There has been a significant increase in the percentage of Americans 12+ who have at least tried a podcast at some point in their lives: That’s 177 million Americans 12+ — by comparison, that is roughly the number of Americans that used Facebook last year, according to Infinite Dial projections.

Here we grow again! The world of podcasting continues to expand with a steady stream of major brands investing in the space. NBC News is the latest media giant making an ambitious push into the podcast market. They begin with two audio series on conspiracy theories, the British royalty and the legacy of Title IX in scholastic athletics planned in the next few months.

Podcasts' reach, popularity and engagement have become a new content source and companion vehicle for television and movie producers. Whether the genre is true crime, comedy or something else, there are an estimated 100+ podcasts in various phases of program development by streaming providers and television networks. 

Everything Podcasts is proud to announce our latest series, “Untarnished” created for the Canadian Museums Association. This is the first in a three-part series centered on the state of museums today viewed through the lens of the CMA’s 2022 conference theme, Dismantling Foundations to Build a Better Tomorrow.

2021 continued to be a record-setting year for podcasting. As we enter a brand new year, what does the podcast ecosystem look like?

At the end of 2021, Spotify had become the leading listening destination for podcast consumption. The big three podcast tuning platforms (Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify) also expanded share.

Advertiser and agency interest in podcasts continued to rise: Podcast advertising consideration, intention, and usage were at an all-time high according to a November 2021 Advertiser Perceptions study of 300 media agencies and marketers.

CharityVillage Connects is a 12 episode series that highlights topics vital to the nonprofit sector in Canada. CharityVillage is a resource to over 170,000 charitable and nonprofit organizations in Canada. This series, hosted by President Mary Barroll, will provide in-depth conversations with experts in the nonprofit sector.

The justified condemnation of the toxic effect of social media has gripped us all and our outrage has been further fueled by the recent news that Facebook and Instagram were aware of the debilitating effects of their respective platforms causing everything from teenage body dysmorphia to political discourse.

Brands are understandably re-evaluating their media strategies and social partnerships. For advertisers looking for new options and significant alternatives, podcasting can fill the void.

Move over social media, podcasters are the new influencers in town!

How can podcasting help elevate your brand, business and/or service? Creating compelling content relevant to your audience that supports your expertise or service is a powerful way to engage your audience and build brand loyalty. The depth of connection a brand can build with an audience through podcasting is unparalleled. Read more about the power of podcasting for brands in our blog post, “Why are more brands turning to podcasting?”

One of the questions we are frequently asked is, “how long should my podcast be?” We believe great content dictates length, however we can lean on the research as a guide. Back in 2019 our friends at Pacific Content found the average podcast length, based on nearly 19 million episodes from more than 600,000 podcasts, was just a little over 41 minutes. That number has decreased over the last couple of years but the sweet spot remains around the 40 minute mark. Still, 40 minutes is a long time. Competition for attention is fierce. We are frequently attracted to the latest Tic Tok challenge, back to back Zoom calls or a seemingly endless buffet of new streaming apps. Any content choice must bring a creative A game to survive.