Thursday, January 30, 2014 How About Streaming Your Podcasts?
Here’s a friendly reminder that content syndication requires continual monitoring. Opportunities that once seemed bright can dim overtime while new directions are constantly emerging.
A case in point: If you’re an investment firm that offers podcasts to be downloaded, consider making them available to also be streamed. Streaming video (e.g., Netflix) and streaming music (e.g., Pandora) get most of the attention, but faster Internet connections and wider bandwidths have also changed the access habits of podcast listeners.
The ability to forego the downloading and syncing process with a media player in favor of streaming a podcast on-demand significantly improves the podcast listening experience. I can tell you from my own experience that not having to plan ahead has resulted in my listening to even more podcasts, from more devices (desktop, iPad and smartphone) and more faithfully. I am crazy for podcasts. (And if it's data you want, see this TopRank blog post from earlier in the week.)
Stitcher!
As long as you’re going to the trouble to create podcast content, making the podcast available on a streaming service could make an incremental contribution to your listenership.
Stitcher is believed to be “the largest platform for listening on Android and second largest on iOS behind only Apple [iTunes]," according to Libysn, the leading podcast hosting platform quoted in a Stitcher press release in October 2013.
In fact, a look at the top show in Stitcher’s Business and Industry category suggests that Stitcher has listeners who may be interested in what you have to say. Note that NPR’s Planet Money podcast is on 101,000 playlists. Something to strive for.
Many of the leading investment-type podcasts on iTunes can be found on Stitcher, but few investment company podcasts are.
An exception I found is Wells Fargo Advantage Funds' "On The Trading Desk" podcast whose screenshot from an Android phone is below.
Like on iTunes, if your podcast isn’t in Stitcher’s top 100, most of the optimization and promotion is up to you. However, see the Discover tab in the screenshot—here’s where a listener to the Wells Fargo podcast might be introduced to yours. As is, the referrals today are to The Dave Ramsey Show, the Suze Orman Show and other media properties.
Next
If I were you, I would:
- Make sure all internally are OK with the idea. Previously, some podcasters have balked at the thought that advertising would be displayed adjacent to their podcasts (see the ad at the bottom of the Wells Fargo image). There's no question that Stitcher has more of a commercial feel than downloading a file via iTunes. But, is this any different from posting content to Facebook or LinkedIn, which also place ads near your content?
- Review the application process to be accepted as a Stitcher content provider, it’s not much of a hurdle.
- Blow the dust off all that “download and add to your MP3 player” language on your Website and update it with the explanation that your content can be streamed and added to playlists, too. That will mean that you or someone on your team will have to experience Stitcher in order to write the copy. My bet is you’ll love it.
- Throw a little promotional support behind your podcast when you get the word that your content has been added to Stitcher.
In the investment management space, podcasting has a tired vibe. But elsewhere Internet radio has taken off, and with the demographics that investment firms seek. Below is a screenshot from "The New Mainstream 2013," a study of Internet radio usage and adoption conducted by Edison Research, in partnership with Pandora, Spotify and TuneIn. And, even more on-point, Stitcher says the average podcast listener stays connected for an average of 22 minutes. Wouldn't you want in on that?
Reader Comments (2)
One of my favorite topics - podcasting (or net casting with audio). Nearly as easy as distributing text-based content. And as you note - the tools have evolved dramatically. Being on iTunes is important - but Stitcher is a big deal and makes it literally effortless.
When I was producing the Social Media Minute podcast with Arkovi and RegEd - we found equal split in analytics between Stitcher and iTunes (as well as a portion of folks who just clicked through to our blog and listened. That was made easy by using Power Press from BluBrry in our Wordpress installation. I would add that as a tip for any size podcasting project. Outsourcing the hosting and distribution means the outsourcer also pushes updates and adheres to the specs of platforms like iTunes.
In my fledgling new podcast, the Digital Well, I hope to build the robust audience we had previously and even consider offering a live stream at some point in the future (one of my podcast heroes is Leo Laporte - who has taken the art to a massive scale with hundreds of thousands of listeners).
It is impressive with minimal but quality hardware - what can be produced for audio distribution. I find it an often overlooked opportunity.
Thanks for the additional insights on podcasting, Blane. I’m with you—a big fan of Leo, This Week in Technology and a few other podcasts in his network.
Best of luck with the Digital Well, too. http://blanewarrene.com/digital-well-podcast-secure-digital-self/
You have quite a podcasting pedigree at this point.