FeedBurner Podcast Metrics

[Cookiepuss]

On the FeedBurner blog:
http://www.burningdoor.com/feedburner/archives/001029.html

They have some interesting numbers on the growth of podcasting feeds and listenership.

Interesting excerpts:

We launched SmartCast in October of 2004, and by the end of the year, we were managing about 750 podcasts via the SmartCast service. That total is now up to 1,750.
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Overall, we measured 13,500 listeners to podcasts that FeedBurner managed at the beginning of January and 24,000 listeners at the beginning of February. Doing the math from the chart above, you can see that this runs at a steady average of about 14-15 listeners per podcast.
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Seems to almost ba an exponential growth of pocasts! :shock:

[Craig]

Yes, but while the growth in podcasts may be exponential the growth in listeners is flat, which is definitely a concern.

Craig

[theFerf]

Very valid point. Lets hope some of the press that is again surrounding podcasting will attract tons of new listeners.

[Craig]

I'm hoping that the AP and USA today articles, which both target and will reach a wider and more mainstream audience than previous coverage, will have a noticeable impact.

Craig

[DaveMiller]

All of the paper press is great, but the press that podcasting really needs is television. Tech TV is not enough. That is too nich. The networks have to run a story or two. Then we will see listenership increase.

I meet iPod owners everyday and they are oblivious. I mention that podcasting has been in the newspaper and I get this glazed over look and the comment, "well I don't really read the paper".

TV coverage is where it is going to be.

Another concern of mine is when I hear that Adam Curry has 50,000 listeners. Their aren't even 2000 podcasters. I understand that he is the focal point of most press, but is it me or does that number seem high?

[Craig]

I'm not going to answer that question directly, because I know the press reads these forums. I have a pretty good idea of ballpark numbers though, based on some comparative figures I've seen between his show and mine. The only thing that matters is that he has a substantial audience that's large enough for the media to take notice. If it weren't for that face we'd all have significantly smaller audiences than we do now.

Craig

[Cookiepuss]

It also helps Mr. Curry that every other podcaster around has a link to his site. Along with the fact that when people hear his name they ponder for a momment and go, "oh yeah that MTV guy from the 80's!". :lol:

[DaveMiller]

I don't think any of us are here to dog on Adam... but just like cookiepuss said, the fact that AC has some notarity is the reason for the attention. I have no problem with that. Honestly, do you think if there was someone else creating this podcasting thing other than Curry, the medial would take note so fast? I don't think so. We are well ahead of schedule shall you say.

[Cookiepuss]

Yeah. . . you gotta give Adam credit for getting the mommentum going. I think maybe what it comes down to is that most TV also owns radio. While BBC and NPR embrace podcasting others might see it as a threat to thier adverstising income.

When you consider that:

CBS Radio is the largest chain of stations 42,809,800 listeners on79 stations*

and ABC Radio is #7 with 11,715,400 listeners on 21 stations*

No wonder there is not a lot of TV coverage of podcasting. ;) So podcasting is ahead of the game. Just as with blogging, word of mouth is what will get it going on a higher level.


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*(Source: Who OwnsWhat (Arbitron Ratings Company) Feb. 3, 1997)

[notyourusualbollocks]

I've said it before but I really think podcasting 'reach' will only expand significantly if RSS functionality becomes directly integrated into iTunes. So far it's just too much hassle for people to install separate memory hungry aggregators. Let's hope the folks at Apple are lurking around podcastalley.

MK
www.notyourusualbollocks.squarespace.com

[theFerf]

for those of you talking about podasting needing to be on television, there was indeed an instance of this...syndicated many times.

I was interviewed by a reporter fron CNN and they aired a segment on the Paula Zahn, NOW show where they talked about the growth rate of iPods and then started talking about podcasting. I had explained to the reporter that, unless you were a pirate, rich, or just had tons of CDs somehow, it would be hard to fill the iPods with music, and thats what made podcasting great...we can fill the iPods no Problem :) They then showed the PodcastAlley.com website and talked briefly about what it did. they even highlited Reel Reviews and played a sample audio clip from his podcast.

This was played last Friday night (FEB 11) and re-played MANY times. I got an email from the Skinny on Sports saying it was re-aired in his area and my dad also called me at 7am Sunday morning saying they were replaying it again.

So, in answer, TV has started noticing. If anyone is interested in Downloadng the Paula Zahn CNN video, please let me know and maybe I can get my hands on it.

[Cookiepuss]

. . . If anyone is interested in Downloadng the Paula Zahn CNN video, please let me know and maybe I can get my hands on it.

You can always torrent it. I'm sure many people would like to see it. :)

[PBCliberal]

I would love to see it. I used to be such a CNN junkie that even a few hours away from it brought the onset of anaphylactic shock. This thread caused me to realize that I haven't been to CNN real in a week, and didn't even turn headline on today, since we had breakfast outside.

ON EDIT: Its up at Dawn and Drew's site: In all its glory (http://mp3.dndshow.com/cnnipodnation.mov) and in quick-downloading podcast segment solamente. (http://mp3.dndshow.com/cnnpodcasting.mov)

[theFerf]

Sweet, saves me the bandwidth!

Thanks Drew!

[bramley]

I know of another major cable channel that's planning on covering Ipods in education and possibly podcasting as part of that. I'll report back when it's live and if the podcasting bit gets included. Just wanted to chime in that TV is noticing.

On another note, think about how many podcasters can't even get their own moms to listen. Geez, if you can't get your own parents interested, how you gonna get TV to pay attention?

[PBCliberal]

On another note, think about how many podcasters can't even get their own moms to listen. Geez, if you can't get your own parents interested, how you gonna get TV to pay attention?
TV is paying attention because they're a follow-the-leader business that doesn't spend much time or energy developing its own stories, and have discovered blogs as a great way to get others to do their work for them.

Ten years ago, you could spend $200 at a magazine stand and find the source articles for just about every feature piece you'd see on the news networks next month. Now its blogs. Notice how often bloggers like Jeff Jarvis are on the Sunday media shows or provocative right wing bloggers like Andrew Sullivan sit across from Aaron Brown?

Whether or not you believe blogs sired the podcast through "audioblogs" at least the blogs have been talking about us, and that means the lazy videojournalists see us as trendy and leading edge. Ipods are hot and trendy, and you can play the audio and give folks a behind-the-scenes look. Lots of sizzle here!

I think our strength is in narrowcasting. You probably already know you aren't going to find the majority of people are very interested in what Shakespeare ate (I always heard he got trichinosis from eating Bacon), but you'll probably find enough to keep your server busy (I was fascinated by your show).

If this comes true, we will nickle and dime big media to death. Any one of us won't attract big numbers, but all of us together can decimate mass media. Yet there won't be many of us who will pick niches that impress our mothers.