Podcasting is NOT Dead
I just need to rant for a second... I am sick and tired of people claiming that podcasting is dead. The truth is that it is far from it. While the names and flavors may change, podcasting is alive and well. Here’s what I have spent the past week doing.
I spoke in New York City for 3 days at the
. I was joined by great podcasters like
of
,
and
from
, and
from
. We had healthy crowds with great questions. There were also big companies there, like TiVo and HP, as well as representation from several universities. I also had some great meetings with Apple and
... two great companies with cool things coming.
While I was gone, my crew was helping Community Health Charities create a series of podcasts to help raise awareness about health issues in the workplace. We had participation of major non-profit groups like the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, and the American Cancer Society. The non-profit world is abuzz about podcasting.
I then returned for an open house at
While I was gone, my crew was helping Community Health Charities create a series of podcasts to help raise awareness about health issues in the workplace. We had participation of major non-profit groups like the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, and the American Cancer Society. The non-profit world is abuzz about podcasting.
I then returned for an open house at
, my company. We invited people from the Washington, DC community for free seminars. Our podcasting seminar was standing room only with nearly 40 people in the room. Nearly all those people stayed to learn creative approaches for creating web video as well. Some of you will think 40 people is small... we only invited 100 people to the event... 40% came just to this one seminar.
I then gave up a few hours this weekend to join Paul Vogelzang and we spoke together and
I then gave up a few hours this weekend to join Paul Vogelzang and we spoke together and
. The room was packed with educators, communications professionals, and non-profit agencies. I met people wanting to inspire students and reach out to others for education and political action.
Speaking of political action... I’m pretty pleased that we have a new president who “gets” podcasting. This is especially good since I live in DC and work for a company that is an authorized GSA vendor to give the government podcasting services.
What the “get-rich-quick” people seem to forget is that technology takes time. For example,
What the “get-rich-quick” people seem to forget is that technology takes time. For example,
. It was invented in 1997. That took 13 years! Podcasting is already a part of 18% of Americans life... we are right on track and continuing to grow fast. The key to success, matching content, to an audience, with consistent releases and good quality.
It looks like we will have secured sponsorship for four of the seven shows we produce by year’s end. I’ve also been fortunate to help great companies like
It looks like we will have secured sponsorship for four of the seven shows we produce by year’s end. I’ve also been fortunate to help great companies like
and
expand their reach with quality content. Our
is selling well and the
is about to add its 150th member.
Lets just say I’m looking forward to the new year.
Lets just say I’m looking forward to the new year.
If you need a little ammunition for your defense of podcasting, download and
.... then pass it on.
Comments (1)
More Than One Billion Users Will View Online Video in 2013
Recently came across a new article about the growth in online video viewership. Be sure to check out what
has to say...
“Sparked by increasing broadband penetration and rising connection speeds available to a growing percentage of the world’s population, over-the-top video has seen phenomenal growth in very recent years. A new study from ABI Research forecasts the number of viewers who access video via the Web to nearly quadruple in the next few years, reaching at least one billion in 2013.
“The rapid expansion of broadband video creates opportunities across a number of market sectors,” comments senior analyst Cesar Bachelet. “A wide variety of actors aim to gain a share of this fast-growing market: not only content owners such as the BBC and NBC Universal, and Internet portals such as AOL and Yahoo!, but also a range of new entrants including user-generated content sites such as YouTube and Dailymotion, broadband video sites such as CinemaNow and Lovefilm, and Internet TV providers such as Apple and Zattoo.”
Podcast Advertising Shown to Be Highly Effective
Study results released this spring found that podcast advertising is three times more effective than online video advertising and seven times more effective than television, when measured in terms of unaided ad awareness 52 online shows and podcasts participated in the four campaigns studied and 6,869 audience members participated in the research.
Ad formats consisted of: embedded :15 and :30 host-read audio and video ads, embedded :10 and :15 produced video ads, ad banners on publisher websites, and social networking in the form of publisher blog entries about advertised brands and related topics. Podtrac developed the advertising effectiveness methodology in conjunction with TNS.
The study showed embedded advertising in online shows and podcasts to be highly effective for increasing brand awareness, usage intent and positively impacting brand perceptions across four diverse product categories: television programming, automobiles, financial service, and digital imaging. Results included:
• Average unaided ad recall of 68%
• Average aided ad recall of 89%
• 73% average increase in likelihood to use/buy vs control group
• 69% having a more favorable view of advertiser due to ad exposure
“The unaided awareness level of 68% is considerably higher in podcasts and online shows than in other offline and online media,” said Mark McCrery, Podtrac’s CEO and Co-Founder. “Narrowly targeted audiences, appropriate ad formats, content relevance, and show host involvement are some of the factors which come together to produce highly effective ads in online shows and podcasts.”
“The data also suggest audiences are paying close attention to show content and the embedded ads within them which greatly increased ad effectiveness in the studies,” said Doug Keith, former Vice President of the Media & Entertainment Group at TNS and currently President of Future Research Consulting. “The high unaided ad recall figures are no doubt the results of a less cluttered environment.”
“Online shows and podcasts have loyal audiences who pay attention to advertisers who support the shows they regularly listen to or watch,” said Velvet Beard, Podtrac’s Vice President of Products. “The studies showed a 73% increase in likelihood to use or buy an advertised product which is an indication of successful targeting, the unique relationship audience members have with the hosts of today’s online shows, and their ability to quickly move audiences from awareness to consideration to purchase. The studies showed that 69% of audience members have a more favorable view of in-show advertisers, which means a tremendous amount of goodwill goes to advertisers of online shows when show selection is intentional and advertising and ad formats are integrated into show formats.”
The 52 podcasts and online shows studied as part of the research include: This Week in Tech, MacBreak Weekly, net@night, and Daily Giz Wiz all with TWiT.tv’s Leo Laporte; MacBreak, MacBreak Tech and This Week in Media with PixelCorp.tv’s Alex Lindsey; Geek News Central with Todd Cochran;SDR News with Andy McCaskey; Feast of Fools; Filmspotting; and FlashTV.
Ad formats consisted of: embedded :15 and :30 host-read audio and video ads, embedded :10 and :15 produced video ads, ad banners on publisher websites, and social networking in the form of publisher blog entries about advertised brands and related topics. Podtrac developed the advertising effectiveness methodology in conjunction with TNS.
The study showed embedded advertising in online shows and podcasts to be highly effective for increasing brand awareness, usage intent and positively impacting brand perceptions across four diverse product categories: television programming, automobiles, financial service, and digital imaging. Results included:
• Average unaided ad recall of 68%
• Average aided ad recall of 89%
• 73% average increase in likelihood to use/buy vs control group
• 69% having a more favorable view of advertiser due to ad exposure
“The unaided awareness level of 68% is considerably higher in podcasts and online shows than in other offline and online media,” said Mark McCrery, Podtrac’s CEO and Co-Founder. “Narrowly targeted audiences, appropriate ad formats, content relevance, and show host involvement are some of the factors which come together to produce highly effective ads in online shows and podcasts.”
“The data also suggest audiences are paying close attention to show content and the embedded ads within them which greatly increased ad effectiveness in the studies,” said Doug Keith, former Vice President of the Media & Entertainment Group at TNS and currently President of Future Research Consulting. “The high unaided ad recall figures are no doubt the results of a less cluttered environment.”
“Online shows and podcasts have loyal audiences who pay attention to advertisers who support the shows they regularly listen to or watch,” said Velvet Beard, Podtrac’s Vice President of Products. “The studies showed a 73% increase in likelihood to use or buy an advertised product which is an indication of successful targeting, the unique relationship audience members have with the hosts of today’s online shows, and their ability to quickly move audiences from awareness to consideration to purchase. The studies showed that 69% of audience members have a more favorable view of in-show advertisers, which means a tremendous amount of goodwill goes to advertisers of online shows when show selection is intentional and advertising and ad formats are integrated into show formats.”
The 52 podcasts and online shows studied as part of the research include: This Week in Tech, MacBreak Weekly, net@night, and Daily Giz Wiz all with TWiT.tv’s Leo Laporte; MacBreak, MacBreak Tech and This Week in Media with PixelCorp.tv’s Alex Lindsey; Geek News Central with Todd Cochran;SDR News with Andy McCaskey; Feast of Fools; Filmspotting; and FlashTV.
Podcast Audience is Growing Steadily
The Pew Internet & American Life Project conducts surveys about podcast and other online media usage. According to Pew Researchers, the number of women and the number of people over age 65 who have downloaded podcasts has doubled over the past two years, and 19% of Americans have downloaded a podcast, compared with 12% in 2006.
The podcast audience continues to be educated and tech-savvy, with a wide range of incomes and ages.
Microsoft Zune
Advertisers Begin To Target Podcasts
A great article about podcasters and advertisers....
I’ve often scratched my head how I can gather 2 million people each month... but advertisrs still go with magazines that deliver less than 25% of that. This article from Investor’s Business Daily is an important read. It also features a colleague of mine... Scott Bourne.
I’ve often scratched my head how I can gather 2 million people each month... but advertisrs still go with magazines that deliver less than 25% of that. This article from Investor’s Business Daily is an important read. It also features a colleague of mine... Scott Bourne.
Lend Me Your Ears: Advertisers Begin To Target Podcasts
Podcast audiences have branched out far beyond just geeks. And advertisers are starting to like them, too.
After having placed ads with Web sites and search engines, more advertisers are starting to spread their ad dollars to audio and video podcasts in an attempt to reach certain consumers.
After having placed ads with Web sites and search engines, more advertisers are starting to spread their ad dollars to audio and video podcasts in an attempt to reach certain consumers.
Episodic Viewing of Podcasts
Deeje Cooley from Adobe shares some interesting thoughts about episodic viewing of podcasts. Don't miss this
on what's possible with the new Adobe Media Player.
“There is a better way. More and more,
feeds, which allows for a completely "on-demand" experience. What's more,
the coolest feature
of
, called "Storyline Subscriptions", takes advantage of the reverse chronological order inherent in RSS to deliver every episode of a show, in order, from the beginning, at a pace determined by each individual viewer.
Most video RSS aggregators will pull the most recent episodes of a show, which is great for news and magazine-style shows. But for story-based shows, viewers really want to start from the beginning, in order to follow the story arcs and character developments. When you subscribe to a show in Adobe Media Player, you can choose to either pull the N most recent episodes, or choose to pull N episodes starting with a specific episode, usually the first one. And of course you can change these settings, on a per-show basis, at any time.”
Be sure to
Near NYC? Check Out Rocketboom.
If you're near New York City, you might want to
featuring
of
.
When: Thursday, May 29, 7:00 PM
Meeting Description: We'd like to welcome Andrew Baron as this month's speaker. Andrew is best know for the hit videoblog Rocketboom. Andrew will talk about the current state of the industry; Where is the ad market at? Where is traditional media at in moving online? What options are avail to startups? What happened to Podshow and Podtec? What's wrong with Revision3 and Next New Networks?
Andrew Michael Baron is the creator and founder of the popular daily videoblog, Rocketboom. He is also the lead writer and producer of the show which has garnered international notoriety.
In Austin during the 1990s, Baron played in bands, ran a visual and performing art gallery and worked a variety of tech jobs. After receiving a BA in Philosophy from Bates College (Maine), Baron graduated with a Master of Fine Arts in Design and Technology in 2003 from Parson in New York City. He was teaching graduate classes at Parsons and MIT when the notion of Rocketboom came to him. Although he has little interest in television (and did not own a TV set during the past decade), Baron has always been inspired by the implications of the democratization of media.
When: Thursday, May 29, 7:00 PM
Meeting Description: We'd like to welcome Andrew Baron as this month's speaker. Andrew is best know for the hit videoblog Rocketboom. Andrew will talk about the current state of the industry; Where is the ad market at? Where is traditional media at in moving online? What options are avail to startups? What happened to Podshow and Podtec? What's wrong with Revision3 and Next New Networks?
Andrew Michael Baron is the creator and founder of the popular daily videoblog, Rocketboom. He is also the lead writer and producer of the show which has garnered international notoriety.
In Austin during the 1990s, Baron played in bands, ran a visual and performing art gallery and worked a variety of tech jobs. After receiving a BA in Philosophy from Bates College (Maine), Baron graduated with a Master of Fine Arts in Design and Technology in 2003 from Parson in New York City. He was teaching graduate classes at Parsons and MIT when the notion of Rocketboom came to him. Although he has little interest in television (and did not own a TV set during the past decade), Baron has always been inspired by the implications of the democratization of media.
NIN – The Times are Changing
One of the first bands I fell in love with during college was Nine Inch Nails (actually back then, it wasn't a band). The seminal record,
was a mash-up of Prince Samples and Orchestral Scores from Stephen King and Clive Barker films (along with many other sounds). Since then Trent Reznor has continued to evolve/
Yesreday they‘ve releases The Slip—a new 10-track album—for free on
The record is available in virtually every flavor of DRM-free digital format, all you need to do is give them your email address. The album will eventually be available in traditional formats as well. This move mirrors those of both
and
.
Available in several DRM-free formats, the record will be released on CD and vinyl in July.
"Thank you for your continued and loyal support over the years," Reznor wrote. "This one's on me."
There's a great article over at
Available in several DRM-free formats, the record will be released on CD and vinyl in July.
"Thank you for your continued and loyal support over the years," Reznor wrote. "This one's on me."
There's a great article over at
that goes deeper into the whys... what I think is amazing is where the industry seems to be going. Here's an artist who's always been pushing limits (including abandonning his record label recently). This record, along with his last
were released under Creative Commons (in fact much of Ghosts is also free).
Taking it a step further, Reznor offers many of his tracks for remix at
Taking it a step further, Reznor offers many of his tracks for remix at
). So here's a guy who not only tries new things, but wants his fans to remix his records and have fun. In fact you can share your remix and listen to others off his site. I think its interesting that there's a financial model here thats all about creating a relationship with the fan base.
Bottom line... check this out... the future is at hand.
Bottom line... check this out... the future is at hand.
Does the World Need Another Media Player?
The fine folks over at Layers Magazine have published the article:
This time its had the benefit of being scrubbed by an editor (not just spell-checker). You can read it here:
.
A few folks have commented on the length of the article... here’s the Spark Notes version:
- Flash Video is getting really popular
- The Adobe Media Player will be easier for corporations, schools, and government to use due to Adobe's greater acceptance over Apple (and especially iTunes).
- The media player supports several models that are attractive to content creators
- The media player supports very rich statistics on media consumption
- The application is going to move onto all sorts of devices and platforms in the near future.
- If you are a podcaster... I predict the Adobe Media Player will have as great of an impact as iTunes did on podcast consumption.
Interesting Video to Explain Podcasting
Adobe Demos Future Technology at NAB
School of Podcasting Interview about Video Podcasting
Thanks to the
for having us on the show. I had a chance to catch up and talk with the host about what folks need to think about when moving into the world of video podcasting. The interview also features my co-author (and business partner) Mark Weiser.
You can get the interview for free right here (
) and you should also check out their other shows which offer great perspective.
-Rich Harrington
-Rich Harrington
Time to Comment on Advertising and Measurement Standards
The Association for Downloadable Media just unveiled Advertisement Unit Standards and Download Measurement Guidelines. They'd like public comments on both. They encourage public comments in order to refine and enhance the documentation. The public comment period will end on May 16, 2008. You can download and comment on the draft standards for advertising and measurement
The open comment period will conclude May 16, 2008.
New Book on Video Podcasting is Out
Our new book called Producing Video Podcasts is shipping. We're really happy with how its turned out. It's a comprehensive title that explores all aspects of producing video podcasts (as well as web video).
If you are a budding podcaster or a multimedia professional I strongly encourage you to check out the book. Here are several links to give you a good idea of what its all about.
The Book:
–
–
–
–
21 Years of Apple Evolution
When I look at what Apple has accomplished its been an interesting journey. The company has released a ton of great products (and also a few clunkers). I have found a
that lets you see much of the product line laid out chronologically. After all, you can't get to the great Mighty Mouse without first passing the "hockey puck."
It really is pretty interesting to
. Be sure to click on the graphic so you can zoom in and view.
What's Your Angle?
While it may seem a little cliché, another way to refine your show’s concept is to ask the standard Who, What, Where, When, and Why questions.
Who –
Who is going to watch the show? Who is going to host the show?
What –
What topics will the show cover? What genre or format will it use?
Where –
Where will the show be recorded? A studio? On location?
When –
When will the show come out? Weekly? Monthly?
Why –
Why would a viewer subscribe to the show? Why would they come back for another episode?
Open Television Network Launches
Podcasters looking to monetize their content have a new option called the Open Television Network, powered by klickTab. The site has been under development for a long time and has now launched.
“klickTab is a unique service that lets you create single item, or channel feeds (aka podcasts) where there is a charge per item downloaded.
As a content owner, you create an account for yourself at
. You can check out the process through the screencasts on that page, along with some resources on encoding, hosting and protecting content.
Once you have created an content owner merchant account, you then create the feeds (podcasts) and add items to those feeds. We provide you with an embed code that has the klickTab graphic and all necessary code behind it so that a viewer customer can click on the link, enter their email address and password and download the link to iTunes or Miro. In iTunes or Miro they can browse the previews (trailers) you provide, buy content items, manage them, view and/or synchronize to an iPod or stream to an Apple TV.”
You can find more details on their
Once you have created an content owner merchant account, you then create the feeds (podcasts) and add items to those feeds. We provide you with an embed code that has the klickTab graphic and all necessary code behind it so that a viewer customer can click on the link, enter their email address and password and download the link to iTunes or Miro. In iTunes or Miro they can browse the previews (trailers) you provide, buy content items, manage them, view and/or synchronize to an iPod or stream to an Apple TV.”
You can find more details on their
and in this
.
New Podcast Advertising and Traffic Standards to Be Announced
Mashable.com, the Social Networking News site reports that “the Association for Downloadable Media
for when they plan to release their long awaited Advertising and Sponsorship Standard and Guidelines for Traffic Measurement - April 16th. The announcement will be made during the
.”
to read the full article.
Podcasts Reach A Desirable Market Segment
New media marketing is all about engagement, and nothing engages customers and constituents like blogs, social networks, and podcasts.
Arbriton assesses that 13% of all Americans have listened to an audio podcast, not counting the millions who have tuned in to “You Tube.” This desirable market segment is well-educated and affluent, listens to news and public affairs shows, and shops online.
Gender-wise, podcast audiences are almost evenly distributed between men and women. About half of all podcast enthusiasts are 35 or older, while the other half of podcast listeners and viewers are between the ages of 12 and 34.
You can review the Arbitron Report on Podcasting (2007) at
New Report on Podcasting
Your Podcast "To-Do" List
Planning A Podcast
Producing a podcast can be fun and rewarding, but it is also a lot of work. You can avoid "pod-fading" (losing interest in producing episodes) by letting your passion for your topic fuel your motivation, and taking these preliminary steps to get organized.
After you have identified the objectives, audience, format, and content for your content, put these items on your podcast planning "to-do list."
- Brainstorm podcast topics and alternative format ideas.
- Write podcast outlines or scripts and show notes.
- Research and purchase equipment (microphones, computer, editing software, etc.)
- Select pod-safe music.
- Create graphics and collect images and assets, such as your podcast logo/album art, down-loadable handouts, web links, and photographs.
- Schedule your episodes; plan for production and editing time.
- Select a host for your podcast.
- Promote your show on podcast directories, web sites, blogs, and advertisements.
Can You Make Money With Your Podcast?
Monetization was a hot topic at the 2007 Podcast and New Media Expo. If you’re creating content that people can view or download for free, how do you make money with a podcast? If that is your goal?
Some podcasters make money with product placement, advertising insertions, and sponsorships.
If you're trying to attract advertisers or sponsors, consider creating a well-organized web site for your podcast that features (in addition to show notes) a media kit and a rate card.
Podcast Planning: Target Audiences
Planning A Podcast: Identifying Your Podcast's Target Audience
With a little advance planning, you can create an outstanding podcast that is meaningful for your subscribers. But first, you have to know who they are!
Think about your podcast's audience in terms of real people. Which magazines do they read? Which websites do they visit? What kinds of music do they listen to? Where do they shop for clothes? Examine those magazines and websites for podcast episode ideas and inspiration for graphics. Visit the places where they shop to see what appeals to them, marketing-wise. You might even develop a profile of whom you imagine your typical listener to be.
Who is the
target
audience for this podcast? This can be as detailed as you like. You may elect to research and identify their age, gender, occupation, location, buying behavior, preferences and podcast experience level.
Keep in mind that downloading a podcast is a deliberate and decisive act; much more difficult than just passively watching a television program. For this reason, your podcast's content has to be especially compelling. Think about the reasons why your target audience would want to take the time to tune into the podcast. What's in it for them? What needs does the target audience have that the podcast would help meet? What would they expect when they tune in? What do they want to hear? How can you make it easy for them to find and subscribe to your podcast?
Thinking about your podcast's target audiences will help you set an appropriate tone for the podcast; select images, music, and other assets that they will like; and plan episode topics that will be meaningful for those audiences.
Keep in mind that downloading a podcast is a deliberate and decisive act; much more difficult than just passively watching a television program. For this reason, your podcast's content has to be especially compelling. Think about the reasons why your target audience would want to take the time to tune into the podcast. What's in it for them? What needs does the target audience have that the podcast would help meet? What would they expect when they tune in? What do they want to hear? How can you make it easy for them to find and subscribe to your podcast?
Thinking about your podcast's target audiences will help you set an appropriate tone for the podcast; select images, music, and other assets that they will like; and plan episode topics that will be meaningful for those audiences.
How to Promote The Heck out of Your Podcast
Want to increase the numbers of people who subscribe to your podcast? Try these promotional tactics!
- Create a business card for your podcast. This is SO important. Business cards are inexpensive, and there are some really fun designs online. If you just can't wait, you can get a professional business card in minutes from Staples for about $40. Put the URL for your podcast on the card and take it with you everywhere.
- This one is so obvious I almost forgot it...Join DC Podcast Alliance!
- Design a t-shirt for your podcast and wear it. Or at least a button. You can make a t-shirt with transfers from a craft store, or create one on CafePress.com for about $20. People will ask you about your podcast, then whip out your card!
- Post the link to your podcast on your e-mail signature. And on your blog.
- Write an article for "E-zine" on a topic related to your podcast, and include a link to your podcast. I received quite a few subscribers that way.
- When replying to blogs, forum posts, or Yahoo Answers, include a link to your podcast if it is relevant to the subject.
- When you network at business functions and conferences, mention your podcast in conversation.
- Tell people you will buy them a drink if they listen to your podcast. Okay, I am just kidding about that one.
- Post keywords related to your topic in your podcast description and show notes, so that the search engines will pick it up. Don't forget to include the title of your podcast!
- Get an embeddable player (in HTML code) or badge for your podcast. Mine is on Podomatic. You can put that embeddable player on your blog, on MySpace, and on your website.
- Post an ad for your podcast on Craig's List. It's free and it gets me plenty of subscribers. You can also embed a player in your Craig's List ad, so people can just click and listen.
- Post the link for your podcast on all your profiles. If you don't have profiles on LinkedIn, Flickr, MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, Yahoo, etc. then what are you waiting for? It's free, and there's space to post links to your podcast.
- List your podcast in podcast directories. Mine is listed on about 45, maybe 50, directories.
- Share the love! Use your podcasting talents for the greater good. Help other people learn about podcasting, or volunteer to create a podcast for a nonprofit organization. Podcast about a worthy cause, or about something that makes life more beautiful. Think positive, and podcast that positive energy. Good stuff comes back. :)
An International Survey on Podcasting
This international survey has a lot of information on podcasting. The survey size is a little small, so the numbers are skewed a bit... but it is still a good read. You can download some of the statistics at:
. Some of the interesting findings include:
- Podfading seems to be a minor problem at the moment
- The European podosphere is commercially less ambitious
- Podcasting is not only attracting "techies"
- Podcasting is about identity and relationship management
- Most are interested in sharing information and expressing of opinions
New Report on User-Generated Video
The American University has released a new report called
, which finds that many online videos creatively use copyrighted materials in ways that are eligible for fair use consideration under copyright law. The report claims that some users are potentially using copyrighted material legally (under fair use). These uses--an exercise of freedom-of-speech rights--are currently threatened by anti-piracy measures online. The report is online
- we hope you enjoy it!
Prediction: 40% of Video Online by 2012
The Silicon Valley Insider has an interesting post about video distribution online. Many in Hollywood predict that within four years 40% of all video consumption would occur outside of the television set. That's according to a poll of nearly 300 media execs by Jack Myers and video tracking firm Teletrax. The short article has some interesting insight into how the "big guys" see things.
Read the full article
.
