Author: Sharon Newell

During our International Women’s Podcast Festival in June, one of our incredible sessions was Beyond The Transcript, a conversion on podcast accessibility with Jumoke Abdullah, Maya Chupkov, Natasha Lipman and Lydia Watkins. As well as shining a light on the excellent shows, the session highlighted that, like other entertainment mediums, podcasting has a long way to go to become truly inclusive and accessible. 

In this article, we’re taking the opportunity to spotlight some excellent disability and accessibility-focused podcasts you can add to your listening library. 

Is It My ADHD?

Each week, writer Grace Timothy – who was diagnosed with ADHD at 37 – explores what it’s really like to live with ADHD with other women and non-binary people. From late diagnosis and trauma to everyday challenges like dealing with money, socialising and oversharing, Grace and her guests chat candidly about life with ADHD while sharing coping mechanisms with their listeners.  Listen

Proud Stutter

Brought to you by Maya Chupkov, Proud Stutter is a show focused on changing how we understand and talk about stuttering, one conversation at a time. Maya tackles all kinds of topics, from public speaking with a stutter to code-switching; Maya and her guests offer excellent insight into life with a stutter. Not sure where to start? We particularly enjoyed season 2, episode 5: filmmaking, being biracial and hiding your stutter.  Listen

The Wheelchair Activist

The incredible Emma Vogelmann launched her podcast in early 2022 to shine a light on the disabled community and its allies, succeeding in all areas of life. The bi-weekly episodes offer first-hand insight into the lives of the disabled community, covering topics such as feminism and sexual health, the scarcity mindset and uplifting others. If you want to understand the disabled community a little better, The Wheelchair Activist is an excellent starting point. Listen

Sick & Sickening

Sick & Sickening is a bi-weekly podcast by Roxy Chanel Murray. During solo episodes and guest features, Roxy opens up about all things Multiple Sclerosis related. Sharing her journey towards health, you can count on Roxy for insight into the kinds of challenges she faces and the tips or tricks she’s picked up along the way. With episodes as short as five minutes, these bitesize offerings cover topics including disabled love languages, legalising cannabis and multiple sclerosis representation. Listen

The Rest Room

If you or someone you know is living with a chronic illness, The Rest Room by Natasha Lipman comes highly recommended. Delving into what it means to live a fulfilled life with chronic illness, Natasha drops bi-weekly episodes covering various topics. From navigating work and chronic illness to rethinking recovery, this insightful and inspirational podcast is a must-listen. Listen

Disabled Debrief

The Disabled Debrief is an extension of the excellent Conscious Being magazine. The brainchild of Lydia Wilkins, the magazine and podcast is written for and by disabled women and non-binary people. Tackling subjects such as privilege and chronic illness in the workplace and making space for others, The Disabled Debrief is a must-listen. In a recent bonus episode, Natalie Lee, AKA Style Me Sunday, dropped by to chat about unlearning your shame; we’d recommend starting there. Listen

Mentally Yours

Last but certainly not least is Mentally Yours by Metro. Hosts Ellen Scott and Yvette Caster chat with people who have lived with mental illness to educate, empathise, and challenge stigma. With guests opening up about postpartum psychosis, children’s mental health and eating disorders, the podcast opens listeners up to a host of first-hand experiences of mental illness. Mentally Yours is a good choice if you’re searching for a varied weekly podcast to add to your library. Listen

Got a podcast you think the Content is Queen should tune into? Comment below and let us know. If you’d like to tune into our Beyond The Transcript panel, you can access it along with all the other content from the festival with a virtual pass.

As you know, we’re obsessed with all things podcasting. The same goes for podcasting stats. This article looks at some of the latest podcast statistics from MIDAS’ (Measurement of Internet Delivered Audio Services) Summer Survey 2022. Better yet, we’re exploring what they mean for audio creators and how you can use them to your advantage.

Podcasting stats in 2022

A new high of 19% of adults are listening to podcasts every week

That’s right. Podcast listeners have reached an all-time high as 10.5m Brits listen to podcasts weekly for a total of 69m hours. Based on these statistics, the average listener consumes 6.5 hours of podcasts each week. 

This is excellent news for creators as podcasts grow in popularity. With more people consuming podcasts, your potential audience share increases. Of course, you’ll still want to ensure you’re doing everything possible to get in front of your potential audience, so be sure to read our top tips on SEO optimising your podcast.

UK podcast listening is 58% male

The survey found that men make up 58% of listeners in the UK, a similar stat in the US. If this comes as a surprise to you, it offers some food for thought. How well do you know your audience? Who is your podcast for, and what are you doing to appeal to them? 

To organisations and brands keen to tap into the male audience, have you considered podcasting as a marketing tool? Not only is it an excellent way to foster connection, but it’s also a cost-effective channel to reach a super-engaged audience.

The peak time for podcast listening is around 9 am

According to the survey, 93% of people listen to podcasts alone and, most commonly, when working or studying (33%). The second most common time for tuning in is when listeners were driving or travelling (22%). 

We know that listeners value consistency. So, if you need to be more consistent with your release schedule, you should be. If listeners can expect your episode before 9 am on release day, they’ll be able to slot it into their daily routine to enjoy it as they’re working, studying, or commuting.

68% of podcast listeners listen to the whole episode

The survey found that 68% of listeners consume the whole episode. How does your podcast compare? You can use this statistic as a ballpark to review your listener behaviour and adjust your format. 

For example, if you’ve found that most listeners are dropping off before the midway point, you may want to consider shorter episodes. But, on the flip side, if you have a high percentage of listeners sticking around for the entire episode, this is an excellent selling point for brand partnerships.

70% listen to mostly all the podcast episodes they downloaded

Simply put, if your podcast is in someone’s library, they’re likely to listen. Have you included a solid call to action in your episodes? The best calls to action are always specific and straightforward. So, ensure you’re telling listeners to subscribe to your show. 

It’s always helpful to keep up to date with industry stats, so you can understand where you’re at in comparison. Doing so will allow you to identify your strengths and where there’s room for improvement.  

2022 has been an excellent year for podcasting, and we’re excited to see how 2023 and beyond play out.  If you’re ready to take your podcasting to the next level with the support of the Content is Queen community, click here to explore our membership options. There’s never been a more exciting time in the audio space!

As many of us look to podcasts for escapism, education, and storytelling, it’s also become a safe space for people when they need it most. In this article, we’re looking at how women and other marginalised groups found their tribe thanks to audio. 

Online censorship

In 2021, the Centre for Intimacy Justice studied 60 businesses that serve women’s health and health for people of diverse genders that had attempted to advertise on Facebook. Of the 60 surveyed, every company had experienced Facebook or Instagram rejecting an ad. 

Of the 60 businesses surveyed, 50% reported that Facebook – now Meta – suspended their entire ad accounts for violating the terms, citing that the ads were classified as “adult products” as the most common reason for rejection. 

The brands facing rejected ads categories included pregnancy or postpartum care, menopause, pelvic pain, menstrual health, fertility, sexual wellness, education, and others. 

While these female-focused ads were being rejected, the platforms allowed the below ads to run.

(Source: Centre for Intimacy Justice) 

Biased much? 

It isn’t the first time we’ve seen a report like this; unfortunately, it won’t be the last. However, as the report showcased the downside of social media, it also highlighted the positive of podcasting.  

Finding our voices through podcasting

When leading social platforms censor women’s health and sexual wellness, podcasting sits at the other end of the spectrum. Enter podcasts such as The Sexual Wellness Sessions, PERIOD podcast and The Dr Louise Newson Podcast. 

To us, podcasting is a space that allows creators to tackle ‘taboo’ subjects head-on. Audio isn’t a space of censorship or shying away from ‘difficult’ topics. Instead, podcasting is a space that champions these conversations to take place. As a result, marginalised communities feel heard and as if they have a community to turn to in times of need. 

In a survey of 1,000 podcast listeners in the UK and US who identify as women and men, Acast found that 92% of respondents are open to hearing about ‘sensitive and less spoken about’ topics. Furthermore, 57% of respondents shared that they ‘fully expect’ hosts and guests to cover sensitive issues.

Because of the nature of audio, it allows for authentic, inquisitive and candid conversations, which resonate with listeners. As a result, the medium fosters a genuine connection that can’t be replicated in other online formats.

Podcasting also serves as a safe space for hosts too. Explaining how the medium allows a carefree approach to content creation, Bianca Foley from the Sustainably Influenced podcast shared:

“As someone who lives their life online on Instagram and other social media platforms, podcasting allowed us to reach a whole new audience in a more carefree way! On visual platforms, I always feel that I have to be “made up” whereas podcasting is all about the content of the conversation and not what I look like!”

This sentiment of freedom is echoed by Sherween Gonzales from the *(Relate)able Podcast who told us:

“Podcasting allowed me to be open, honest, be free about things that I’m interested in, things that I love, things that I’ve experienced and there’s just no judgement. I’m able to reach my audience on a personal level. I can just speak freely; be myself. There are no cameras; nobody watching. It’s just myself and my two co-hosts speaking and having fun.”

Podcasts you should check out

It’s refreshing to flick through the podcasting charts and see so many diverse creators have found their voice. From tackling racism and homophobia to mental health and sexual wellness, podcasts offer genuine connections and conversations no other medium can.

Here are some of our favourites:

1. *(Relate)able Podcast
2. The Log Books
3. Shade Podcast
4. All in Due Time
5. XENO
6. Menopause Whilst Black
7. Black Meno and Beyond

In a nutshell, podcasting is the medium for you if you’ve got something you want to say without censorship. If you’re ready to take to the mic and could use the support of our inclusive community, click here to discover our membership options.

Beyond Anglophone Podcasts was one of the big conversations at our International Women’s Podcast Festival in June. As Josephine Karianjahi, Laura Ubate, Kim Fox, Bella Ibrahim and Rutendo Nyamuda discussed all things non-English and multilingual podcasts; it got us thinking. How effective is podcasting for language learning? 

As we delve a little deeper into the innovations and experiences that come from centring other languages in a primarily English-speaking podcasting world, we’ll explore if podcasting can help you master a new language.

Language learning with podcasts

Podcasts are an excellent learning tool. There is no limit to the things you can learn from podcasting. From current affairs and industry insights to languages, audio offers free learning on the go. 

While you can’t expect to become fluent purely from passive podcast listening, it can be a valuable tool to help you master a new language, reinforce existing skills, or pick up new vocabulary and grammar, for example. 

The benefits of learning a new language with podcasts

• You’ll become a better listener – learning a new language is a two-way street which requires mastering speaking and listening. Using podcasts to develop your skills can not only improve the way you speak but how you listen too. 
• You’ll gain a better understanding of culture – an essential to engage in friendly conversations. 
• They’re entertaining – who said learning has to be boring? 
• There is plenty of variety regarding the subject matter – it’s the spice of life, after all. 
• It’s free – the best things in life usually are! 

Start with podcasts that are learning-focused

You have two options when using podcasts to develop your language skills: podcasts recorded in that language and podcasts created to help you learn the language. If you’re a newbie, you’ll be best suited to the learning-focused podcast. Whereas, if you consider yourself an intermediate, listening to podcasts in that language might be well suited to you. 

Avoid distractions

While podcasting is great for listening on the go, learning anything new requires focus. While you can easily pick up on conversations in your native language if you miss bits, it’s not the same with foreign languages. So, avoid doing anything that will shift your focus. Because chances are, if your mind begins to wonder, you’ll be completely lost. But, of course, once you develop your skills, you’ll be able to listen on the move. 

Slow things down

Most audio platforms allow listeners to slow down and speed up the audio. Slowing down the podcasts you’re listening to can be super helpful to help you master specific words and phrases, particularly if the host speaks fast. 

Keep a notebook on hand

When learning new things, it can help to write things down too. When you’re listening, note any new vocabulary you hear. Once you’ve finished listening to the episode, you can go away and research these words and understand how they’re used in context. While it can be time-consuming to begin with, you’ll notice you do it less and less as you develop your skills. 

Make use of transcripts where possible

While not every podcast will publish a transcript, they’re becoming increasingly common. Transcripts are perhaps the most valuable tool when learning a new language and will save you lots of time. If you source the transcript before you listen, you can read along and highlight any words or phrases you’re struggling with. If you’re someone who learns best by reading, using both mediums together can be a game-changer. 

Podcasting in your mother tongue

Not only is podcasting an excellent tool for language learning but preserving native languages too. 

Speaking on why podcasting in our mother tongue, as opposed to English, is essential, Rutendo explained she told podcasters; “we want you to write & speak in your mother tongue, and then we’ll translate into English and not the other way around.” 

She continued, “And if it sounds broken in English, that’s what it should sound like. Because I think most of the time, we think in English and do a lot of the work we’re doing business-wise in English. But, we also need to remember that this is an opportunity for us to preserve our languages and to preserve our cultures and our stories.” 

Whether you’re a listener or podcaster, native-language podcasting has so much value, and we’d love to see more of it! If you’d like to listen to our Beyond The Anglophone panel, you can access it along with a whole host of content from the festival for just £55; click here to buy a pass.

In an exposé from Bloomberg UK in August, the outlet reported that podcast guests are paying as much as $50,000 to appear on popular shows. As critics call it “payola”, they’re calling for increased transparency as listeners deserve better disclosure of these promotional ties. In the same month, Forbes reported that the creator economy is booming. So, it got us thinking about the current state of play in the podcasting creator economy. 

In this article, we delve into the creator economy’s evolution and how things are looking in podcasting right now. 

How podcasting has evolved

In an article by Jon Radoff on Medium, there is a distinctive pattern in any given creative industry. These are: 

• Pioneer Era – first-movers create their own technologies eg Pixar. 
• Engineering Era – bottoms-up tools and middleware emerge to support overwhelmed engineering teams eg Stripe. 
• Creator Era – top-down tools emerge to support a much larger market of creators and disrupt many of the businesses of the prior eras eg YouTube. 

Since its development in 2004, podcasting has moved through each era and is firmly in its creator era right now, thanks to top-down tools such as Acast, Shopify and Audible. 

As of now, millions of audio creators can create content and experiences for their communities, enjoying low technological barriers. As a result, anyone can build a business and earn a living around an audience minus constraints that would have existed less than a decade ago in the audio space. While it may be in its infancy, podcasting is an exciting industry indeed.

What sets podcasting apart from other content creation mediums

While podcasting growth is slower than social media platforms, it’s getting more popular yearly. In our (slightly biased) opinion, podcasting and audio as a medium offer creators benefits that other platforms can’t contend with. Here are just three of them: 

• Audiences look to audio for friendly, trustworthy voices for long-form content that feels like a two-way conversation. 
• Listeners are turning to podcasts for authentic storytelling and escapism, which can feel somewhat of a rarity on social media. 
• Delivering long-form content allows creators to build lasting, genuine connections with their communities.

What we’re seeing in the podcast creator economy right now

With so much potential, it’s an exciting time to be an audio creator right now. But how are things currently looking?

Earning potential is fragmented 

Generating an income from podcasting is challenging. So, it’s no surprise that some podcasters are keen to make a guaranteed income by charging for guest appearances. For most podcast creators, revenue will come from several direct and indirect sources such as advertising, product placement, subscriptions and selling merch. Because earning income in this way is fragmented and can be inconsistent, charging guests can be a very lucrative earner in comparison. 

Increased advertising regulations may be on the way 

The exposé called for increased transparency in podcast advertising; we could see stricter guidelines come into play in the future. As podcasters have become audio influencers, we may see something similar to the ASA UK Advertising Guidelines for social media influencers. While we’re all for creators getting paid their dues, disclosing all paid partnerships, including guests, will ensure listeners aren’t misled. 

The future is bright 

According to Demand Sage, it’s predicted that there will be around 424 million podcast listeners globally by the end of 2022, increasing to 504.9 million by 2024. At the same time, the industry is currently worth around $2 billion, it’s set to be worth $4 billion in 2024. 

As big players continue to see potential in podcasting, we’re excited about the future. Take YouTube, for example. In March, Bloomberg reported that YouTube offered grants up to $300,000 to incentivise podcasters to create video content. 

Thanks to engaged listeners, specific niches, and authenticity, we predict that brands will continue to invest in audio creators, offering increased earning potential. As the industry grows, we hope creators get a fair piece of the pie.

If you enjoyed this article and want to read more hot takes and the latest in podcasting, get your fix here. If you’re ready to tap into the podcaster creator economy with Content is Queen by your side, explore our membership options here. 

The International Women’s Podcast Festival in Partnership with Pinterest took place in June 2022 at London’s Kings Place. It was such a joy to experience an inclusive and intersectional day of content, collaboration, and connection with so many incredible women in the podcast space. 

If you missed it, fear not, here’s a quickfire recap on everything that went down – the big conversations, live shows, workshops, and keynotes. You’ll also find many of the sessions on our International Women’s Podcast Festival YouTube playlist. The formatting is a little wobbly on some of them but you can still get the benefit of the awesome programme of content we put together for you!

The Big Conversations 

Pod Save The World: experience a deep dive into climate podcasting and communication and the impact these conversations can have on policy, awareness and behaviour change.

ft. Charlotte Williams, Maryam Pasha, Kelsey Bennett, and Bianca Foley

Women’s Liberation through podcasting: discover how women are using podcasting to challenge society and the status quo and explore how feminism and women’s rights can progress through podcasts. 

ft. Arielle Nissenblatt, Samyuktha Varma, Radhika Viswanathan & Kaz Lucas

Fight the Power – Audio Activism: find out how you can use audio to build a movement, spread the word and make an impact. 

ft. Saadia Khan, Amara Cofer, Maeve Higgins & Thimali Kodikara

Sisters in the City in conversation with Acast: sisters, influencers and co-hosts join Melissa Matanda to share why they chose to take to the mic. 

ft. Anna and Mandi Vakili

Narrative Podcasts: learn how to grip your audience and tell long-form stories in audio. From where to find stories, how to research, ethics and more, get ready to binge on all the secrets of compelling storytelling.

ft. Laura Sheeter, Moya Lothian-McLean, Anishka Sharma, and Cara McGoogan

This Just In: find out how to create a hard-hitting news podcast in today’s fast-paced world, from finding the story, ethical considerations and using sources to production hacks to turn everything into a digestible show. 

ft. Jude Kelly, Nosheen Iqbal, Gemma Ware and Ellie Clifford

Getting Press: secure insider secrets and get tips galore from the journalists themselves on what makes a podcast stand out and can win you media coverage. 

ft. Angelica Malin, Miranda Sawyer, Francesca Turauskis and Clare Lynch.

Building a commercially successful podcast with United Talent Agency: gain insight into what it takes to create a hit show with the power to generate the big bucks and learn what agents are looking for in podcast talent and shows. 

ft. Sharon McMahon, Rebecca Steinberg, and Arielle Nissenblatt 

Beyond Anglophone Podcasts: learn how to approach non-English and multilingual podcasts and discover the innovations and experiences that come from centering other languages in the primally English-speaking podcasting world. 

ft. Josephine Karianjahi, Laura Ubate, Kim Fox, Bella Ibrahim and Rutendo Nyamuda

Creator Burnout & Managing Expectations: discover how to manage the expectations of yourself and others and avoid burnout as a content creator. 

ft. Dr Laurie Santos, Sarah Jane Dias, and Tiffany Han

Behind the Scenes of Dr Who Redacted: get a glimpse of what it takes to commission and produce an audio drama at the BBC from the creator, director and producer and lead actress on the show. 

ft. Ella Watts and Charlie Craggs 

Live Shows

On the day, we had not one but three live and intimate podcasting recordings as some of podcasting’s most influential voices graced the stage. 

Beyond The Self with Africa Brooke; choosing integrity & humility over outrage on demand featuring special guest Blair Imani. 

The Baggage Reclaim Sessions; Natalie Lue brings The Baggage Reclaim to the stage for the first time. 

Masala Podcast; Sangeeta Pillai welcomes special guests Shazia Mirza, Salma El-Wardany and Seema Anand for a candid conversation with laughs plenty. 

Workshops 

If you’re looking for a deep dive into some of the specialist aspects of podcasting, a host of practical learning workshops awaited. Packed with expert insights and valuable gems, these workshops were curated to help you take your podcast to the next level. 

 

Pinterest 101: for podcasters with Georgia Willows: Pinterest creator manager offers her top tips for audio content creators on how to share stories, create awareness and promote shows on the platform.

Interview Techniques with Jo Youle, Roshan Roberts, Lucia Scazzocchio, and Mai Davies: gain a wealth of insights from traditional broadcasters and those working in new formats on the tried and tested interview techniques that are the key to getting great tape.

Marketing Secrets with Josie Colter: learn how to promote your podcast episode for easy discovery in podcast directories and websites and how you can use social media to grow an audience and more. 

First Drafts with Amazon Music x Wondery with Megan Bradshaw: discover how to create a podcast and develop your first draft with your audience in mind first and foremost.

Is it Legal? with Sandhiya Sophie Argent: hear about the tools and techniques you can use to prevent copyright infringement and protect yourself from liability.

Pod to Book with Alice Lloyd and Rosie Wilby: explore the pod-to-book process and what’s involved if you are considering turning your podcast into a book.

Podcast Deal (or No Deal) with Charlotte Newing: find out how to understand and develop the value of your podcast for acquisitions

Keynotes 

As if all the above wasn’t enough, we also enjoyed passionate and insightful keynotes from incredible women all over the globe as they shared their experiences of podcasting in their region, and how the industry is developing and the opportunities it offers for women.

As well as a very special welcome message from Gammy Norris to open our Global Voices virtual stage, you’ll also get access to the wise words of Leanne Alie, Melissa Mbugua, Mae Thomas, Emily Y. Wu, Odudu Efe, Sabrina Mauas, and Bridgett Todd.

The best bit? The International Women’s Podcast Festival is back on October 3-4 2024 in partnership with Spotify. We’re kicking things off with a very special evening of celebration and conversation with none other than Sarah Koenig to mark the 10 year anniversary of the groundbreaking podcast Serial. This is followed by a day packed of content-rich workshops, panels, conversation and connection to help you create and grown your podcast. We hope to see you there. Head to the festival website for all the info and tell your friends!