Podcasting 2023: Trends Marketers Need To Know

Who hasn’t heard of podcasts — a modern radio-style program industry continuously evolving with diverse content to cater to its various listeners? 

Whether you are an avid listener of podcast documentaries or you jog while tuning into tips on preparing a nutritional meal plan, podcasts have become entwined in many people's daily lives.

Starting as an interview with Christopher Lydon by Dave Winer in 2004, podcasts have now evolved into a profitable industry with an estimated 90 million listeners monthly. With these numbers, the expected growth rate of its market is at a Compound Interest Growth Rate (CAGR) of 31.1% in 2028.

If you are a digital marketer looking to start a podcast of your own, now is the perfect time to jot down this list of 2023 trends in podcasting that you need to know.

1. An increase in sound quality

Listening to podcasts has been a habit for its avid listeners. With 32% of Americans regularly tuning in to podcasts, it’s no surprise how easy it has been for this innovation to be a part of our status quo.

But how do you upgrade a regular podcast to a note-worthy sensory experience? Upping your game in terms of sound quality might just be the answer. 

You can improve your audio quality by investing in the right gadgets. However, you also have to make sure that your podcast’s content is creative, fresh, engaging, and relevant to your target listeners. 

2. Influencers as guests and hosts

Another way to keep your podcasts at a high momentum is by having people who are experts at producing engagement as guests.

There’s no doubt that influencers have mastered the art of creating tap-worthy content. They have already established a brand that may be aligned with your podcast and have a following that can help attract more listeners.

In short, your host and guests are selling points you shouldn’t overlook.

A good example of this is the podcast hosted by Julie Solomon. The Influencer Podcast helps newbie influencers develop their brands with guides on how to establish a marketable household name.

Source: Listen Notes

3. Live Podcasting

An engaging live podcast with your audience is a chance to tap into the blooming interest in live streaming by 34% of Generation Z’s population. With a 26.4-minute average viewing time per session, live podcasting is a trend you should definitely hop on. 

You can even take your podcasts up a notch and capture the essence of an interactive viewing experience while earning with Youtube’s Partner Program. Subscribers who wish to have their comments pinned or appear as colored chats may purchase Super Chats and Super Stickers. 

Source: TechnoBuffalo

Another way to monetize your podcast on Youtube is through advertisements. The average earning for an advertisement that’s been watched for at least 30 seconds is around 18 cents per view. While streaming is spontaneous due to its live nature, it is important to keep your content advertiser-friendly if this is an option you are looking at to bring in that bag. 

4. Data-driven decisions

We all know that creators who understand their audience well are able to produce some of the most effective and immersive content. And one of the best ways to do that is by utilizing analytics and data with these tips:

• Research trending topics and keywords relevant to your target audience to increase engagement. 
• Learn your listeners’ demographics (who listens to you, what do they want to hear, and why?), and the effective marketing strategies specific to your niche.
• Fine-tune your content based on timely and competitive strategies that are backed up by data to keep you on top of your game.
• Plan your content in advance to ensure you are covering topics at an optimum time. A smart Kanban tool can help with this. 

5. Optimization for voice searches

If you can use your voice to produce quality podcasts, your listener can also use their voice to search for podcasts through voice searches.

With voice searches being a convenient and modern way to make commands or search up something on the web, 71% of consumers opt for voice searches as opposed to written searches. 

The practicality of voice search will only continue to be appreciated over time. Now, households have AI speakers that make voice searches accessible to more people. But how does one make sure that your podcast appears as a tap-worthy result the next time a potential listener searches for podcasts with the same content?

The answer is a high SEO score. Make sure to add the right keywords in your marketing content, infographics, and everything that is related to your podcast. Podcasters have to be specific about their content to reach their target audience and land on the right results page. 

Another thing to keep in mind is the nature of voice searches. People tend to ask questions to find what they are looking for. Optimizing words such as what your podcast is about or who it is for and semantically related keywords will aid in its searchability. 

Check out this graph of the most common questions by those who use voice searches to guide you:

Source: Seopressor.com

6. Immersive soundscapes

Let’s head back to how we can elevate podcasts to an immersive auditory experience. One of the podcasts’ selling points is the story they tell. Effective soundscapes help with this and subsequently turn listeners into avid subscribers. 

Create a specific environment for your listeners’ headspace by adding relevant music and sound effects to your episodes. It takes your podcast’s production value to another level and provides a unique experience they can get back to if they subscribe. 

Think of immersive soundscapes as an ASMR unboxing experience. Ripping off the wrapping (adding music and sound effects) is as much of an experience as getting to the actual product (your podcast’s content).

A good example of a podcast with an immersive soundscape is The Team Deakins, hosted by cinematographer Roger Deakins and his wife, James. The podcast features an ongoing conversation between the two about cinematography and film. 

Source: rogerdeakins.com

7. Indy podcast networks

Nowadays, you can create your own podcast independent from networks and still achieve success. Without affiliation to a large media house and restrictions, podcasters have the liberty to explore their content and design it according to their preferences and expertise. 

Another advantage of this independence is that it helps podcasters of the same background collaborate and tap into their combined audiences. 

Just take a look at the independently produced podcast Escape Pod. It features science fiction stories by various authors.

8. Exclusive or secret podcasts

Treat your listeners to exclusive treats that will keep them coming back for more.

Podcasts are usually around 41 minutes, but sometimes, some topics require more time than that. If you can’t squeeze a lengthy discussion into a single episode, turning it into an exclusive series might be a good option.

It isn’t rare for creatives to have a bright idea that people can’t seem to let go of, and if it’s selling like pancakes, they might as well cook some more. 

Whether it is an argument of whether chickens or eggs came first (our vote goes to chickens, by the way) or an enriching podcast about software development, take the time to find ways to curate content exclusive to your brand. Or, add a twist to a classic that’s never been heard of before.

Additionally, you can publish extra content for loyal listeners. Master YouTube video editing and bring your best podcast moments to life for your supporters. Or, start a monthly newsletter full of recaps, quotes, and extra content for people to enjoy.

9. Podcasters as influencers

A platform where people can listen to you grants you the power of influence. So, it’s no surprise that a good number of podcasters have now become influencers as well. 

As the face and voice of their podcasts, rising podcasters can make use of their social media platforms to establish a following that will pull more listeners. At the same time, posting vlogs about the behind-the-scenes of the podcasts and what it’s like to be a host is a smart and personal way to connect to their audience and create a brand for themselves.

Source: Clipchamp

44% of internet users watch vlogs monthly, and you can take advantage of this exposure by learning the art of YouTube Marketing and mastering getting a high SEO grade for your content.

Podcasts and social media can be difficult to balance. But you can use a social media content calendar to make it easier and stay organized. 

10. Feedback in podcasts

The essence of podcasts is listening, but it can easily be a two-way street. In fact, one way to ensure you produce content that keeps your audience interested is by listening to them. 

Asking for feedback on what you need to improve and what they’d like to hear (or not) will give you a clearer scope on what topics and content to feature. Find out what’s in demand and what needs to be shelved to keep your podcasts innovative and appealing.

Another way to learn more about what listeners look forward to during your podcasts is by encouraging them to interact with you through comments and social media. User-Generated Content (UGC) is also gold here.

11. Podcast Public Relations (PR)

It is important to emphasize the value of having regular patrons who avidly listen to podcasts because of their connection with the host. Yet, at the same time, it does not end there. A podcaster’s goal should also include getting new listeners with every episode. 

An effective method to invite people to listen to you is by learning how to create an infographic that gets people excited. 

Create concise, information-ridden, and appealing publishing materials that include all the necessary context that one needs to learn more about your podcast. 

You may want to check out this list of infographic must-haves to ensure that your material encapsulates all your desired and vital content:

• It has an attractive design that captures your podcast’s theme.
• Your podcast’s title should be legible and easy to find.  
• Information about the host, release dates of episodes, timeslot (if it’s a live podcast), and where to find your podcast should be indicated.
• Reach your target audience by adjusting your marketing tone to cater to them.
• Add a sneak peek of what they can expect when they subscribe to your podcast.
• Do not forget to add hashtags when you post infographics on your social media to help you reach users interested in the same content. Adding hashtags will also give you a paper trail of your posts with the same tags.

12. SMS marketing

It is estimated that 91.54% of the world’s population owns either a smart device or a mobile phone. That total of 7.26 billion people are most likely glued to their gadgets. With that figure, one of the best tools that you can use for marketing is… you guessed it right — SMS.

There’s quite a selection of SMS campaign ideas you can use to market your podcasts, including the Seasonal Marketing Campaign. In this strategy, potential or regular subscribers receive warm greetings for different occasions and an invitation to tune into a special seasonal podcast. 

Regardless of the occasion or the campaign idea you choose, do not miss out on the chance to attract more listeners with every ping.

Get ahead with 2023's podcast trends

With podcasts slowly becoming a staple in modern media and entertainment, these evolving trends will continue to develop. Thus, we urge marketers to follow them to produce high-quality, competitive podcasts that match their audience’s growing expectations.

Whether a host or an independent producer, learning to navigate this uphill journey will offer you opportunities to improve and stay relevant in a flourishing industry. In order to strap in success, you must refine your marketing strategies, boost your SEO content, and seek the help of professionals who can assist you.

Striving to build a remarkable brand is the focal point of a successful podcast that listeners won’t be able to get enough of.