Listening to podcasts on the web is increasing

• Exclusive: The amount of listening to podcasts on the web is increasing, according to new data supplied to Podnews by Simplecast. The data represents all Simplecast shows, and shows plays from Google Podcasts and Apple Podcasts on the web. “Many podcast hosts would just credit 'web browsers’ with this data,” said Stephen Hallgren, CTO of Simplecast. “But because Simplecast is able to check HTTP referrers, we’re also able to see how successful Apple Podcasts Preview is on the web, and how popular Google Podcasts plays are within Google Search. All these metrics are IAB compliant and are reportable through our Audience dashboard.”

  • The amount is still quite small - less than 0.5% of all podcast plays; however, to put this in context, many smaller podcast apps account for less than 1%. It’s also likely that these services are used to help sample podcasts, rather than regularly play them.
  • Referrers are shortly to be added to the Open Podcast Analytics Working Group repository, for everyone to use. Interested developers who want in to the private Slack group should hit reply and ask.

• Voxnest reports that Spotify is now beating Apple Podcasts in three more countries: Portugal, Algeria and Bulgaria. Apple managed to claw Romania back. Voxnest also point out that there is a strong correlation between podcasts listened-to in Brazil and Portugal.

  
  Aug 16 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.

• What equipment and tech are podcasters using? The Podcast Host has revealed the results of their latest survey. For microphones, Australian company Røde are most popular (we use one too when not on the road). The data also reveals that 26% of people don’t use headphones when they record.

• Television producer Endemol Shine Group has agreed a deal with DAX as commercial podcast partner. The Birthday Game is their first podcast, which was promoted on radio stations owned by DAX’s parent, Global.

• Entries are open for the 24th Annual Webby Awards.

Podnews is shorter than normal today, due to travel. Tomorrow, we’ll reveal the announcements from Podfront in San Francisco.