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Ever since they infiltrated popular culture in the early 2000s, podcasts have taken the world by storm. The audio episodes allow people the ability to enjoy stories, updates, investigations, and social commentary without committing to sitting down or holding a book. However, there’s a new phase in the evolutionary process of podcasting that’s about to take everything one step further—going live.
Live podcasts involve recording sessions while people from all over the world tune in simultaneously, creating a highly current and engagement-oriented relationship with listeners.
But what is prompting this shift, and why are so many podcasters gravitating towards this new way of sharing their stories?
Let’s find out.
Live Podcasts vs. Regular Podcasts
Live podcasts and regular podcasts are separated by one main fact: live recording and pre-recording. Pre-recorded podcasts have taken the lead over the past few years, as people enjoyed the freedom of being able to listen whenever they chose.
Pre-recorded sessions enable listeners to select any episode they choose, at any given time, and listen to it multiple times over. This flexibility and freedom have been a large contributor to podcast popularity, and to this day remains a driving force in the industry. But, this standard method of recording podcasts does not come without limitations. For one, it creates a disconnect between the host and the audience.
Listeners may struggle to connect in real-time with their host if they are listening to a 10-year-old episode, and this can be bad for ratings. It’s important to remember that within the podcast industry (where so many of the services are free) ratings are everything. The advantage of live podcasts is that the audience gets all the live engagement of a presently recorded session, while still being able to access all of their favorite old episodes. It’s the best of both worlds. As global entertainment industries continue to see a spike in live performance engagement, it only makes sense that podcasts should take the same direction.
Live Podcasts Attract New Audiences
It’s fundamentally important for any podcast to consistently grow its audience over time. That means regularly assessing how things are being conducted and introducing new changes that expand your audience’s potential.
Live podcasting is still a relatively new exploration, which makes it perfect for introducing to audiences who are ready for something fresh. You might have a solid base of listeners who enjoy the pre-recorded sessions, but a whole new target market can be added to your base when you open up to live recording.
Expanding your audience is one of the most powerful things you can do to boost listening time and nurture listener relationships. Live streaming can help you get there.
Live Podcasts Have an Element Of Exclusivity
Exclusivity has always been a powerful catalyst for growth within the entertainment industry, and now it’s coming to podcasts. When you launch a live-streamed podcast session that is only accessible during the time it’s live, you add in the magical quality of exclusivity that keeps listeners on their toes.
A once-off live podcast episode is exclusive content, only available to those who listen in real-time. That can help listeners feel as though they have a direct link to you, their host, and experience a sense of luck that they get to be involved.
Exclusivity drives value because once it’s gone, it’s never coming back. That’s what makes exclusivity so influential. If you’re struggling to add that “x” factor to your sessions, you might want to consider moving into the live streaming territory.
Receive Live Feedback
Another benefit to hosting live podcasts is that both you and the audience get to communicate and interact in real-time. This brings about a human element and forms a new type of connection. For example, a live podcast opens up the possibility for live Q&As with prominent figures, guessing games, or even just pleasant back-and-forth that drives host-audience connection.
Consumers enjoy taking part in the unfolding of live sessions and performances and it keeps them engaged for longer. You can ride that wave by incorporating live podcast sessions into your recording schedule and connect with listeners in ways that weren’t possible before.
Amplifies Engagement With Listeners
That brings us to the next point. Engagement is a super important component of any service-to-consumer relationship, especially now in the hyper-competitive landscape of remote entertainment.
By recording live podcast sessions instead of regular ones, you can bring your audience right into the ring of what you’re doing and engage with them on a more tangible, profound level. For a podcast audience that doesn’t typically get to see what goes on behind the scenes of a session, a live-streamed interview or storytelling can be refreshing and exciting.
Both new and loyal listeners can appreciate the tangible realism of a live-recorded podcast. When you involve your audience, ratings, and engagement levels are bound to rise.
Consumers Enjoy Live Sessions
When it comes down to it, maintaining an upward trajectory means following consumer interests. And presently, live sessions are becoming an increasingly popularized form of entertainment, which is why podcasters from all over the world are starting to make the shift.
From live Q&A interviews to live streams on Facebook and Instagram (featuring everything from music to sports to painting), live sessions are clearly what the people want. By tapping into this global demand for live content, you can grow your fan base and make strides towards your business goals.
The Age Of Live Podcasts is Here
Ultimately, live podcasts are becoming a hot new topic amongst both hosts and listeners from around the world. In the marketing sector, there are already plenty of podcasts you can gain inspiration from. However, the challenge is to take this inspiration into a live arena. Fortunately, setting up and recording a live session is not difficult, nor does it require any special equipment. This means that you can give it a try without risking much of a loss if any at all.
All the social media platforms that you likely already frequent provide the context and familiarity of the live-streamed content that people are enjoying so much. Live podcasts are quickly unlocking a new era in podcast culture, so why not give it a try.
