This Week In The Podverse, March 17, 2023
This Week In The Podverse, March 17, 2023
Update your podcast industry knowledge and refresh your playlists with this week's top offers!
New Episodes…
Loose Talk: This week, AOT2, Steve, and Osagie delve into various topics including the aftermath of the elections, the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Lagos, Afrobeats, live performances, Yoruba Nollywood, and more.
234Essential: From analyzing Governor Sanwo-Olu's campaign strategy for the Lagos State Gubernatorial elections to discussing the recent rollout of the National Census budget, AOT2 and Uhgochee provide valuable insights into the political landscape of the country. They also address the alarming issue of negligence on the part of a BRT driver involved in a train accident, highlighting the urgent need for better safety measures.
Afrobeats Intelligence: Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie talks with music journalist Joey Akan about his success, pioneering Azonto, and engaging with Bob Marley's legacy in this episode.
The Seun Osigbesan Podcast: Good success is not luck, but the result of hard work and deliberate effort. In this sermon, Pastor Seun shares his insights on trusting in God, being persistent, and using our imagination to manifest success.
Into The Podverse w/Tony Doe: New episodes every Monday. Follow, listen, and share to discover the latest and greatest in the world of podcasts.
News
‘Generational Business Podcast’ launched in Nigeria
Uchenna Ezenna-Gboneme, media director of Orange Group, has launched a business podcast called 'Generational Business,' aiming to explore the intricacies of running a family enterprise in Nigeria. The podcast features successful second and third-generation leaders at the helm of these businesses and seeks to uncover the driving forces behind them. 'Generational Business' can be streamed on Africa Business Radio, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.
Debunking the Podcast Pandemic in Nigeria
In a recent article, Nigerian writer Ekpenyong Ekpenyong addressed the controversy around the so-called "podcast pandemic" in Nigeria. Ekpenyong argues that the podcasting industry in Nigeria is still in its nascent stages and needs room to experiment and grow. While some Twitter users have complained about the ubiquity of Nigerian podcasts, Ekpenyong points out that these podcasts are not as mainstream as radio or TV and are still being developed for a niche audience. He encourages more experimentation in podcasting, including the creation of different kinds of podcasts such as investigative, documentary, narrative, and storytelling podcasts.
Nigerian Podcasters Try New Spotify Feature
It’s great to see Nigerian podcasters try out Spotify’s new Q&A feature. The So Nigerian podcast shared a tweet with a couple of screenshots, highlighting different reviews from fans of the podcast. While one praised them for their no-holds-barred approach to political commentary, the other berated them for spending too much time promoting a party, he doesn’t support.
AfroPact Podcast: African Impact
Frank Aswani has launched a new podcast series called AfroPact to showcase African impact stories. Through his podcast, Frank aims to feature individuals, organizations, and governments that are driving African solutions to African problems. The podcast will focus on impact investing and highlight the importance of impactful initiatives in Africa. Frank invites people to subscribe to the podcast and suggests potential guests or topics for future episodes. The first episode is set to be released soon.
South Africa's Spotify Anniversary
Spotify has been in South Africa for five years now, and during this time, the platform has made a significant impact on the music and podcast industry in the region. South African listeners have created millions of playlists and spent billions of hours listening to their favourite tracks and podcasts. Amapiano, a popular South African music genre, has seen massive growth on the platform, along with the success of both global and local artists. Spotify's programs have also helped to support emerging and underrepresented artists, while its Africa Podcast Fund initiative aims to amplify the stories of African creators on a global scale. To celebrate this milestone, Spotify has shared the top 50 tracks being streamed in South Africa today.
Paulo Dias observes that over the past five years, podcasts have exploded in popularity in South Africa, with billions of hours of listening time logged. The market is growing, with diverse content types gaining traction, including self-help and educational shows. While Joe Rogan dominates the podcast charts, purpose-driven content is becoming increasingly important. Technicalities like whether the content is posted as a podcast or catch-up radio don't seem to matter to listeners, who just want to listen to what they enjoy. He adds that Darren Simpson's success across different media formats is a testament to the changing landscape of South African media.
Meanwhile, Sean Loots celebrates the impressive growth of podcasting in South Africa since Spotify's launch in 2018. With over 23.5 billion hours of listening time logged, Sean encourages listeners to support local podcast creators by filling up all five spots in the Top Podcasts by City list. He also invites his followers to share their favourite local podcasts and wants folks to take their podcasts more seriously.
The iHeartMedia's fifth annual Podcast Awards honoured the best and most innovative podcasts of 2022 in a virtual event hosted by actor and comedian Brian Baumgartner. The event was streamed on iHeartRadio's YouTube and Facebook platforms and broadcast nationwide on iHeartMedia radio stations and the iHeartRadio app. The award winners included podcasts from various genres, such as Las Culturistas, SmartLess, Planet Money, and The Daily. Special guests and celebrity presenters like Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett made appearances, and Brian Baumgartner kept the audience entertained with his comedic skits throughout the night.
Pod Sauce's latest article has fans of the heartwarming television series "Ted Lasso” covered with five essential podcasts that every Greyhound and Ted-head should listen to. These podcasts cover everything from episode recaps to character analyses, predictions, and commentary from avid fans, providing you with all the latest updates on the world of "Ted Lasso." The list also includes two podcasts hosted by Ted Lasso stars Brendan Hunt (Coach Beard) and Brett Goldstein, making it a must-have collection for all fans.
Pope Francis Marks 10th Year as Head of Catholic Church With A Podcast
Pope Francis marked his 10th year as head of the Catholic Church with a podcast, private mass, and a series of interviews. During his tenure, he overhauled the governance of the Church, took action against clerical child abuse, and shifted the perception of the papacy towards social issues. However, his approach has not been universally accepted, with critics accusing him of "doctrinal confusion." A recent interview with an Argentine news outlet also triggered a diplomatic spat with Nicaragua. Despite his age and health issues, the Pope continues to travel widely and work towards building bridges of love and fraternity among all human beings.
Podcast Awards Registration Open
The 18th Annual People's Choice Podcast Awards is currently accepting registrations for podcasters who wish to participate. Interested parties can head over to PodcastAwards.com to register their shows for as many categories as they like, with all registered shows automatically entered in the People's Choice category. The event's rules for 2023 have been updated, and potential sponsors can secure their spots today to have their listings prominently displayed on the website. The Podcast Awards team encourages followers to stay updated by following their social media pages on Twitter and Facebook. The team expresses their appreciation for everyone's continued support and looks forward to discovering which podcasts take home the awards.
"Fighting for Ukraine" is a gripping podcast hosted by Ukrainian soldier Yuriy Matsarsky. With more than 130 episodes released since its debut a year ago, Matsarsky takes listeners on a journey into the frontline of the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. His storytelling is raw and authentic, providing a unique perspective into the conflict. When there are gaps in the podcast's schedule, it's because Matsarsky has been called to fight elsewhere. Despite the danger, Matsarsky's work has been praised for its bravery and captivating storytelling. As the conflict continues, Matsarsky hopes to tell stories of rebuilding Ukraine when the war is over.
Media Companies Face Advertising Slowdown
The advertising slowdown affecting media companies in the first quarter of 2023 is due to an uncertain economy, but iHeartMedia CEO Bob Pittman remains optimistic that advertisers who have been holding back will return to the marketplace later in the year. Despite this, iHeart's Digital Audio Group continues to be the company's top growth engine, with podcasting being a highly effective medium that draws a younger audience. The executives note that podcast hosts engender high levels of engagement and trust with their audiences, making podcast advertising a worthwhile investment. The podcast industry is consolidating around big players like iHeart, making it easier to achieve scale, while smaller players are struggling to compete.
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Tips
In a podcasting tip, he shares on Twitter, Rodney the Young God Omoekachie emphasizes the importance of creating clever and creative titles for podcasts. He advises against naming a show after oneself, especially for those who are not yet established as celebrities or influential figures. Instead, he encourages podcasters to come up with intriguing and captivating titles that will capture the attention of potential listeners. To further enhance the appeal of a podcast, Rodney suggests that podcasters create visually striking cover art that complements the title. By implementing these tips, podcasters can potentially attract more listeners and increase the popularity of their shows.
In a recent tweet, Jeremy Enns talked about podcasters using artificial intelligence (AI) to save time in their production and marketing processes. He suggests three simple ways to leverage AI, including using Resound.fm to remove filler words from podcast episodes, importing the edited audio to Alitu for polishing, using SwellAI to generate show notes, companion blog posts, newsletters, social posts, and more, and using VidyoAI or Dubb to create promotional assets such as short-form video clips or animations based on the podcast's audio. Enns also notes that while these AI tools can save time, they still require some manual tweaking.
Jennay Horn discusses the struggle of discovering great podcasts and shares some top resources and strategies to help curate the perfect playlist. She acknowledges that although there are numerous podcasts available, it can be difficult to find the ones that truly stand out. To help, Jennay shares some strategies that she has developed over the years. These include using Podchaser, which provides universal ratings and content curation, and Trailer Park Podcast, where podcasters submit trailers for review. Jennay also recommends using Goodpods, a social app that provides great podcast recommendations and allows you to connect with podcasters. Reddit, ratings and reviews on platforms such as Apple Podcasts or Podchaser are also useful tools for discovering new podcasts. Lastly, Jennay provides a recommendation for young listeners with Sound Carrot, a platform that makes the discoverability of great, age-appropriate podcasts easy.
Ashley Morris advises podcasters to avoid generic, lengthy intros and instead create bespoke, engaging introductions for each episode. Morris suggests including a "Best bit" before the intro, keeping the intro short, and clearly stating the episode's topic. He also recommends using a conversational tone, adding music or sound effects, encouraging listeners to subscribe and share the podcast, and ending with a call to action. By following these tips, you can create a more engaging and immersive experience for your listeners.
Tools
Publish Your Podcast in YouTube Studio
Creators can now host and manage their podcasts on YouTube as a playlist with podcast episodes as videos. YouTube Studio provides podcast performance analytics, with metrics such as views, watch time, and estimated revenue. Podcasts are eligible for special features such as official search cards and badges. Best practices include creating a public playlist with a comprehensive description and using the same name for both the podcast and playlist title. YouTube Music app also features podcasts.
In a Gold Moment post in the Pod Circle, a community for Pod People members, John Gauntt shared his insights on integrating generative AI into a live podcast project. At Podcast Movement Evolutions, He discussed the benefits and challenges of using AI in podcasting and emphasized the importance of storytellers leading the way in utilizing new technologies. He showcased a visual trailer for Burner Face Season 1, a sci-fi title created with the help of a generative AI platform, demonstrating the potential of this innovative approach.
Podium, a platform for podcasters and creators, has launched an AI-powered content generator called PodiumGPT. With this new tool, users can easily create marketing material for their content by simply uploading their audio to Podium and selecting a preset or custom prompt. PodiumGPT can generate social media content, write compelling blog posts, and create ideas for new episodes in no time. The best part? PodiumGPT is included in users' current subscriptions, making it a game-changer for creators looking to save time and grow their audience.
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