Considering getting into podcasts but not sure where to begin?
You may soon have a new option, with Spotify working on a new process that will enable people to convert their written WordPress blog posts into audio content.
As reported by Axios, Spotify is partnering with WordPress to translate written content directly into podcasts via its podcast creator platform Anchor. That will provide new ways to reach wider audiences with your written work.
Podcasts have been steadily rising over the last few years, with 55% of the US population listening to at least one podcast in 2020 – up from 51% in 2019.
As you can see in this chart, from the most recent Edison Infinite Dial report, around 104 million Americans now listen to podcasts monthly, and the more intimate engagement of the medium makes it great for establishing stronger connection with audiences, and improving the resonance and recall of podcast ads.
But like video, creating great podcast content is not necessarily easy. As such, providing more ways to facilitate podcast listening could be another ‘in’ for those looking to tap into the medium, while also giving businesses and creators another means to test whether their audience is actually interested in consuming their material in podcast form.
Axios further notes that Spotify is looking to add several more podcast enhancements:
“In the coming months, Anchor will enable more creators to add videos to their podcasts. This functionality is currently available to music artists. Spotify is also launching interactivity tools like polls and Q&A features for podcasters using Anchor.”
The announcement comes from Spotify’s ‘Stream On’ showcase event, where it also announced new audio quality improvements and further expansion into more markets.
That could open up new opportunities, especially with Spotify looking to make podcasts a bigger focus of its app moving forward.
With the rising popularity of social audio apps like Clubhouse, it’s clear that audio connection has a place in the modern digital landscape. Podcasts could provide a key avenue in this respect, and while these new options might not end up being the thing to ultimately solidify your podcasting approach, it could be another way to tap into this trend, and connect with a wider audience.
