FeedBurner Podcast Metrics

[Cookiepuss]

On the FeedBurner blog:
http://www.burningdoor.com/feedburne...es/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!

[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!".

[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