In 2016, podcasters are building mini-empires. Popular hosts generate millions of downloads per month & find creative ways to monetize their shows. Podcasters are transforming the audio industry, growing authentic & meaningful relationships with their listeners like never seen before. Podcasting hasn't yet eclipsed radio as the preferred audio medium, but with a future of internet-connected cars and rising global smartphone adoption rate, radio is going to disappear. And the podcasters will be king & queens of audio. Podcast hosts speak directly into their listeners' earbuds, car speakers, or on computers at work - forming an intimate bond that is unparalleled in any other medium.

1. How to launch a brand in 2014
Podcasts Grown Up:
Community and
Monetization
Ryan Williams
InfluencerEconomy.com
March 2016
#PodSXSW

2. The Speakers
Jemele Hill
His and Hers Podcast
Tom Merritt
Daily Tech News Show
Ryan Williams
Influencer Economy
Podcast
T H E I N F L U E N C E R
E C O N O M Y

3. Jemele Hill
• ESPN reporter, TV host, and podcaster
• Pioneering podcaster
• His and Her Audio Podcast was turned into an
ESPN TV show
• Leading sports and culture podcaster
T H E I N F L U E N C E R
E C O N O M Y

4. Tom Merritt
• Pioneering how fans support podcasts via
crowdfunding
• Recorded over 2,000 tech podcasts
• Crowdfunds his Daily Tech News Show for over
$191,000 annually
• Currently
• Curr
T H E I N F L U E N C E R
E C O N O M Y

5. T H E I N F L U E N C E R
E C O N O M Y
Ryan Williams
• Host of Stories from The Influencer Economy
• Publishing The Influencer Economy Book in
Dec. 2015
• Runs Influencer Media, podcast production and
data analytics agency

6. Questions Answered
• How do podcast hosts find their true fans and
grow their niche following?
• How do you build an authentic community and
monetize your content without selling out?
• How can you embrace your personality to grow
your audience to stand-out in iTunes and other
networks?
T H E I N F L U E N C E R
E C O N O M Y

7. Podcasts are intimate
T H E I N F L U E N C E R
E C O N O M Y

8. Internet Connected Cars
Are the Future
23 million cars
are Internet
connected
S o u r c e : F o r b e s v i a A u t o N e w s
2015
152 million cars
will be Internet
connected
2020 75% of cars shipped
with internet
technology
2020
T H E I N F L U E N C E R
E C O N O M Y

9. Podcasts Are Already 50% of Audio
Consumed by Americans
FA C T S
S o u r c e : E d i s o n 2 0 1 4 r e s e a r c h
27%
25%
23%
11%
6%
5%
3%
Share of Time Spent
Podcasts
AM/FM Radio
Owned music (CDs, Digital music files, Etc.)
Internet Only (Music/Radio)
SiriusXM
TV Music channels (e.g. Music Choice)
Other
MAY 2014
Share of EarTM - Podcast Listeners
Share of Time Spent Listening to Audio Sources

10. The Listeners Are Affluent and Educated
S o u r c e : E d i s o n 2 0 1 4 r e s e a r c h – B a s e d o n p e r c e n t a g e o f l i s t e n e r s
College Degree More than $100K
45%
24%
14%
52%
26%
16%
Ever
In the last month
In the last week
T H E I N F L U E N C E R
E C O N O M Y

11. How to launch a brand in 2014
Thank you