Podcast Predictions: Looking Ahead to 2018 - The Podcast Report

It's always fun to close up the end of the year with a podcast prediction show. We will look at last year's predictions and what actually happened. We will also take a look ahead and predict what is coming up in the world of podcasting.

Tip of the Week:

Create a podcast monetization plan before you launch your show or before you start your new season. It is always easier to test and modify a plan than to try and make something fit into a certain box. Figure out a plan, implement that plan, and test to see if it is working. Be smart and do it right with a monetization plan that works for you.

Podcast Predictions Looking Ahead to 2018:

• [01:28] It is time for podcast predictions for 2018. I did pretty well with last years predictions, and I think I will do even better with next years predictions.
• [01:38] No new podcast consumption models in 2017. Anchor gave it a shot, but most people went back to regular consumption methods. No new consumption paradigms for 2018 either. Podcast isn't broken.
• [02:26] At least one number one show would have no ad insertions. People doing podcasts about their products makes sense. The most powerful and profitable podcasts do this.  
• [03:08] My last prediction for 2017 would be that there would be a new tool set from Apple, but not from Google.
• [03:56] A guy at Podcast Movement grilled me on my take on Google and podcasts. This guy was from Google. They have video and their smart speaker is better than Alexa, but so far crickets on podcasts from Google. I got my predictions right.
• [05:00] I have three predictions for new year, and there is a good chance these will come true for 2018.
• [05:15] Number 1: Minimal if any embracing of the new iTunes tags from the other players like Google, Stitcher, etc. I don't see them embracing the tags, but I think embracing the tags would be a good idea.
• [05:30] The tags make podcasting more powerful. This will delay growth a little bit, but eventually these players will have to deal Apple.
• [05:55] Number 2: Something else unexpected from Apple. They seem to have a new focus on iTunes, and they are probably dreaming up something unexpected. The stats are pretty fantastic, and we will focus on them in another episode. Apple and iTunes will introduce something else and the other platforms will have to decide if they want to play in that world.
• [06:59] Number 3: First video podcast hit in 2018. There hasn't been a real certified hit. This is the year of a video podcast hit.
• [07:53] At Vid Summit the presentation was on moving your YouTube show to a video podcast. A lot of interest might come from YouTube or media space.
• [08:14] There will be more video integration in players such as the Echo Show.
• [08:31] The three predictions are minimal if any embracing of the new iTunes tags, something else unexpected from Apple, and the first video podcast hit. 2018 is going to be huge.

Links and Resources:

• Podcast App Worksheet
• Anchor
• Duolingo Podcast
• Podcast Movement
• Tiki Bar TV
• Rocketboom
• Vid Summit
• Alexa Show

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