As we wrap up 2021 and set our sights on 2022, the Quill team is breaking down some of our top predictions for the podcast industry as we get ready to enter the new year. 

Covering topics like marketing, branded content, and acquisitions, read our 7 predictions below to get a glimpse into how 2022 may look for podcasts. 

1. Podcast marketing will see a boost

At the end of the day, podcasting is still a relatively young industry compared to others. And when it comes to podcast marketing, creators and brands are being forced to adapt to fit current industry standards—not where other mediums or industries are. 

With this in mind, marketers need to learn the ropes of podcast marketing. This means different ad platforms, analytics, copy, CTAs, etc. 

In 2022, we’re predicting a rise in podcast marketing tactics overall. For the past while, shows have been able to grow without an abundance of strategic planning. As the industry continues to be on the rise and the number of shows increase, podcasters are going to start having to sit down and get a proper lay of the marketing landscape. 

2. Podcasters will crowdsource their content

The podcast industry is far from saturated… but with that being said, there are still a large number of podcasts out there. We’ve talked about this time and time again: going niche on your podcast topic is proven to be an effective way for obtaining an engaged audience. 

Along with focusing on a clear, identifiable audience segment, you’ll also need to understand who your audience is and what they actually need. 

And what’s the easiest way to do this? 

Ask them. 

In 2022, we believe there will continue to be a rise in podcasters and brands looking to connect with their listeners and ask them more about what they actually want to hear, what they like or don’t like about the series, what they would change, etc. The days of not asking these questions are over—it’s time to get your answers directly from the source. 

This can be done through avenues such as social media, surveys, selective meetings, social groups, etc. 

3. Branded podcasts for brand intimacy will be on the rise

It’s official: we’ve entered a time where brand intimacy must be involved in your marketing strategies. Finding effective tactics for engaging and connecting with your audience can produce high dividends for your brand awareness, lead generation and retention. 

In 2022, we believe that brands will continue to discover the importance of brand intimacy and how podcasts are a powerful medium to build relationships with your audience. But with this and the increase in branded content, there will be more variety and formats around how the content is being used to achieve brand intimacy. 

We believe that brands will begin to take the engagement off just the audio platforms and find new strategies for continuing to engage listeners and move them along throughout their podcast marketing funnel. 

4. We’ll see more solutions for scarce podcast data

Without efficient analytics, your actions cannot be data-driven. 

The podcast industry has been struggling with a sheer lack of podcast analytics and data to help shape the decisions brands and pros take to grow their show. Other mediums such as blogs or videos have a plethora of tools and resources for you to understand success and performance with your content. Yet, the podcast industry is still behind. 

In 2022, we’re predicting that solutions will be brought to light that actually provide podcasters and marketers the information they need to analyze, measure, and grow their podcast. 

One solution that we’re already aware of is our own podcast marketing and analytics tool, CoHost. CoHost is helping brands and pro podcasters obtain actionable insights on their audio and insightful strategies for hitting their podcast goals. 

5. Understanding your podcast’s true ROI will be even more important

Connected to podcast data, having an understanding of what the ROI of your podcast is will become even more critical in 2022, especially for brands. 

We all experienced the initial excitement and hype around podcasts, but now we’re all looking for the results. This prediction is most relevant for brands but also key for any podcaster to learn, especially if they’re investing money into their series. 

Currently, there are no easy solutions out there for you to understand what your return on investment (ROI) is with your podcast. This is another challenge that our tool, CoHost, solves for brands and pro podcasters. The platform equips you with the knowledge to better understand what results you received from current investments and what you can predict to receive for future investments. 

6. We’re entering the age of podcast exclusives

The year 2021 was a whirlwind of podcast shows and companies getting acquired at a rapid pace. The primary name that we saw behind these acquisitions, with no surprise, was Spotify. 

With acquisitions of companies like Podz or Findaway in 2021, Spotify also purchased exclusive rights to shows like Call Her Daddy and Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert. 

But Spotify isn’t the only one on the map. For example, we also saw Amazon begin to make moves in the audio landscape with their exclusive rights to Smartless.  

As we enter 2022, we believe that companies like Spotify and Amazon will continue to eat up exclusive rights to some of the top shows in podcasting. But is this a positive? A draw to the podcast industry and how it thrives is the fact that listeners have multiple avenues for consuming their favorite shows. 

As large brands compete to dominate the audio industry, we may see increased tension from listeners throughout 2022. This is something that we already witnessed with The Joe Rogan Experience in 2021 after Spotify acquired the show in 2020. 

7. Apple may begin to make some new audio waves 

Apple has been relatively silent when it comes to the podcast industry as competitors like Spotify and Amazon make advancements in audio. We’ve all been wondering when we’ll hear from them and if they’ll jump on the exclusive and acquisition bandwagon like the other major players. 

And finally in 2021, they took action. Apple released its subscription platform for podcasts, letting podcasters monetize their shows. Throughout 2022, we’re predicting that we’ll see more movement from Apple’s end in the podcast industry. 

Will that be Apple exclusives, opportunities for paid advertising, podcast company acquisitions, or all of the above? For that, we’ll have to wait and see what the year brings.