Spotify launched a new feature that combines audio content with music. This format is exclusive only to certain podcasts on Spotify.
More:
- Shows in this new format play as a mix of the music used in the podcast and the audio itself. Each compatible episode has an “Explore Episode” feature that allows the listener to split the listening into audio and music.
- While Spotify Premium members can listen to the full track, the free tier subscribers can only listen to 30-second music previews.
- Anchor by Spotify now allows you to create shows in this format. Here's a quick step-by-step on how to do it.
- Spotify launched seven original shows in differing genres using this new format. These include “Halleloo Happy Hour with DJ Shangela” with Shangela of Ru Paul’s Drag Race, “Murder Ballads” – which explores the folklore behind America’s “most mysterious and violent” songs – and a show exploring the theories surrounding famous artists, “Conspiracy Theories: Music Edition."
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Goodpods founder JJ Ramberg was named in the Inc.’s Annual Female Founders 100 List. This year's list does not rank the founders, instead presents them alphabetically.
More:
- Ramberg founded the company with her brother, Ken Ramberg, in 2018. Prior to launching Goodpods, JJ anchored the MSNBC program “Your Business” for more than a decade. The brother and sister duo also founded the mission-driven coupon site, Goodshop.
- Goodpods is a social podcasting app that identifies itself as the “Instagram or Twitter for podcasts.” With apps that allow following friends for book and music recommendations, JJ thought: “with more than 35 million podcast episodes, why didn’t the same thing exist for podcasts?”
- Influencers and celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Malcolm Gladwell are now on the app. Download the free app here.
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The 2020 Spoken Word Audio Report from NPR and Edison Research shows podcast listening hit an all-time high in 2020, with 55% of the American population having listened to one.
Other highlights:
- The report includes six years of insights from AM/FM radio, podcasts, and other on-demand audio content. It shows the share of podcast listening on the rise.
- In 2014, 11% of listeners listened to Spoken Word Audio and 89% to music. Compare this to 2020, when 30% listened to Spoken Word Audio and 70% to music.
- 54% of listeners cited “Searching the Internet” as the top source of discovering new content. With 62% of listeners, “News/Information” is the most popular topic amongst listeners.
- 32% of listeners are listening to NPR and Public Radio podcasts, in 2020. This was at 19% in 2016.
- The complete report can be downloaded free here.
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Google Podcasts Manager announced a new feature to help podcasters get more information on how their shows are being discovered on Google Search.
More:
- Using this feature, podcasters can see impressions and clicks for their podcasts that show up on Google Podcasts, on Search. They can also see which episode showed up most often and which keywords lead to their podcast.
- Here’s where you can get these insights for your show, after claiming your podcast on Google.
- Google also shared a blog on “How to Optimize Podcasts for Google.”
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The Podcast Academy announced The Ambies, the first-ever Awards for Excellence in Audio.
Highlights:
- Winners will be announced on Mar. 28, 2021. The location for the ceremony is yet to be decided. The winners will be chosen by a community of 500+ podcast professionals who are members of The Podcast Academy.
- Nominations from everyone, including non-members, will be accepted starting Oct. 19 to Dec. 15 on The Ambies’ website.
- There are 23 categories including Best Podcast Host, Best Reporting, Best Original Score & Music Supervision, Best Documentary Podcast, and Best Interview Podcast; Comedy, News, Sports, and True Crime.
- A Podcast of the Year Award that “recognizes the highest-quality content and production values,” will also be given out. Plus, a Governor’s Award for “an especially talented individual, company, or podcast whose specific accomplishments The Podcast Academy wishes to highlight.”
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Pods On the Block
- “Girlboss Radio” is back, after more than four months of silence. They are publishing video interviews from Girlboss Rallies in audio format. Here’s the first one with “Paris Hilton on Shame, Bullying & Social Media." Girlboss also promises more updates on their show in the intro of the episode.
- Neon Hum and Sony Music have released “Dirt Cheap," “a campy new podcast” which takes a modern take on LA noir book “Murder in the Glass Room.” The show is hosted by couple and “pulp culture” investigators Amanda Meadows and Geoffrey Golden.
- Amazon Music announced the premiere of “The First One,” hosted by DJ Khaled. The show will feature DJ Khaled conversing with his “favourite artists” and the songs that made them “iconic and legendary.” The first episode featuring Lil Wayne is available here.
- The High Guide’s podcast, “How to Do the Pot,” has a new audio series called “Saturday Strains.” The show “How to Do the Pot” launched on Nov. 19 2019 and “Saturday Strains” launched as a part of it Sept. 26. Each 5-min weekly series offers “clear guidance to demystify the hundreds of cannabis strains” available legally. Start listening here.
- “Anatomy of Murder” is a new weekly true-crime podcast from Audiochuck. The show is hosted by former NYC homicide prosecutor Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi, who also hosts TV series “True Conviction” and three-time Emmy-award winning Investigative Journalist Scott Weinberger. The series will “take listeners behind the scenes” on homicide cases around the U.S. The first two episodes launched yesterday and are available here.
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Podcast Event Highlights
- The Detroit Podcast Fest is happening for the first time Oct.16-18. The event covers topics from marketing to production. Check out the line-up or purchase passes.
- PM Virtual is happening Oct.19-29. Prices are set to go up in four days. Register here.
- Podcast Day Online from Radio Days Europe 2020 is happening Oct.26 at 12 pm ET. Here’s the complete program and the registration link.
- Charlotte Podcast Festival is set to begin week three on Oct.19 with “The Ultimate Guide on Podcast Branding.” Register for free here.
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Quick Hits
- Loudspeaker, a new podcast network with original content “highlighting diversity, pop culture, and social issues,” has launched. They’re celebrating with a live stream event featuring musicians and artists from Colorado on Halloween. Read more and RSVP for their Facebook event here.
- Buzzsprout launched a new feature that allows podcasters to distribute transcripts to listeners, who can read along. They say it’ll also make it “easier for people to find episodes” on Google by enhancing SEO.
- Google Assistant is now supporting all podcast platforms, not just Google Podcasts. This update is also reflected in all Google Home devices and speakers that use Assistant.
- Bryan Barletta of Sounds Profitable talks "Solution for Privacy in Podcasting" in his latest blog, an 11-min read.
- Sky News reports that Audioboom will sell a 10% stake to a Singapore-based investor, eight months after the podcasting platform was put up for sale.
- Reuters found 40% or more urban dwellers in South Africa and Kenya are listening to podcasts. The article also further outlines “How podcasting is developing in Africa.”
- Podcast management platform, Sounder, has inked a deal with digital audio advertising provider DAX to launch a new tool for monetizing podcasts. This tool will be available for shows with 25,000+ monthly streams.
- NPR’s Student Podcast Challenge is back and welcoming college students this year.
- As Apple device adoption grows in the enterprise, organizations are looking for ways to seamlessly manage and secure devices while extending the world-class Apple experience users expect.*
*This is sponsored content.
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