Podcast Award Season Is Here: Is It Worth Entering?

Mar 16th

With podcast award season in full flow, it got us thinking. Is it worthwhile to enter podcast awards? In this article, we’re detailing some of the upcoming awards and helping you weigh up if you should put yourself in the running. So, stick with us if you like the idea of an accolade to mark your efforts.

To enter or not to enter

While there are several benefits of entering podcast awards, there are three key things to consider before you start: time, money and relevance. 

Entry fees

Many podcast awards command an entry fee. So, this should be your first consideration when it comes to shortlisting options and deciding if it’s a worthwhile investment. Costs range depending on the award and are sometimes tiered based on entry dates & the size of your organisation. 

When looking at entry fees, be wary of any awards that guarantee results based on fees. There’s a difference between paying an entry fee to support running costs and paying to win. In a recent Reddit post, Matt D said: “I’ve previously run the British, Australian and Irish Podcast Awards, and there’s always been an entry fee for the main categories (pro-rated to size of show) – but that’s because there’s lots of costs to putting on the event/running the scheme.” 

He added: “Generally, all professional media awards have entries fee associated with them. The key thing to look for is who are the other participants and if there’s a broad selection of really high-quality sponsors.”

Time 

The second consideration is time. The entry process varies for each award, but some are quite lengthy. So, ensure you have time and resources to complete the application. It’s better to enter fewer awards and do it well! 

Relevance 

Finally, you need to consider whether the award you’re considering entering is relevant or even matters to your audience and community. For example, if you have a beauty podcast, an award within the relevant sector would be infinitely more valuable than a general podcasting award. If you can, opt for awards highlighting you as an expert in your respective industry.

The benefits of entering podcast awards

If you can invest time and money into entering awards, several potential benefits will be enjoyed, particularly if you do well! 

  • Exposure – if you’re entering popular awards with big sponsors, you can expect a PR boost for your show. As a result, you may see increased listeners and subscribers. 
  • New opportunities – in Matt’s Reddit comment, he also said: shows themselves often used their win to get book deals, tours and new ad deals.” 
  • Networking – we’re big fans of the podcasting community, and entering awards give you the chance to discover & meet fellow audio creators. An added bonus! 

This is by no means an exhaustive list. Rather a handful of popular podcast awards that you might want to consider. We’ve included deadlines and entry fees to give an overview of this year’s various awards.  

2023 Podcast Awards

British Podcast Awards

 The British Podcast Awards is the industry-leading podcast awards. And they’re looking for shows that “celebrate the best of the podcast medium, rewarding programmes that create high-quality, episodic content, consumed by their subscribers and podcast app listeners.”

 The early bird entry deadline is 27 April, and the standard entry is 18 May. The entry fees are based on an individual or company’s annual turnover, ranging from £35-£165 + VAT. Entries that miss the early bird deadline will receive an additional £95 entry fee.

 The British Podcast Awards is also partnered with Irish Podcast Awards and Australian Podcasts Awards.

Ambies

The Ambies® recognises “excellence in podcasting and elevate awareness and status of podcasts as a unique and personal medium for entertainment, information, storytelling and expression.” 

The fee for members of The Podcast Academy is $100 and $175 for non-members. 2023 is now closed, and winners have just been announced! The deadline for 2024 is likely to be November.

Webby Awards

The Webby Awards, which are in their 27th year, celebrate the best of the internet on an international scale. The 28th Annual Webby Awards Call for Entries will open in mid-September. 

However, the European award program, Lovie Awards, is open now until 28th July. The Lovie awards honour “the best of the Europen internet” and are gearing up for the 13th annual awards; details for the 2023 Awards will be released any day now, so stay tuned. 

Audio Production Awards

One for the producers among us! The Audio Production Awards celebrate the best in audio production in the UK. Although submission dates and entry fees are yet to be released, ​​the fees were Entry fees have frozen at 2018’s prices of £35+VAT for AudioUK Members and £45+VAT for non-members in 2022. 

International Women’s Podcast Awards

And finally, a special mention and one to look out for later in the year – the International Women’s Podcast Awards which champion the work of women and people of marginalised genders in podcasting globally, both behind the mic and behind the scenes, from podcast hosts and producers to editors and writers.

As we mentioned, a whole host of podcasting and audio awards are out there. So, take your time to research costs, entry processes and the opportunities that are relevant to you. If you could use the support of the Content is Queen community, check out our membership options.