A Teenage View: 6 Reasons Why Podcasts Smashed It This Summer
Podcasts have made a big leap this Summer. One of the biggest factors has been Spotify’s huge investment in them, but there are lots of other reasons too. Podcasts are particularly fashionable with teenagers so we wanted to get a better grip on why, especially because they offer a big opportunity to educators who want to engage with them. So who better to ask than our 17 year old intern, and podcast listener, Emilia. We asked her to write a guest blog for us and she came up with 6 key reasons that podcasts are making a big noise right now….
One: YouTubers Tune In
YouTubers continue to dominate teenage screens whilst their fanbases multiply, so what a perfect opportunity to launch onto new platforms. Podcasts allow these influencers to widen their influence and grow their fame, as well as giving their subscribers the opportunity to listen to them on the go. A good example of this is when two of my favourite YouTubers, Sophia and Cinzia, decided they would produce a podcast (The Girl’s Bathroom) back in April. As a result, myself and over 300,000 others could enjoy their content without our eyes glued to a screen. The vast scale of their following on Instagram and subscribers on YouTube made it easy for this pair to advertise their podcast- using Insta stories, live streams and of course their videos on YouTube. This initial groundswell inevitably allowed the new podcast to shoot straight to the top of the Spotify charts. The question is, would these Youtubers achieve the same success with their podcasts if they hadn’t already built up on an already-popular platform?
Two: Live Events
Live podcasts are becoming more and more popular. After all, it’s technically a meet and greet with your favourite stars with the added bonus of enjoying their live content. The ways in which these live Podcasts are advertised are just as clever. The modern use of Instagram stories / highlights, including a link to the tickets makes it extremely easy for people to purchase (swipe up of course). It’s clear that involving the public (allowing them to ask questions etc at the live podcast), has a positive impact on their podcast in general. Perhaps this is a factor in the surge of podcasts during 2019?
Three: Love Island – The Morning After
Being one of the most popular UK TV shows of the Summer, with well over 3 million people watching everyday over seven weeks, Love Island has been known to to take over peoples lives! Could there be a better environment for a podcast to flourish? This particular podcast certainly did that, dominating the UK download charts for weeks. It was advertised on ITV2 between shows, on the Love Island App and the podcast was presented by a previous and very popular contestant, Kem Cetinay. ‘Love Island: The Morning After’ gave the lowdown of the show aired on the previous evening, discussing it in detail and bringing on a celebrity guest to share their insights with the public. Similar to the Youubers, these aspects build a solid foundation for the success of the podcast amongst the public. Furthermore, the short twenty minute re-cap of the show compared to the hour long program allows viewers to catch up if they’re behind. Podcasts proved yet another way of making Love Island a national talking point!
Four: Any time, Any Place
One of the main reasons why podcasts are taking over 2019 is their accessibility. Podcasters have spotted a gap. It’s become clear that not everyone has the time to sit down and watch their favourite shows. The convenience of podcasts mean they can be listened to anywhere – in the car, at the gym and whilst getting ready to go out. With the advent of CarPlay and other apps, listening to them in the car has never been easier. Podcasts are slick content that can be enjoyed by the busiest of people – a big reason for their popularity.
Five: Sound Support
‘Im Afraid That’ is a podcast series voted one of the best and most listened to podcasts of 2018 and it has maintained this popularity throughout 2019. The podcast showcases celebrities discussing their greatest fears – the idea being that perhaps the experts on the show can help them overcome these worries. However, not only does it help the celebrity guest, but also the listeners of the podcast. The reason why podcasts such as this are so successful is that they serve a purpose – offering support, relaxing people, allowing them to relate to the podcast knowing that a celebrity (who are perceived as pretty much ‘perfect’) have these fears too. Many teenagers now actively seek out online support to support them with their mental health, anxiety and confidence. Podcasts are another way of doing that.
Six: Spotify
Being one of the most popular apps in 2019, it’s no surprise that Spotify has a huge influence over teenagers and their everyday lives. As well as charts, playlists and albums, Spotify has a big range of podcasts from Love Island catch ups to Ted Talks. The fact that these podcasts have been placed in such a successful app could explain why there has been such a growth in 2019. The broad spectrum of podcasts available on the Spotify app cater to any topic you’re interested in. You’ll find a podcast dedicated to pretty much everything! You’ve only have fifteen minutes to spare? You’ll find a podcast that you can listen to in that time frame. Prefer stories? There are podcasts written to satisfy you. It’s clear that podcasts provide something for everyone and the ease of listening to one of them through Spotify makes their rise inevitable.
So there’s 6 reasons why podcasts have been amplified this Summer. Having a 17 year old guest blogger has been a first for me and Future Index. What did you think? We’ll pass on feedback to Emilia of course. Hopefully it helps contextualise your own plans to engage with teenage audiences. As ever, give me a shout if you want to talk more about it – jim.tudor@thefutureindex.com
