I never stopped believing in the power of podcasting. Not only does audio does work in ways that video can't, but it's far more memorable. Just think, you can probably remember a favorite song from high school, a jingle from a decade ago or even a one-liner from a commercial that seemed to just stick.
In 2000, Fortune magazine said "Voice" was going to be one of the major trends of this decade. While most companies were building telecom applications, we built a marketplace for voice talent.
With the advent of podcasting and the mass adoption of the iPod, the voice industry has seen a surge in growth.
.: 13% of the US population have listened to a podcast (up from 11% in 2006)
.: Today, Techcrunch is reporting that eMarketer estimates that there was a 285% increase in size of the US podcast audience in 2007, a growth to 18.5 million.
In fact, I authored "24 Sources of Podcast Statistics, Podcasting Market Research and Broadcasting Industry Analysis", an extensive report that gives you a snapshot of the market including podcast usage, the podcasting audience, podcast demographics and the advertising market.
Just look at the Amazon / Audible deal and you'll see that there is indeed a massive industry that simply doesn't get the limelight it deserves.
Those who podcast are going to rule the world...
YES! As a podcast producer and blog writer for VoiceRegistry.com VR Blog I can say this is the best gig in town. Not just as a fantastic creative outlet and an incredible marketing and PR tool, it is the best networking strategy. We can help each other succeed and it's global!!!
Have been producing the Working Podcast since April '05, with no intentions of stopping now!
Great post. I really enjoyed the podcast information.
Megan
It's silly to say that a podcast can do anything that a video cannot. Everything that a podcast can do, is only a component of video. Music videos are a great example.
A much more likely explanation for the success of podcasts is that they are cheap to produce, can cater to all sorts of niche markets, and can be heard by anyone with an internet connection. Which gives it a distinct advantage over radio, which is the actual competitor.