It is truly a media oddity how the podcasting platform – once the domain of geeks – is now emerging as a media player after years of flying below the radar
. And yet for so many content creators, podcasts are very much a conundrum.
Norm Pattiz’s Podcast One has taken a leadership position in on-demand audio, and as you no doubt read in the trades last week, former Saga exec Steve Goldstein has stepped into the space with his own company, Amplifi Media.
When two smart broadcasters make major commitments in terms of time, money, and career direction, it’s time to pay attention. As many have suggested for years now, part of podcasting’s problem in truly taking root with consumers may have to do with the name “podcasting.”
But beyond the problems with branding, the process of finding and accessing podcasts has been clunky, cumbersome, and difficult. Both Pattiz and Goldstein are well aware of this challenge, but the overriding sense from both of these guys is that content always wins out even in an overcrowded, cluttered environment.
Perhaps, but the fact remains that while many of us watch TV “on demand,” the practice of listening to audio whenever and wherever we want hasn’t always been easy to define or access. NPR has had the edge in this department for years now, and for them, it has always been about content.
You’ve probably heard about the wild success of Serial, produced by the same people who bring you This American Life. But NPR has stepped up with an amazing viral podcast story of its own – Invisibilia – a fascinating show that they describe as an exploration into “the intangible forces that shape human behavior – things like ideas, beliefs, assumptions and emotions.” How’s that for a “big tent” topic? But the fact is, Invisibilia is a breakout hit for the network, and podcasting plays a strong supporting role in its success.
NPR’s VP of Programming, Eric Nuzum, simply calls it “a force of nature.” That’s probably a better way to explain the more than 33 million downloads Invisibilia has garnered since its debut earlier this year.
A new article from Poynter’s Benjamin Mullin, “Inside NPR’s Podcasting Strategy,” seeks to crack the code that explains why the on-demand audio download leaders are dominated by public radio products. And in the process, NPR has put together a smart strategy, guided by the following tenets:
- Focus. NPR practiced the “Law of Sacrifice,” methodically evaluating what was an out of control list of more than 100 podcasts, and slicing that menu down to around 30.
- Discovery. NPR improved and streamlined its podcast search system, making it easy for users to find the content they like.
- Cross-promotion. This is an area where public radio has always lagged behind its commercial counterparts, often taking an “If we build it, people will somehow find it” position. With Invisibilia and other podcasts and programming, NPR is aggressively and clearly communicating about its podcasts and how and where to access them.
- Personality. While public radio personalities may be quite a bit different than Bubba the Love Sponge, they are on an equal (if not greater) footing than any celebrity when it comes to trust. NPR has deployed its most influential hosts to get its messaging about podcasting out to its massively loyal audience.
- Strategy. Throughout the article, you see clear signs that NPR has spent time, effort, research, and analysis carefully studying data and audience feedback in order to craft a multi-layered plan. Unlike the “Random Acts of Podcasting” methodology so common to other broadcast groups and media outlets, NPR stepped back from the on-demand abyss, studied the space, and emerged with a game plan that’s worked.
- Trial & error. But like all things digital, there’s no one solution. At the outset of Invisibilia, NPR carved out a very modest budget ($1,500) for Facebook ads, premised on the common belief that Zuckerberg’s platform could easily target public radio fans. After realizing the power of their own bullhorn – that cross-promotion piece – they pocketed the cash and focused on using their own assets to “pinball” listeners to their podcasts.
But there’s one element of NPR’s podcast success that is skimmed over in the Poynter piece, and it may, in fact, be the most important of them all – content. None of this happens if NPR isn’t creating, developing, and innovating amazing programs and features, presented by trusted hosts. The mechanics of podcasting are secondary to the central truth that proprietary, engaging stories, features, and programs are at the epicenter of NPR’s podcasting model.
That’s one of the secrets of Invisibilia, Serial, and the myriad of podcasts that continue to occupy the upper regions of the iTunes ranker. If these shows aren’t captivating, engaging, and worthy, they aren’t going to be sought out, consumed, or shared by enough listeners to make much of a difference. For public radio, podcasting has become just another consumption destination – an increasingly easy way to seek out and enjoy programming in a whenever/wherever format.
For commercial radio, questions and confusion abound about podcasting abound. And much of this consternation could be resolved or clarified with some well-designed research and strategic thinking. New data from Techsurvey11 indicate that about a fifth of our web survey sample says they’ve listened to a podcast or on-demand audio in the past month. That’s the good news.
But the tougher putt is that for many broadcast outlets, podcasting remains confusing – both to talent and listeners. From a radio programming perspective, questions revolve around determining the best podcasting configurations – simply making archived shows available, chunking shows into shorter segments, creating new material that has never been broadcast, or something altogether different.
Many radio personalities function like celebrities to local listeners, providing an opportunity to produce podcasts on topics that go well beyond what audiences hear on the air. A morning guy who is also a “foodie” might create an on-demand feature based around recipes. That trivia buff midday jock could easily segue over to a podcast that revolves around vinyl record collecting or trivia. And the night guy who knows more about motorcycles than any of us could turn his hobby and passion into a great podcast.
Developing a strategy for podcasting is the “step one” that so many stations skip over, only to become frustrated by on-demand programming that isn’t in very high demand.
And finally, there’s the money piece. When I interviewed Norm Pattiz, I asked him whether we might be entering the “golden age of podcasting,” as some have predicted. His response?
“Not even close. This is the pathway to get to the golden age, but we’re still in a very, very early stage. I mean this business is not a $100 million business right now. And even if it was, that would be infinitesimally small. When you look at the business and you think that maybe (Podcast One) might be 50% of it in terms of advertising revenue, that doesn’t mean it’s a big business. And that’s one of the reasons why I think the major broadcast groups haven’t looked at it seriously until now because it doesn’t represent an immediate needle mover for companies like iHeart or Cumulus.”
But CBS Radio has gotten the message. Their announcement last year of Play.it represents a major commercial broadcast group’s commitment to the space. And in the same Poynter article, NPR talks about holding a “podcasting upfront” with advertisers – a sure sign of monetization sincerity.
Add the fact that smart guys like Pattiz and Goldstein are moving headlong into this space has to tell you that there is incredible opportunity to be had. And it’s all coming at a time when radio companies are struggling with spot revenue, while looking for alternative sources of revenue.
A conundrum? A Rubik’s cube?
Sounds like a no-brainer.
Enjoy your holiday weekend. JacoBLOG will be back on Monday with fresh content for a new week.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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