface which is strange since most people mostly use USB mic I guess if you probably combine these two numbers. Let's see we're looking at about 20 okay so like. Yeah it sounds like about this many people have XLR capability on their microphone.

[00:07:24] So I think I thought that was fairly interesting. Ordinary untreated room is most people the more experience you get the more treated it's going to be more than 70% recorded headphones on which is great to hear.

[00:07:38] Even at less than a year over half to like that's just good practice so I'm glad that that's sticking. And then some of the other things if I look at you know if I look at my notes here there's a lot there's a lot of speculation.

[00:07:57] In the article which I thought was strange. But it's like they try to draw a lot of conclusions.

[00:08:06] 6% of people were unsure about what mic they used which I thought like how is that possible and it's probably just that they used the built in mic and they don't know like it's just that was weird. Most recorded an untreated room.

[00:08:20] 30% recorded without headphones that's a lot 40 okay so. One of the things that bothered me about this let me see if I can actually find the spot in this because they say okay video podcasting.

[00:08:38] They draw this super weird is is video the future of podcasting almost half the respondents chose not to add any video. No almost half the respondents chose not to add any video. That means more than half did.

[00:08:57] Right so like they're posing this question like I don't know a video is all that right. But then the data doesn't show the the conclusion that they're trying to. I think and I like the people of the podcast host are great.

[00:09:20] I know Colin I know Matthew in there fantastic and he said everybody's great. Sometimes I feel this push and pull between presenting data like this and the fact that they own a podcast recording and hosting platform and alitude.

[00:09:37] And that as far as I know doesn't support video and so sometimes sometimes.

[00:09:45] I feel like the conclusion that like the growth of video is overrated or videos overrated among podcasts especially in their audience is not what we're seeing in similar stories like like about YouTube's growth right and how lots of people watch podcasts.

[00:10:05] So that's the that's the one issue I have with this study. But otherwise it's really interesting right just kind of looking at how podcasters are using tools and podcast the podcast host has been around for a long time and I really like the.

[00:10:27] And then I think that's the reason why I'm in Paris and between with like what has changed in five years right most popular mic in 2019 was still the blue yetty. It's gone slightly down but like this blue snowball completely fell off.

[00:10:44] The R podcast 2100 completely fell off the sure SM 5 8 completely fell off Samsung Q to you jumped up to to second sure MV 7 has jumped up to third and built in microphones are on the list now.

[00:11:03] And that's the reason why I'm in this is that especially with apples computers like the built in microphone has gotten better and D script studio sound is really good so that one's really interesting to me. In in 2019 83% weren't recording video 48% don't like that's that is way up.

[00:11:31] Like that is way up right. Nearly a 40% jump in people who are recording video. So like you can't tell me that video is not popular it's really it's a a really important aspect of podcasting now. So I think that's really interesting definitely check this out.

[00:11:51] I've spent a lot of time on this. I'll probably do a bigger write up because I do have a lot of notes here in apple notes and I you know I highlighted a bunch of interesting points that I just pointed out.

[00:12:06] Oh one that was interesting to me is that newer podcasts are mostly solo shows and longtime podcasts are. Interview shows so I thought that was interesting as well. But that's that's the podcast host study okay so ear the ear worthy.

[00:12:30] It's called this of it's an unwieldy name the ear were the indie podcast awards 2024. Ear were the indie podcast awards so I'll just kind of point in this direction I love this full disclosure I won the award for best business processes which is wonderful.

[00:12:49] I'm really honored to be recognized especially because like like are you on a symbolats on here and any browns on here.

[00:12:59] And who the host I see Lindsey Phillips is on here really smart cool people who are doing great things independent podcast or space are on here but I love this because you know as Frank kind of says here in the article like.

[00:13:18] A lot of podcasts awards honor the the New York Times and the one trees and the iHearts and all those podcasts with like a ton of money behind them.

[00:13:29] But indie podcasters often feel neglected right I don't have I don't have the money nor the desire to pay for consideration for an award right so I'm not and like I don't have I heard money.

[00:13:44] So indie podcasters are like the life splot of of the podcast industry and it's really cool to see them honored here so I just wanted to spend some time here definitely check out your worthy I will put a link to them in the show notes in the description.

[00:14:02] Because they highlight a lot of really great shows here and in the coming weeks they're going to do a full right up on each show.

[00:14:15] So again really honored to be awarded here for best business process podcast I love the I mean I love the category right I mean because.

[00:14:31] You know there's so many business podcasts up there right best podcast tips podcast best to my I love best America I'm don't I'm going to listen to this and that's the other thing right there's lots of new stuff that you can listen to so.

[00:14:44] Really great to see recognition of all of all indie podcasters for this sort of award and again I'm honored to be.

[00:14:57] Given an award in the first annual year were the indie podcast awards so definitely check that out so thanks to Frank and all everybody the year were the team and the team at Lenny dot FM who partnered with year were the. To make these happen okay.

[00:15:17] Last one is a big one Spotify comments Spotify is adding comments to their app so starting this week. In the Spotify app. You will be able to comment on episodes and then podcasters will be able to manage.

[00:15:41] And moderate those comments in the Spotify for podcasters app I want to head and I downloaded both and I don't have them yet they're just the rolling out this week so I'm sure it'll take some time. But I think this is great right so.

[00:15:55] As a poll quote here as a podcast focused on the lessons we can learn from history's greatest leaders I'm always curious about which takeaways resonate with my audience.

[00:16:05] And then we'll soon create a how to take over the world comments on Spotify provide me with invaluable feedback right so this is I mean obviously this is the Spotify press release so they're going to find a good quote but.

[00:16:17] Commentator really important they've been a longer question feature for both podcasters and Spotify listeners excited to roll them out. Podcasst have historically been a one sided format and they did offer some interactivity but comments are direct connection.

[00:16:33] I wrote a piece a couple weeks ago I think I have an episode out about it now if it's not out yet it'll be out soon. About how to get good feedback from your listeners because it's really hard to get feedback from your listeners.

[00:16:49] It's not like I mean we in the in the YouTube growth study people stick they say they stick around on YouTube for the community the comments and the other features.

[00:17:00] You just don't get that any disjointed experience right RSS calm is everywhere or arms are says calm they are I'm a contractor for them I'm the revenge list.

[00:17:14] So I work for them so they're always on the brain I guess but RSS the technology is meant to be everywhere. And because of that it's hard to create a unified experience and so it's really cool to see that in Spotify.

[00:17:32] Whether you host with Spotify for podcasters or not or whether you host with mega phone or not. People will be able to comment on your show and you'll be able to moderate and respond to those comments on your show so this is big.

[00:17:47] You know Spotify is like then in the cumulus study Spotify is number two. And I think that's a really interesting thing to think about because Apple while they've added a lot of really cool features to Apple podcasts this year.

[00:18:08] I if they don't introduce features like this that podcasters want a lot they may be left behind and I think that there's something else to think about here because.

[00:18:23] You know because pod casting is a medium with RSS and it's an open medium right that shouldn't be behind the walled garden. I don't know I'm not sure how to integrate comments into an open standard like this.

[00:18:41] In web development you know we have ping backs and we do have comments and you can go to a website for those comments. But aggregating those comments is another thing so you know are we running into a situation where.

[00:18:58] I'm not like social media we're going to have to check every app for comments. Is there going to be a way for us to get comments into us. That's a big question for smarter people and me to try to solve.

[00:19:11] But I do like that we are seeing comments roll out on Spotify. So now two of the big three. The ability to comment on podcasts which gives us a direct line to our listeners and that is so important. That's so important I'm really happy to see it.

[00:19:31] I'll probably be doing a full video on that when it rolls out. But for now we have the press release again I'll link all to all of that in the description for this video so those are the three. Most popular gear.

[00:19:45] Here we're the in the podcast awards spotifies adding comments and then we got the bonus right YouTube is growing in the podcasting space they could be number one. There may be number one among American adults there may be number one among American adults for discovery.

[00:20:03] Either way Spotify is growing so that's it for this episode if you want to get more of this sort of thing. As well as ways to save 12 hours a week producing your podcast. And over to podcasts where flows dot com slash join.

[00:20:20] If you're watching on YouTube subscribe and like this video. If you are listening on Spotify, leave a comment. And until next time I'll see you out there.