It's that time of the year again . . . The new Infinite Dial report has come out, providing insight on how the podcast industry is moving. On this bonus episode of the Podcast Industry Experts, hosts John and Matt take you through the highlights of the Infinite Dial 2022 report.Matt and John look at important metrics that can help you as a podcaster. From what social media apps are most popular and the lack of emergence in social audio to how the pandemic continues to impact where and when people listen to podcasts. This episode will give you unique insights you can use on your podcast and in your marketing so you stay ahead of the curve.

Music is practically a necessity in podcasts these days. Listeners expect higher production value and one of the easier ways to improve the sound of your podcast is by incorporating royalty-free podcast music and sound effects. But where you get your music matters a great deal as a copyright strike can ruin your day or potentially even cost you serious money. On this episode of the Q'd Up Podcast on Podcasting, we're going to take a closer look at royalty-free podcast music -- from its importance to a list of reputable websites where you can find high-quality tracks that won't break your budget.

After months of Spotify dominating the headlines for both good and bad reasons, other players are reminding everyone they exist. Apple, LinkedIn, and YouTube all announced news that puts them in the spotlight, for now.On this month's episode of Podcast Industry Experts, hosts Matt and John take a look at Apple Podcasts' recent update, LinkedIn starting their own podcast network, and YouTube doubling down on podcasts. Listen as John and Matt discuss Apple's dwindling relevancy in podcasting, if LinkedIn's jump into podcasting is about great content or just selling ads, and YouTube's further emergence in this industry.

Spotify continues to invest heavily in its podcast infrastructure, acquiring PodSights and Chartable most recently. It's a move that's sure to give Spotify a lot of relevant data, while boosting its ad network and the capabilities of both Anchor and Megaphone. But is that a good thing?On this month's episode of the Podcast Industry Experts, hosts John Luckenbaugh and Matthew Stevens take a look at what this deal means for the independent podcaster as well as the industry as a whole. Matt and John discuss the short- and long-term impact of third-party stat services getting acquired and what Spotify is likely really up to with these most recent acquisitions.

On this month's episode of the Podcast Industry Experts, we sit down with Captivate and Rebel Base Media co-founder Mark Asquith to get an inside look at podcasting from the perspective of an industry leader.We talk to Mark about Global's recent acquisition of Captivate, including what went into making that decision and what the move means for the company as well as its users. We also discuss Captivate's recently released features, the feature roadmap that's still ahead, and the unique hurdles of creating such a great service in the first place. We end the episode by looking ahead to 2022, getting Mark's opinion on what will change within podcasting this year.

Podcasts are continuing to explode entering 2022 but the landscape has changed a little bit for those within it. You can no longer simply publish your podcast with the expectation people will find it and listen. If you’re creating a podcast right now, you need to be promoting it. But where should you start, what works best, and how do you get the help you need within the industry?That’s precisely why we invited podcast maven Lauren Passell on this month’s episode of the Podcast Industry Experts. You might know Lauren as the creator and curator of Podcast The Newsletter and Podcast Marketing Magic, or maybe you just know Lauren from her amazing insights on Twitter. She brings a unique perspective and tons of amazing insights to this episode, especially for those struggling to find their audience.We talk to Lauren about her podcast marketing tips, how to find podcast partnerships for cross promotion, how newsletter creators want to be pitched, and her podcast industry predictions for 2022.

It's nearly the end of 2021, which means it's time to take a look at all the latest 2021 podcast stats to see how the medium has continued to evolve in the eyes of the public. The 2021 Spoken Word Audio Report was recently released by NPR and Edison Research, giving us some insight into how podcasting, audiobooks, and other spoken-word audio has grown and diversified.Join us on this episode of the Podcast Industry Experts as we take you through the Spoken Word Audio Report, analyze the findings, and make some pretty bold predictions about how things will continue to change in 2022.

As podcasting continues to grow, ways of monetizing that content grow right alongside it. But at this point, does podcast advertising work for both brands and podcasters alike?For the very first episode of Podcast Industry Experts, we're joined by the man behind podcast ad-tech, Bryan Barletta. Bryan shares his thoughts on where podcast advertising is currently, what problems need to be addressed, and what independent podcasters need to know about advertising in the first place.This is a great introduction to the world of podcast monetization and the technologies behind it all.

The Podcast Industry Experts is your monthly slice of podcast industry news, served with a side of expert opinions. ​On the first Friday of every month, hosts John Luckenbaugh and Matthew Stevens will discuss the latest podcast news and break down what it all really means for podcasters, while occasionally talking shop with other experts from around the podcast industry.