Is Podcasting Oversaturated? 3 Things To Know Before Starting A Podcast

In one of my last posts about why podcasting is a great way to build a personal brand, someone asked me "Do you think podcasts are now becoming an oversaturated platform?".

Being in podcasting for over three years now, I have many thoughts on this topic. I've studied audio media and how it changes our lifestyle long before I started my own show - The Shared Diversity Podcast.

There are more than 1,750,000 active podcasts and 43 million podcast episodes out there and numbers are rising. So questioning whether the tool of podcasting is oversaturated seems natural.

But before sharing my views and the 3 insights to consider on this topic, let's look at what we're asking first.

What does it actually mean if we say a content platform is 'oversaturated'?

saturated, verb /?sat??re?t/

supply (a market) beyond the point at which the demand for a product is satisfied.

Oversaturated then means 'excessively saturated'.

The question is, therefore (simplified): are there too many podcast shows for listeners to consume?

For this, we have to not only look at the number of podcasts out there but for the consumer behavior of podcast listeners.

Here are some numbers to put the question into perspective, remember "there are 43 million podcast episodes" out there, but still:

• Over 104 million people (in the US only!) have listened to a podcast in the last month

When we look at podcasting relatively to other content platforms such as blogs, there is much more growth to come:

• In comparison to active blogs, there are over 500 million blogs. Which makes the 1,750,000 podcasts (=0.3% of website blogs) look tiny in comparison!

While it might seem as if everyone is starting a show at the moment, data shows podcasting is growing every year, and it's far from peaking.

So no, data doesn't support the claim that podcasting is oversaturated, but I get it. New shows seem to be popping out almost on a daily basis.

If you still think that every single topic has already been made into a podcast, I've got some more thoughts on podcasting that you should consider.

Here are my 3 podcasting insights for creative professionals thinking of starting their own podcast show:

1.Content platform and Artform

Podcasting is both a content platform (take YouTube) and an art form (take music).

• Content-wise: We can probably agree that every topic on earth is already discussed, but you choose to consume content from people you actually like, identify with, and feel drawn to. Unlike with written media, audio media proves this differentiation even more, because it brings out the personality of the person! You can instantly tell if someone's personality, values, and way of thinking aligns with yours just by listening to their voice.
• Artform-wise: you wouldn't think music or poetry or is oversaturated, because it's shaped by each artist's own character and voice. You cannot compare one piece of art to the other.

In both, podcasting as a content form and an art form, it's all about bringing your uniqueness into the mix. Your experiences, your stories, your voice.

Even if there might already be thousands of motherhood, book, or business podcasts out there, what will make you stand out is your unique way of approaching the topics.

The niche matters you address because of your upbringing, identity, or cultural background.

The communities you make the podcast for and your unique way of delivering your ideas to them.

Unlike in the SEO-driven blogger sphere, podcast success comes with the freedom to speak the way that fits you and your character, no code-switching or filter needed.

2. Quality > Quantity

Many would imagine me saying something like "if you want to stand out in today's crowded podcast space, you need to focus on quality". But I would imagine I don't need to spell that out, it should be common sense to create quality in whatever content you create.

What I mean is the quality of traffic that you get in podcasting.

80% of people will listen to an entire podcast episode, or most of it.

Which shows the incredible attention you get when you start a podcast! Remember the last time you watched a 40min YouTube video, or even an entire IGTV video without skipping? On average, marketers suggest quality attention on Instagram for max. 60sec videos and 2min on YouTube. Compare this with the 80% of listeners finishing your 20 or 40min podcast episode!

As a content platform, podcasts provide you with quality attention. This helps you eventually create a connection with them faster, where they are more likely to engage with you, whether as a fan, collaborator, or customer!

3. Conversations as your competitive advantage

We can probably all agree that not every voice worth listening to is given a platform yet.

If you start your own podcast, you have the potential not only to make your own voice heard but those of others.

As a podcast host, you have the power to highlight the voices you believe need to be heard.

Podcasting becomes a space of sharing and community. Every industry has its All-Stars but that doesn't mean they are the only voices worth listening to, especially not for niche audiences with very specific challenges. As the podcast host, you make the decision about whom to interview on your show, whether those are usually given the space in society to speak or not.

Those conversations become your competitive advantage. As soon as you mix up two things, it creates an unexpected outcome.

What creativity researchers like Ronald A. Beghetto call 'creative emergence'. It means that anytime you mash-up two things (like a meal made from leftovers), the difference between the two parts you bring together is what fuels creativity.

Follow for more podcasting content and learn How to Start Your Own Podcast.

PS: Get your free Podcast Launch Checklist here: https://www.sinaport.com/podcast-launch-checklist