By now, you're probably aware of The Infinite Dial Report by Edison Research and the general momentum that podcasting currently has.
And you're probably aware of at least some of what's in the report such as:
- 44% of Americans have listened to a podcast at least once
- 26% of Americans listen to podcasts monthly
- In the United States, female listenership of podcasts increased 14% over the previous year
- In the United States, 49% of podcasts are listened to at home, 23% of podcasts are listened to in the car
- 18% of Americans own a "smart speaker" device which can be used to access podcasts
Lies, Damn Lies, And Statistics
Are any of these numbers affecting your podcast specifically? Yes and no.
Part of the massive growth podcasting has seen over the last few years has to do with major media companies jumping into podcasting and, if you're an independent podcaster, you may not feel a big difference to what's happening with your podcast because you're likely going after a completely different audience.
However, anything that makes people more aware of podcasts is helpful to all podcasters. Anything that legitimizes podcasting in the eyes of people is helpful to all podcasters. Also, any technology that makes podcasts easier to access is helpful to all podcasters.
You are being helped by major media and technology companies and their embrace of podcasting.
Your Podcast And Social Media
Below are stats, courtesy of Awario, which will get you additional (and hopefully helpful) information about related online media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Is there an opportunity for you to promote your podcast and grow your audience via these platforms? Yes. But like the stats from The Infinite Dial Report, don't get caught up in numbers that have no direct influence on your podcast by changing what's already working for you. Instead, look at the momentum of these tools and use that momentum alongside what you're already doing. Beyond that, focus on people, not numbers.
