Imagine being stuck in traffic, working out at the gym, or simply unwinding after a long day.
Feeling bored of repeating your same old music playlist? 🎼
Try getting a storyteller, expert, or comedian to speak directly to you as you carry on with your day-to-day activities.
That’s the magic of podcasts.
In the past decade, podcasts have skyrocketed in popularity, especially with the youth, with more than 400 million global podcast listeners yearly.
On the campaign trail for the 2024 US presidential election campaign, the Republican Party nominee President Trump famously did many podcasts as his media outreach strategy.
His podcast episode struck a chord with many young voters and ultimately became a key reason for his electoral success.
Wonder what is behind the surge of podcast listeners? Hint: It is authenticity. ☺️
Podcast Grew Rapidly During The Covid Pandemic
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The pandemic played a huge role in the initial hike in the podcast industry, with lockdowns fueling a sense of boredom and amount of free time listeners.
Exploiting people’s need for connection and engagement during such critical times is also significant in contributing to the podcasting industry’s success. 📈
Podcasts soon attracted an initial wave of listeners by providing a sense of connection and intimacy between hosts and listeners.
Ease Of Listening And Creation Of Podcasts
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Starting a podcast today requires very little investment.
A microphone, computer, and internet connection and voila, the podcast studio is ready to go. 💻
During the pandemic, celebrity podcasts have also grown in popularity as they leveraged this medium to build a more genuine connection with their audience.
Furthermore, traditional filming and production have been put on hold, and many actors and internet celebrities resorted to podcasting as a means of producing content, to stay relevant in the entertainment industry.
As celebrities moved to podcasts many of their fans and audience logically also became podcast listeners as they tried to find out more from their favourite celebrity.
Large Diversity Of Podcasts Means There Is Something For Everyone
The diverse nature of podcasts, ranging from comedy, sports, and entertainment to true crime, plays an essential role in retaining its longevity.
By covering a wide range of topics, podcasts can capture an extensive group of demographics, suiting most differing interests.
Have niche interests like herding about crime stories?
Rotten Mango is a true crime podcast on Spotify that a well-known YouTuber hosts “Stephanie Soo.” It is one of the most popular podcasts on the global rankings. 🔪
With her feisty personality, Stephanie dramatises the most bizarre cold cases and serial killers, garnering a lot of attention and admiration for true crime and landing her in the top 10 most popular podcasts on Spotify!
This just shows how much the podcast community have to offer to a wide range of interests.
Podcasts Builds Intimacy and Community
Podcasts foster a greater personal connection between the host and audience, which is difficult to achieve in traditional media.
In order to facilitate communication between listeners and the host, podcasters frequently establish communities around their shows.
Popular podcasts such as ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ have communities such as subreddits and Twitter hashtags that allow listeners to share their thoughts, offering an immediate sense of camaraderie.
Hence, listening to a podcast provokes an impression that one is a valued member of a community where like-minded individuals share their thoughts and experiences. 🧑🤝🧑
This fostered a sense of community is a strong lure that keeps listeners interested and returning for more.
Moreover, a lack of trust in traditional media has been an increasing trend, with a lack of diverse perspectives and in-depth reporting being the main driving force.
Concerns about the lack of accountability in larger media outlets have threatened the foundations of media democracy, leading more people to turn towards podcasts.
Low Costs and Easy Accessibility of Podcasts
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Podcasting is a popular choice for entertainment because it requires little to no cost to listen to one.
While one can use a paid listening service like ‘Spotify Premium’, which provides access to certain unique content, the majority of podcasts can be found in the app for free.
For many, this simple, cost-free access is a big lure.
Furthermore, the growth of podcasting platforms has resulted in easier accessibility for content producers and distributors to create and upload podcasts.
To summarise, the evolution of media preferences and the pandemic has made people discover the true value of podcasts.
With the daily increase in podcast listeners, it’s possible that podcasts could eventually dominate mainstream media. 📝
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