Most news outlets and media agencies have pivoted to video in order to reach a more connected audience.
With the rising popularity of podcasts, those same agencies should instead be focused on audio.
Over the past 10 years, podcast have experienced dramatic growth as a platform. According a Business Insider report, in 2008 only 9 percent of the American population had listened to a podcast in the past month. That percentage has steadily risen, reaching a 21 percent figure in 2016. That leads to a total estimate of 57 million monthly listeners consistently consuming these podcasts and giving companies the listener numbers necessary to pull in advertising numbers.
So why have people been tuning in?
One of the main reasons is the corresponding rise in multitasking. Podcasts do not require the full attention of the listener and can be played in the background while the listener focuses on other work.
The Washington Post reports Americans are maintaining a ridiculously single-minded focus on working as much as possible, with most workloads rising above 40 hours a week. This means people don’t have as much down time to read and consume traditional media, which is exactly where podcasts come in.
Many people report using a constant stream of videos as background noise that helps them maintain productivity, but podcasts require no extra attention beside listening in order to glean information from media resources.
Podcasts also provide news and focused interests in an easily accessible medium. Instead of spending hours trawling through dozens of news releases and web pages, podcasts can cover a smorgasbord of information the audience would otherwise have to spend considerable time discovering.
The conversational approach of most podcasts allows for a natural flow between ideas and topics that makes the information easier to retain and opens doors to other outlets.
Jonah Baker | Argonaut
Conveniently enough for podcasters, students are notorious for having little time and a tendency for multitasking.
Most students studying alone at the library can be found with headphones in, plugging away at schoolwork.
A Fast Company report highlighted the results of a Glasgow lab’s finding that type of background noise and improved production vary by individual. Some students may find Taylor Swift’s latest release to be very beneficial to their study habits, but others may appreciate the more conversational approach of podcasts.
Another huge argument for podcasts is their unique ability to create brands. Video forces the creator to entertain and provide some form of visual in order to keep the audience’s attention. Podcasting allows for the creator to simply convey their thoughts and arguments in a more natural presentation. The lack of visuals allows for students and creators to focus more on the content of their work, and less about the more flowery and unnecessary parts of presentation.
And, free online platforms grant easy access to production tools for newcomers. Podcasts require a fraction of the arduous work behind the scenes of video production, yet they can still be just as useful to students and creatives.
Students are always at a deficit for time, and podcasts can fit two very important purposes for them. Between providing in-depth information in a focused manner and affording students an accessible and popular medium to further their thoughts and brands, the potential of podcasts for students really cannot be understated.
Jonah Baker can be reached at [email protected]