Podcasting (and RSS) is a global medium, but there are still country-specific quirks you have to think about for each launch
In the English-speaking world, we often assume that launching a podcast means launching it in the UK and the US. This Western bias can very often prevent us from thinking outside the box when it comes to our shows. In reality, there are so many country-specific variations that you have to consider when you are launching a new show and if you have a specific audience in mind for a regional launch, you better make sure it works for them first and foremost.
So what differences could there be for an International Podcast Launch vs a podcast launch designed for listeners in the UK, US, Australia and other English-speaking countries?
- How Audiences Listen to Your Show
One of the biggest questions you have to ask yourself when launching a podcast is: how will people listen to my show? This includes thinking about where they will search for it and what they expect from a podcast in general. Thinking about platforms when it comes to consumption is smart as YouTube grows in popularity across English-speaking Western countries and Spotify gains momentum in its video consumption, too. On the other hand, Japan has its own podcasting destinations in Radiko and China has Ximalaya – which is arguably still the best for sharing audio content to a bigger audience. Plus, behind the great firewall of China, you also have to be clever about sharing anything – Spotify for example will lag and most likely not work for your pod, while WeChat might be great for sharing the pod internally between friends and smaller groups. So before you launch a podcast that has a unique audience demographic, think about your audience’s geolocation and only then commit to a distribution strategy. Plus, think about your episodic timing – when is everyone awake and ready to listen?
- What Language Will Your Audiences Prefer
Podcasting is the perfect medium to help an idea cross borders. The RSS allows for content to be free and accessible almost anywhere in the world. Operating in the English-speaking world, you might think that most podcasts are in the English language, but you would be wrong to assume that. By 2027, we can expect the Latin American market to outgrow any other region, which means Spanish and Portuguese-language podcasts are going to become global powerhouses. It would be wise to convert your show to multiple languages if you think your audience would be receptive to the idea of the podcast in their native tongue. This is no easy endeavour as you not only have to carry through the whole IP concept to the region, but you would have to translate and adopt it to fit within cultural references and context, think about its humour and tone, and likely get relevant talent for the region to lead the show, too. It’s good to note that Spotify is already doing a lot to get people listening in more languages with their integration of AI into translation software, which would allow people to listen to the same podcasts they love in more languages AND in the presenter’s voice, too! Similarly, Wondercraft also offers AI translation tools to take your podcast abroad. Some networks like Wondery, Acast, PodX and Podimo are already investing a lot of time and effort into making their podcasting slate truly global, so there is a proof of concept in the idea already, too.
- How You Want to Monetise Your Podcast
In the UK, monetising your podcast usually means ad spots and sponsorships – but this is not so for every country. While podcasting is rapidly gaining popularity across the world, if you are launching outside of the UK/US/Australian markets, you might have less advertisers jumping at the chance to buy ad spaces from you. Dynamic and programmatic buying is quite unique in that sense, as in some countries it is simply not the preferred method of monetisation. Again, China does it quite differently as it favours subscription models (something that you do also see in the English-language markets, too). Ximilaya is geared towards premium content and Chinese listeners would be quite keen on merchandise as well as other opportunities to interact with you beyond listening to ads on your show.
- How Your Audience Feels About Podcasting
Every country has its own attitude towards the media. This could be overwhelmingly positive, or it could skew negative – depending on the country’s economic and political situation at the time. For the UK, the BBC already has a favourable stance in the public’s eye as over time, people have built a lot of trust with the public broadcaster. The same is true for Nordic countries like Sweden and Norway, where you will be directly competing with the public service broadcasters. The same isn’t true in other countries (e.g. Eastern Europe), where independent creators and influencers are more likely to come out with the biggest hits. Think about who your competitors are in each space – including bigger networks and independent shows – and make sure your artwork, assets and show descriptions are all up to scratch in comparison!
These are of course just some starting thoughts concerning any podcast launch in a specific country and depending on where you are hoping to get the biggest percentage of listeners, the weight of each of these points will change. Just keep in mind that all podcasts have the potential to do more for their audiences and if you are just starting out – always ensure to put your listeners first.