Are Podcasts Too Difficult For Users?

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Bridge Ratings has just completed an update to its annual “State of Podcasting” study originally conducted during November 2015 and January 2016. CEO Dave Van Dyke says for most Americans who care enough about podcasts…it’s too cumbersome of a process. “There are a number of reasons but the main speed bump for massive podcast consumption is ease-of-use; the perceived difficulty by consumers of finding and downloading podcast audio on an easy-to-use application. iPhone owners have found Apple’s Podcast application to be easier than most available but are still not in love with it. There are even videos on YouTube explaining how to download podcasts.”

Van Dyke writes in a blog posting that Bridge Ratings conducted a study where many people asked the question: Why aren’t podcasts streamed like music? “Knowing how to listen to a stream of music or video on-line has become pervasive; most of us know how to do it. It’s become second nature, so why not podcasting?”

Van Dyke says the first thing that should be done is to change what you call them. “The word ‘podcasting’ was derived as a mix of Apple’s iPod and ‘broadcast.’ Sixty-four percent of those we asked were able to define ‘podcasting.’ Many had heard the term, but a good percentage really don’t know what it is. That number is low considering its longevity of the technology in the marketplace . A much greater number of younger consumers, as you might suspect, know exactly what podcasting is. But to broaden podcasting’s appeal, many potential users need clarification. Audio-on-demand scored much better as a term that defines what podcasting offers.”

Read more about the Bridge study in Van Dyke’s blog called “Podcasting at a Crossroads.” HERE

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