The podcast landscape is experiencing a significant surge in listenership, with a noteworthy 464.7 million global podcast listeners recorded as of December 2023. To put this into perspective, this figure represents 8.68% of total internet users. As the audience base expands, there is a natural evolution in content creation, consumption habits, and industry dynamics.
In this blog, we’ll look at six podcasting trends to look out for in 2024.
AI will become more integrated in podcasting processes
Like every industry, AI stands to shake the podcasting space to its core, impacting everything from post-production to content creation.
Admittedly, change can be scary, and it seems that podcasters understand this: More than 40% of them say they foresee a significant negative impact from the technology. However, consumers are less skeptical about the impact of AI. In a study conducted by Acast, the leading independent podcast company globally, 82% of listeners expressed support for the use of AI to enhance audio quality by eliminating background noise, normalizing audio levels, and detecting and eliminating filler words or long pauses.
Furthermore, audiences are interested in the potential of this technology to overcome language barriers. Support was shown by 80% of them for the use of AI in translating captions into different languages, making content more accessible to a global audience, irrespective of the spoken language.
AI also helps podcasters improve the listener experience and produce more in less time. For example, the free AI transcription tool Eddy by Headliner can enable you to get a fast, reliable transcript of your episode, and you can edit the audio by making changes to the text. It also offers automatic clip recommendations for engaging videos, along with show notes and keyword suggestions.
With so many AI tools available to assist you in whipping up promotional content and high-quality episodes, there’s no need to hide from the opportunities of this technology. Embracing it in 2024 can not only help you get ahead but also take work off your plate.
Look out for more live streams, in-person recordings, and podcasting events
The year 2022 saw the worldwide live-streaming market reach a value of $1.24 billion, experiencing a compound annual growth rate of 20.6%, which resulted in an increase to $1.49 billion. The projection for 2027 expects it to grow even further, with the live-streaming market predicted to reach an impressive $3.21 billion.
If you’re wondering why, in our modern on-demand culture, audiences don’t just want pre-recorded, edited episodes of shows. They want the engaging feeling of being part of the moment. Nowhere is that more evident than in increasing demand for live-streaming content.
Unsurprisingly, this shift towards livestream content stands to become an increasingly present feature in the work podcast creators put out. Much like a webinar, these live streams run in real-time, allowing the audience to engage with the host and guests as well.
👀Learn more: Webinars vs. podcasts: How can you effectively promote your business?
For example, the host of The Midlife Makeover Show Wendy Valentine allows her guests to decide if they’d prefer a standard podcast interview that is recorded, edited, and published or a live podcast interview. Wendy says that live interviews are just like the standard ones but are also streamed live on YouTube and Facebook. Her guests also have the opportunity to answer questions from the audience, allowing for more interaction and greater exposure.
Additionally, some shows have taken this live element a step further, broadening their podcast into in-person events and shows. This not only brings the audience together in real life but also opens the door to more revenue for its creators.
Normal Gossip, a podcast that delivers juicy, strange, funny, and utterly banal gossip about people you’ll never know and never meet, is an example of this and has made live shows a key part of their podcast brand. Larger podcasts, such as The Always Sunny Podcast, also have triumphed in this space, turning their podcast recordings into live events that have sold out venues across the US.
Beyond live streaming and in-person recordings, 2023 was a lively year for podcast conferences and events. Gatherings such as Podcast Movement and Podnews Live united those in the industry for a series of networking events focused on sharing knowledge in the business of podcasting. Conferences like this offer the best opportunity to network in person. And we can expect them to play a big part in pushing podcasting innovation and business further in 2024.
More podcasts will add video options for their shows
How listeners consume podcasts is constantly evolving: The environment that now exists is significantly different from the podcast landscape that existed 10-15 years ago, with Apple dominating the podcast space in an almost exclusively audio-only universe of podcasting. As a podcast creator, this means how you present your podcast to the world needs to evolve, too.
According to recent data from Sounds Profitable, 83% of podcast listeners they spoke with had been listening to podcasts for five years or less. When asked which platform they first discovered podcasting on, 41% said YouTube, while 18% named Spotify. Apple Podcasts was third, at 15%. It’s clear that this new wave of podcast listeners relies on video-focused platforms such as Spotify and YouTube for recommendations.
Spotify, which now has over 100,000 video podcasts on its platform, understands the importance of pushing shows with a visual element and has stated that it plans to “invest more deeply” in video podcasting in 2024, “with plans to improve both the creation and listening experience.”
If you want listeners (and now viewers) to find you in 2024, you need video. And before you rush out to buy a high-definition camera or stress about the cost of the setup, know that other options are available that won’t break the bank or overload your schedule.
For example, you can give your audio some motion by turning your MP3 into an MP4 with wave bars, like the podcast Healthy Beyond 40.
Or, if you want to go a step further and spruce up your wave bars, you can create a custom-designed animated graphic that loops while listeners tune into your show, like the podcast Darknet Diaries.
We can expect a larger, more refined marketplace for podcast ads
Although many internet users in the US find online ads annoying, podcast listeners show a more favorable attitude towards ads—particularly when read by hosts. This means podcasters can have a unique opportunity to generate more revenue in 2024 through ads and still keep their audiences happy.
In 2023, we saw big players take significant steps forward to capitalize on and expand the podcast ads marketplace. For example, earlier this year, Spotify revealed a strategic initiative to expand its podcast advertising marketplace into five more markets. This expansion includes countries like Sweden and, notably, India.
An expansion of this size demonstrates a significant milestone for the Spotify Audience Network, which was originally introduced in 2021. It aims to offer podcast publishers and creators effective avenues for monetizing their content. Importantly, this development broadens opportunities for content creators and advertisers, reaching untapped markets and creating the potential for higher ad revenue.
Likewise, we’ve seen significant growth in separate podcast ad marketplaces, like Gumball, SXM Media, Podcorn, and AdvertiseCast.
Creators will be more strategic with the use of their content
Recycling and repurposing podcast episodes to produce more content is a recipe for success, and we don’t see it disappearing in 2024.
For instance, republishing older episodes allows new listeners to discover valuable archived content. This is particularly true for podcasts that use live-stream video podcast components. You can see the below example by Gutsy Health.
If you want to go a step further and keep your content relevant, consider republishing it with updates or fresh perspectives added as an introduction or commentary.
As we know, podcasting consumption and production slow down during the seasonal trends of people taking breaks during the summer and winter holidays. To continue putting out content during these low periods without taking an official break, consider publishing episodes from shows that you’ve guested on.
An example of this is the daily tech news podcast the Techmeme Ride Home which recently published bonus episodes as feed drops featuring the host, Brian McCullough, appearing as a guest on other shows.
Having these interviews from other shows you’ve guested on can be a beneficial byproduct of podcast guesting.
👀Discover more: The ultimate guide to being a podcast guest.
Listeners will expect higher quality
In 2024, no podcast should settle for anything less than high quality. With AI becoming more ingrained in podcast production, there is no excuse for cutting corners when it comes to quality. For example, Adobe Enhanced Speech, a free tool, can take voice recordings and make them sound as if they were recorded in a professional podcasting studio.
Plus, as more podcasts enter the market each year, the quality of your show draws the line between success and falling into the crowd. That’s why you can start researching tools in your budget that can help with your production process and result in better audio quality.
Ready to make your podcast thrive in 2024? Let’s chat!