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Writer's pictureInside Audio Marketing

What Are Podcasters Thinking? The Answer May Depend On How Long They’ve Been Podcasting.


What’s on the mind of podcasters? A survey released by The Podcast Host offers some insights. It shows a growing dichotomy between what podcast has been since its birth nearly two decades ago, and where it is going. Consider the survey results: 50% said podcasts and RSS feeds go hand in hand, while the other half disagreed or didn’t care one way or the other.


The number also represents a split between podcasting’s old guard and its new generation. Of those who have been podcasting for five or more years, two-thirds says RSS feed is what defines a podcast. Among those who have been podcasting for fewer than five years, 40% agreed. Newcomers are more likely to see social media and YouTube just as important as RSS.


There is also a split among the two groups when it comes to their view of Apple. The survey found 45% of longtime podcasters wish the company that first introduced the on-demand audio medium to the world would do more to boost the industry. But more novice podcasters are less inclined to see Apple as the guardian of the business. And overall, 13% of those survey agreed with the statement “Apple has done a lot for us, and can’t be expected to do more.” The Podcast Hosts says the survey results show how much influence the behemoth of Apple has lost in podcasting, thanks to the rapid growth of Spotify and other platforms.


In terms of content, half of those who responded to the survey said they see podcast censorship as a slippery slope, and 14% said no one should be policing podcast content.


Yet half of survey respondents said they are concerned about harmful, dangerous and misleading content in podcasting. Among them, 17% said listening apps and discovery platforms are responsible for weeding out harmful content. And 19% said they have the responsibility to weed out harmful content.


The Podcast Host says its survey shows several “strong differences” between experts and novices on some of the current hot topics in the creator economy. Nearly 40% of veterans think NFTs should have no place in podcasting, whereas nearly a quarter of more novice content creators think it does. Amongst those respondents that started podcasting for business reasons, more than a third (36%) believe NFTs have a place in podcasting. Of note: the same number (36%) of those with a more altruistic motives believe NFTs should not have a place in this space.


In terms of technology 60% of podcast veterans have a set loudness level (LUFS) for their podcast and nearly 80% has a bitrate (the amount of data being transferred into audio) preference. But the next generation of creators are less tech-focused. The survey finds nearly a third (30%) are completely indifferent towards LUFS (Loudness Units relative to Full Scale) and 43% do not think much about bitrates. And three in ten novices use podcast web-apps such as Alitu to automate their tech standards.


The Podcast Host survey data is based on information collected from its website at the end of 2021. Responses from 537 podcasters around the globe were received. While not a representative sample of the industry overall, the results offer a glimpse into what many podcasters are thinking in 2022.


Read the full survey results HERE.

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