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Audio Discovery and Consumption Best Practices
Three best practices: 1) High-definition 'talking head' video, 2) Custom video thumbnail, and 3) Video sharing on social media, are provided in the findings below. For each best practice, the focus is placed on podcasts and time-shifted audio content. The overview, examples, and the consideration as the best practice are also provided for each.
Best Practices: High-Definition 'Talking Head' Video
- One of the best practices of using video to aid audio discovery and consumption of podcasts and time-shifted audio content is by doing a high-definition video recording of oneself and guests during the actual recording session.
- Not minding that the show format is a podcast, the video quality must be in high definition. Presently, many smartphones can deliver high-definition videos.
- In using this best practice, the orientation, layout, and presentation of the visual must be top-notch. From the manners in which bodies are positioned, use of the microphone, visibility of expressions, to the clothes used for the presentation, everything matters. To enhance additional visual appeal, wherever the podcast is made from should be decorated appropriately and resonate with the related topic of the podcast.
- When a video is done right, as indicated above, the quality of it will attract the audience and enhance audio discovery and consumption. A 'talking head' video made of the lowest quality will not aid the discovery and consumption of podcasts and time-shifted audio content.
- Examples of podcasts and time-shifted audio content that have made use of this best practice include Blind Wave's 'E3 and Catching Up,' ESPN's Dan Le Batard Show, and the Dave Ramsey Show. The videos of these podcasts are made in high definition 'talking head' formats, aiding consumption.
- High-definition 'Talking Head' Video is considered one of the best practices because Dan Le Batard Show is ESPN's most popular time-shifted audio content with "8.3 million downloads in October 2018." More so, ESPN's Dan Le Batard Show and the Dave Ramsey Show are listed in 2018 among the top five podcasts by downloads with almost 6 million subscribers and 1.32 million subscribers on YouTube, respectively. If the videos of these podcasts are not made of quality, they wouldn't attract so many downloads in the first place.
Best Practices: Custom Video Thumbnail
- The first thing that gets listeners to click on a podcast on a video platform, like YouTube, is a video thumbnail. However, it should be noted that "fake podcast videos made up of static images lose 90-95% of their audience within the first 90 seconds."
- What is considered the best practice in this respect is the creation of one's custom images from the video, which should reflect the podcast’s branding. This will give the podcast channel a more consistent look to drive audio discovery and consumption by listeners.
- In engaging the efficient use of this best practice, podcast channels use colors that best resonate with the brand, highlight facial emotions, include podcast logo, and let the episode title/catchy phrase of the podcast be crystal clear on multiple devices.
- Examples of podcasts and time-shifted audio content that have made use of this best practice include 'Ear Biscuits,' 'This American Life,' ESPN's Dan Le Batard Show, and the Dave Ramsey Show. The custom video thumbnails of these podcast channels draw the audience's attention to click and eventually listen to the audio content.
- This 'Custom Video Thumbnail' is considered one of the best practices because it has been reported that "90% of the best-performing videos use custom thumbnails. " It is, therefore, important that videos that make use of custom thumbnails aid audio discovery and consumption.
- Also, podcasts and time-shifted audio content such as 'This American Life,' ESPN's Dan Le Batard Show, and the Dave Ramsey Show make use of custom video thumbnails, and they are listed in 2018 as among the top five podcasts by downloads. While Dan Le Batard Show generated "8.3 million downloads in October 2018," 'This American Life is heard by "2.2 million people on 500 radio stations and generates an additional 2.5 million podcast downloads per episode."
Best Practices: Video Sharing on Social Media
- One of the best practices of using video to aid audio discovery and consumption of podcasts and time-shifted audio content is by sharing video content of recorded sessions on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Because the latter is a video platform, it is natural that its audience will only expect video content.
- Shooting a video for podcasts is not just meant to be uploaded; the best practice suggests the video link should be shared on social media. YouTube is the best platform for this, although short clips can be posted as well on the likes of Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
- Having a sneak peek into the next podcast video episode can excite the listeners' consumption. Also, short clips on other social media platforms outside YouTube should be posted with a "call-to-action to view the full episode."
- Examples of podcasts and time-shifted audio content that have made use of this best practice include Blind Wave's 'E3 and Catching Up,' 'Ear Biscuits,' 'This American Life,' ESPN's Dan Le Batard Show, and the Dave Ramsey Show. Through the sharing of their podcast videos on social media, they have increased their subscribers base and enhance more downloads of time-shifted audio content.
- Video sharing on social media is considered one of the best practices because video content does "incredibly well on social media, as 45% of people watch more than an hour of video per day." It is also considered one of the best practices because "78% of social media marketers believe videos attract more traffic to their pages." Consequently, the sharing of podcast videos on social media will aid in audio discovery and consumption.
- More importantly, it is considered one of the best practices because podcasts and time-shifted audio content such as 'This American Life,' ESPN's Dan Le Batard Show, and the Dave Ramsey Show make use of video sharing on social media, and they are listed in 2018 as among the top five podcasts by downloads. While Dan Le Batard Show generated "8.3 million downloads in October 2018," 'This American Life' is heard by "2.2 million people on 500 radio stations and generates an additional 2.5 million podcast downloads per episode."
Research Strategy
For each best practice, we focused on podcasts and time-shifted audio content. We then provided an overview of what the practice is, gave examples of podcasts and time-shifted audio content using each, and provided reasons, based on facts, why each is considered the best practice. We also provided the YouTube and Twitter podcast channels of the three among the top five podcasts by downloads.
Through the presentation of facts and statistics, we demonstrated (1) how these three are best practices, and (2) how these best practices to aid audio discovery and consumption of podcasts and time-shifted audio content.
For instance, making use of a high-definition 'talking head' video as used by top podcast channels will aid audio discovery and consumption because of the quality of the video. Custom video thumbnail arrests the attention of the audience, and we have shown how podcast channels using this best practice have tons of subscribers and downloads of their podcasts. Lastly, the sharing of podcast videos is one of the best practices among the top podcast channels identified above. Through their Twitter accounts, for instance, they constantly share podcast videos, which has aided audio discovery and consumption.