5 Trend Predictions to Give Your Podcast an Edge in 2024
Are you excited to dive into podcasting in 2024? This year offers so much potential to both seasoned podcasters and people brand new to the industry!
Today, I’m predicting the trends that we’re going to see play a major role in the world of podcasting over the next 12 months. From enhanced production quality to leveraging short-form content in your marketing, this episode promises to give you an edge in achieving all of the milestones you’ve set for your podcast and your business in 2024. If you want to ensure a strong start to the year, then read on now!
Podcast production quality and why to showcase your uniqueness
The first podcast trend prediction that I want to talk about heading into 2024 has to do with production quality. Moving beyond the era of mere content creation, I believe that the focus is shifting to elevated production and the creative ways we can each showcase our uniqueness. Listeners seek connection and authenticity, so consider those things that are going to help you stand out in a saturated space. I personally have had success working in well-crafted segments, compelling storytelling, and personal touches wherever I can. This year, prioritize quality audio and highlighting your individuality as audiences crave podcasts that not only inform but also forge a genuine connection.
The role of AI and not losing your unique voice to AI generated content
The next trend prediction I want to touch on revolves around AI. I have no doubt that AI will continue to play a significant role in the podcasting world, just not in the same way that many of us anticipated. I’m referring specifically to the surge in AI for content generation — a bubble I fully expect to burst in 2024. As far as I’m concerned, the value of AI exists in enhancing systems and procedures and offering us more efficient workflows. Using it for the purpose of content creation only serves to jeopardize your unique voice. While a powerful tool, finding balance in your use of AI is going to be critical to preserving your authenticity and hosting a successful podcast this year.
Why you should incorporate some form of video into your podcast strategy
My third trend prediction is one that I’ve mentioned before, but it bears repeating that you need to be incorporating some form of video into your podcast strategy. As the podcast landscape has evolved, I’ve shifted my stance on video content quite a bit to acknowledge its growing significance. Even if you’re still reluctant to be on camera, there are easy ways to make video integration feel more accessible and authentic. This might mean recording simple, short-form video discussions related to podcast episodes or even sharing behind-the-scenes moments during podcast creation. Whatever it is, you don't want to ignore this trend. Embracing video has expanded my reach and listener base, proving its value.
Leveraging short-form content to market your long-form content
My fourth trend prediction deals a lot with how people are consuming content and how we should align our marketing strategies accordingly. This means that, rather than focusing solely on educational content, we should be creating intriguing snippets — little crumbs that pique interest and drive viewers to our long-form podcast episodes. Think of social media as the trail of crumbs leading to your primary content, the main piece that connects to your business and services.
Reminding your audience to actually listen to your podcast
My final trend prediction involves a crucial element we often overlook: reminding our audiences to actually listen to our podcasts! This year, it’s essential for us, as podcasters and business owners, to emphasize the value of our podcast episodes. Beyond sharing the how and what of our content creation process, let's explicitly communicate why it's imperative for our audiences to listen. Remind them that your podcast is the space where meaningful discussions unfold, offering insights beyond fleeting moments on other platforms. As we witness shifts in listenership behavior, let's proactively guide our audience from one platform to another, fostering a stronger connection through the power of podcasting.
I hope these podcast trend predictions have helped you feel more confident and intentional as we head into 2024. Still want a little extra support? Check out the replay of my Annual Podcast Planning Workshop at wildhomepodcasting.com/plan.
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The Transcript for Podcast Your Business:
157: 5 Trend Predictions to Give Your Podcast an Edge in 2024
[00:00:00] Caroline Hull: Happy New Year and welcome back to the Share, Strategize and Shine Podcast. I know that I usually start the year with the trends and podcasting episode, but trends don't really help us as business owners. What helps us is knowing how to use our podcast to the fullest for our business, right? So today I'm going to share a bit about what's going on in my own business podcast trends and how you should actually think about your podcast as we head into the New Year. [00:00:26][26.4]
[00:00:31] Caroline Hull: Hi there and welcome to Share, Strategize and Shine. I'm your host, Caroline Hull, a podcast strategist and CEO of Wild Home Podcasting. I've built my entire career through podcasts by sharing my experience using strategic systems and shining a light on the power of podcasting. If you are looking to cultivate leads for your membership group, program or consulting services, I'm here to help you create a holistic and integrative podcast strategy that will let your business thrive. Let's dive in. [00:01:04][32.1]
[00:01:04] Caroline Hull: Welcome back. I am so excited to be recording again. I'm not going to lie. I have been just in my own world relaxing, baking, getting some much needed rest and sleep and just recharging for the year ahead. I just feel like Q4 was such a creative spur for me. There was so much going on, so much we were creating and a lot of amazing things happening in my business and I just needed a little bit of a break. So I have taken a few weeks off during the holidays and spent time with my kids. Just been amazing. So getting motivated to sit down and record again and take a little bit of work. But I'm really excited to be here and to be recording this episode. So instead of sharing a problem that we solved today, I want to share some changes and opportunities that we have at Wild Home Podcasting at 2023 was a big year of change for me personally and for my business. You know, I had major surgery and recovery. My perspective on what I wanted for my business changed throughout that experience. And then I think also one of the big changes that we've seen and I've talked about this a lot on podcast episodes is what kind of services podcast servicers need to provide to podcasters. I really think that has changed and evolved as well. And so we are focusing more and more at Wild Home Podcasting on how you can make the most of your podcast through having a strategy. And I really think this is the key to having a long lasting podcast, a podcast that's successful and a podcast that you're going to enjoy, right? And so we've revamped all of our packages, memberships and courses around this idea. And I wanted to share with you just a few things that we've changed for the New Year, just so you can be aware. And also it just, I think helps you hear how other business owners are evolving and adjusting their offer suites and those things as well. So one of the biggest changes is that we are no longer going to be doing our podcast refresh package and our strategy intensives. And the main reason being is that this is such a big, I think, big shift in announcement for me, but I'm really excited about it. So one of the things we noticed with both of these services is that they were really great, but they didn't provide the support that you needed ongoing. Usually things didn't happen right away or you may have questions come up down the road. And so what I wanted to do was create a coaching package that was going to help podcasters, not just at this one point, but for a little bit. And so we now have a three month podcast strategy roadmap package, and this is where I help you develop an action plan for your podcast, and they also help guide you as you implement it. There's a lot that comes with that, and we're going to have the links to everything in the show notes if you're curious how we've structured these packages now. That being said, there is a done for you refresh add on that you can add to this, but that's what that looks like. Now. We actually have monthly production spots available. This is something that we have completely overhauled, revamped and downsized quite a bit. And I'm really excited about the package that we offer now. It really is a new record when we do the rest and we've got some amazing add ons such as video editing and also helping you come up with content based on your podcast episode. So if you are wanting to be hands off with your podcast, definitely go check that out. And then I have recently launched my Voxer coaching days. Highly suggest grabbing one of those. If you need some eyes on your podcast and just want to talk things through. It's probably one of my favorite offers that they have right now. And then, of course, the Strategic Podcast Academy is just rolling. I have planned out almost the entire year master classes. I am so excited for the growth of the membership as had, but also just the opportunity to get to spend more time with people in the membership and help them create a strategy for their podcast. And definitely check that out. I recently was thinking to myself about the membership and I said, You know, one of the goals I have for the membership is I want it to be this very lovely place where you can come and get help, even with your technical questions that you maybe can't ask in other podcast groups. And so that's really what that that is. And I'm creating these trails all the time and adding them to our resources. So if you want to hang out in a place like that, definitely come join us. And then one of the things that I'm going to be working on this year is a library of courses and tools that you can purchase as well. And this includes a replay of my recent annual planning workshop, which I think wasn't just an resounding success. It was awesome. It was so fun. I could feel like we were really able to put some strategy behind planning our podcast content for the year. And so I want to create more resources like that, and I'm going to be holding a workshop once a quarter. So if you want to be in the know and all of these things, I definitely suggest joining our email list and I will have a link in the show notes for how you can get on that list and make sure that you are aware of everything that's going on, because 2024 is going to be a really amazing year at Wild Home Podcasting. And so maybe the problem that we solved this week is overhauling our offer suite, making it more of a path for people who want to come into the podcast strategy world, but also offering something for people at every stage of your podcast strategy journey. And I have a lot more coming in the next couple of months, some really big announcements, so be sure to tune in and listen to that. Yeah, and if you need help with your offer suite, I have some really great resources that I can send you, so send me a message and I will let you know who I recommend to tap into for that. And so that's the problem, I guess, that we solve this week. [00:07:22][378.0]
[00:07:22] Caroline Hull: All right. So let's dive into today. I want to talk a little bit about some trends in the podcast industry and how they can either serve you or help you as a business podcast podcaster, specific specifically. So let's get into those. And I want to be really clear. Like these are my thoughts based on my observations as a podcast strategist and coach, someone who's been in the world for a while, someone who has managed all the changes that have gone on in the last year especially. And I know that in prior years I have pulled up a lot of articles and shared resources for you. But this year I wanted to just let you into my brain and what I'm thinking about when I'm talking to my clients about when it comes to trends and hopefully this will help you. You know, when you do hear chatter on the interwebs about some of these things, kind of form your own opinion and your thoughts around these things and how they're going to affect your podcast. [00:08:22][59.8]
[00:08:22] Caroline Hull: So one of the things that I think is really interesting, we kind of had this journey of podcasting where it was like everybody was podcasting and production wasn't really a huge priority. I feel like there was this a moment where we were all talking about just sit down in front of a mic and record, and I think that was really great for a while. But I do think that mentality has shifted and I really, really believe that production and creativity is going to be a main factor in podcasting and what we say and determine is a successful podcast this year. And this seems to me like having good audio. But this also means to me being unique and not trying to emulate other podcasters. I think this is really, really hard as a podcaster because we listen to podcasts usually and we hear how people are doing things. I mean, I know that I listen to some pretty heavily produce podcasts often, and sometimes that'll bleed into my presentation when I sit down to record. And so I have to be really careful about listening to other podcasts around the time I'm going to record. But one of the things I really want to drive home is that people are looking to connect with you and they want to hear you. They want to hear that uniqueness. I had a strategy intensive with a client right before the holidays, and this was something we really talked about because she said she struggled with how to script her podcast episodes and we talked about a lot of other things. And one of the things she kept saying to me was, But I can send an email. Right? And I said, What's different about your email? And she said, Well, I tell stories in my emails. I said, Why are you not telling stories in your podcast episodes? Those little things are what are going to make you stand out, make you special, and really highlight your perspective and point of view. And I think this is going to be even more critical because podcasts, yes, had an explosion and we've had kind of a cleaning out of of podcasts. I feel like this year I think it's getting harder and harder to find podcasts. And I think people, when they do find your podcast, they want to make sure that either having learned something, they're going to. Get something out of it. B They want to really connect with someone who is genuine and is doing something a little different. And so really sharing your uniqueness through segments and how you talk about what you do on your podcast is going to be key. And I've done a lot of episodes on content and what that looks like and talk a lot about that in the Strategic Podcast Academy as well. [00:11:01][159.1]
[00:11:01] Caroline Hull: And I'll give you just a couple of quick tips. So I love segments. Again, I mentioned that having some unique pieces inside of your podcast episodes, and I think that's a really important piece of sharing your uniqueness. I think becoming a master of weaving in client stories and your own story into your episodes as well is really, really impactful. And then also not being afraid to share a couple things personally about you because we really want you to shine in your podcast, and that is one of the main ways you're going to do it. So production and creativity very, very important this year for podcasting. [00:11:40][39.0]
[00:11:40] Caroline Hull: Let's talk about A.I. for a second. I didn't want to talk about A.I. at all on this podcast episode, but the more and more you thought about trends and what people are doing and what's going on in the world, I was like, We just got to talk about it. So I really think that A.I. is still going to be huge. But I do think that that kind of bubble, that surge of everybody using AI to generate content is going to burst. And this is what I want to say about A.I. as it relates to podcasting and a trend that we are seeing. I really think that it helps with systems and procedures, and that is where A.I. is going to shine for podcast in 2024. But now that AI is so widely used, I do want to say, like I have seen so many articles and posts about how we can tell now when you're using A.I. and not your unique voice. And so I really believe that is going to shift this year. We all were very excited about it. We use it a lot, but we need to make sure that we're going to be diligent about making sure our voice comes through, because I think so many people are using AI that we are going to need to make sure that we are standing out and not letting the AI do the talking for us. I know that some people have talked about A.I. actually talking for people on podcasts, and I think very quickly people figured out that's what was going on because it don't sound natural. And the whole thing about podcasts, audio, we want to sound natural. We want to connect with people. So A.I. is still going to be a huge trend and podcast, but I definitely believe it's going to be shifting to more of a tool and more of something that helps us with our systems and procedures. [00:13:26][106.2]
[00:13:27] Caroline Hull: Okay. The other thing that I was like, I I've talked about this way too much and I can't believe I'm going to put it in this podcast episode is a video, but I really do think that video is something we need to be paying attention to. And I think this has been coming for a while. I do think that there is a way to how video and audio be their own separate special things and. That may be where the trend is shifting. This year is, you know. Having better setups for video, not necessarily just posting audio grams for video, but I have seen some higher ups in the podcasting world talk about how they really hope that podcasters will focus more on audio. Please see point one that I made about production and I just have to say that I disagree. I really do think that video I mean, look at the apps you use. Look at how you interact with media and video really is one of the main things that we interact with on a daily basis. And I know that for short form content video is amazing. But what we need to pay attention to is, you know, follow the money. What are people investing in the podcast industry? What are they talking about? And it's video, podcasting. And so I do think that this is going to be an important trend. I think, for business owners, though, I am still always going to lean into doing what feels good and what feels accessible and what feels not so hard, right? Because we don't want to add something to our processes and then total be overwhelmed. And so I really do think it's up to us as this owners to kind of figure out how we want to use video for our podcast. Do you want to record yourself and post it? Do you want to focus on short form video but short form video that's actually you talking about your podcast episodes or even recording yourself while you're making your podcast, right? Like, there's a lot of different pieces here. But I do think if you do not incorporate some form of video into your strategy, you're going to be left behind, whether that is on social media or on YouTube. And I do think that audio grams, which are just the audio with the waveform, just are not going to cut it anymore. And so that's my thoughts on video. I love to hear what people think about video. You know, this I think this is a conversation we're going to continue having over this year. You know, when we talk about trends and things like that. But I love video. I didn't always love video. And believe me, for years I was like, I'm not doing video because I'm a podcaster. But video has really helped me grow my reach and grow my listener base. And it's, you know, it's that's what I need to do to grow and podcasting my business. And I can do a couple of videos. I'm okay with that, right? So it really like I said, it really is just deciding what are you comfortable with and what do you want to add into your processes. But I do think the video is going to continue to be something that we took. [00:16:27][180.4]
[00:16:27] Caroline Hull: Are you feeling stuck on something that you're working on in your podcast, or maybe you have some questions about your podcast strategy and just need a little bit of help? Did you know that you can rent my brain for a day and start moving forward on your podcast? I am so excited to now be offering Podcasts Voxer Coaching Days. These are days where we can chat on Voxer and you can get a podcast coach in your pocket for the day to help you work through some of the things that maybe you're a little stuck on or need some feedback on. We will identify what has you and your podcast stuck, work through it and give you some steps moving forward to book your podcasts. Voxer Coaching Day Head to WildHomePodcasting.com/Voxer. [00:17:14][47.2]
[00:17:14] Caroline Hull: And then I want to talk for a minute about this trend of marketing and having long form content versus short form content. It's been really fascinating this year to watch reels on Instagram and TikTok videos and all those things and to see how they themselves have evolved and then how that relates to podcasting. I really do think that, you know, one of the strategies we teach here is about how everything should lead to your podcast, and then your podcast really should warm your audience and lead to all the things, right? And I think that's going to become more and more important as we see short form content take go. It's moving away from educational and like, here's my top three things to this, more of like peaking interest type content. And what that really does become is, you know, leaving little crumbs. And one thing I really think is going to become more and more important this year in marketing for podcasts is using that short form content to really entice and enhance the interest in the long form content. And so really focusing. Your marketing efforts on your podcast episode, having it be your main piece of content. I have talked about this as a strategy for many years, but I really think this is the year we see this become a huge trend in the relationship between short form and long form content. So if you do already have a podcast and you are on social media, I want you to really start thinking about your social media as like crumbs leading to that bigger piece of the cookie, the podcast, which leads to your business and your services. And if you have listened to me on any podcast, you've heard me use the cookie analogy, I think one day I'm going to have to make a graphic about the cookie. Wouldn't that be amazing? Okay, I love that idea. I hope my ops manager who makes my graphics for me is listening. [00:19:23][128.7]
[00:19:23] Caroline Hull: All right. And the last thing I want to talk about as it relates to trends and podcasting this year, we need to talk about listening to podcasts more. Okay, Wait a minute. Let me repeat that. We need to talk about the fact that we are listening to podcasts more. I think, you know, this goes back to what I just said about it being long for content. One of the things that we leave out when we're sharing with our audience how we're consuming things or how we're creating things is we don't share with them why it is so important for them to go listen to our podcast episodes and what people can get out of them. This is exactly what I talk about when I talk about the crumbs and leading to the piece of the cookie, right? And you can do that through your posts and emails. And so what I want to encourage you to do this year, and I have seen people talk about this as it relates to trends and just educating people about listening to podcasts. I think for us as business owners, it's so important to remind our audience, Hey, if you want a deeper dive in this, if you want to hear me talk about this for more than 5 seconds, please go check out my podcast, because that's where I'm going to talk about these things and I'll talk about these things anywhere else but on my podcast. And we know that that happens, but sometimes I think we forget to let our audience know that that happens as well. And so I think that's going to be something that's going to be huge this year, is not only those crumbs of that long form content, but us also talking about how we listen to podcasts when we're listening to podcasts. What people can get out of them. And why they need to jump from this platform to that platform. And, you know, and I think that's going to be interesting to see as, again, this this medium, this platform evolves and, you know, how it's going to impact people listening. You know, we've seen listenership go up. We've seen the number of podcasts go down. We've seen the number of episodes released to go up. It's really fascinating. And so it's going to be really interesting to see more listenership behavior and how it develops over this year. [00:21:37][133.5]
[00:21:37] Caroline Hull: And so those are the things that I have been observing and noticing. And as we go into 2024, are there things that I am looking at specifically for podcasting and I'll just recap them real quick. Production and creativity are going to be super important and it is going to be huge, but in a different way. Video, video, video. We're going to be focusing our marketing and our podcast as the important piece of our marketing and long form content. And then we're going to be talking about how we listen to podcasts and why they're so important. More in 2024. And so those are my big predictions. Not too big this year. The things that I think we're going to see with podcasting this year and I just want to leave this episode. I want to leave you with a couple of things. One is, you know, if you are wondering how you can use your podcast tool for your business or if you want to just kind of take an overview of your podcast, make sure it's set up for success. I highly recommend you go download my Q1 checklist. This is a free checklist for you. These are the things that I look at with my own podcast. These are the things that I am going to be looking at my clients podcasts as we dive into Q1. And so you can go grab that link in the show notes. And then I also just want to say, I know towards the end of last year, I talked a lot about how difficult and hard 2023 was. And I do feel like the winds shifted a little bit. The momentum has shifted. And I do think that part of this was growing pains as podcasts have changed. And I think 2024 is going to be an amazing year of growth for podcasts. I think the consolidation of companies and players that we are seeing is really just an indicator that podcasting is going to grow and that all of the efforts are being put into smart places. And so I really think the future for podcasting is super bright. I think that as a piece of longform content where they learn long term strategy, it can be so impactful for your business and also just on your marketing and messaging. And so if you're listening to this and you've been wondering, should I keep doing my podcast, Should I start a podcast? This is the year to do it. I wouldn't put it off any longer. I think that amazing things going to be happening in the podcast world this year and I'm just so excited to be a part of it and I'm so excited to share it all with you here on the You Share, Strategize and Shine podcast. And so I will leave you with that and I will see you all on the next episode. [00:24:08][151.2]
[00:24:08] Caroline Hull: Thank you for listening to Share, Strategize and Shine. To give your own podcast some shine, download my Free Podcast Guide to Creating Episodes for Sales by heading to the link in the show notes. Be sure to leave a review and connect with me on Instagram for more podcast strategy insights. Until next time.
