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I Hear Things

Hello! You've reached the archives of I Hear Things, Tom Webster's newsletter about the world of podcasting, streaming, audiobooks, and everything else we stick into our earballs. Tom is now a partner at Sounds Profitable, and you can find his latest writing there by simply signing up for a free subscription. Otherwise, you can find Tom's writing about the business of audio from 2020-2022 below. Thanks for visiting!

Featured Posts

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Sounds Profitable

I Hear Things is joining Sounds Profitable. That's the tweet.

Sounds Profitable
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Roll With The Changes

What does this week's Spotify quarterly earnings call portend for podcasting? PLUS: a bit of personal news...

Roll With The Changes
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Podcasting's Most Important Investment

Podcasting's central challenge in 2022 is NOT discovery--but something related. PLUS: more than you want to know about NFTs and podcasting.

Podcasting's Most Important Investment
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What To Do When The Line Stops Going Up

For the first time in nine years, Podcasting didn't grow. Why not, and what can you DO about it?

What To Do When The Line Stops Going Up
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Podcasting's Most Controversial Statistic

This week, Tom looks at a brand new, unreleased statistic about the reach of podcasting that has important ramifications for independent podcasters and "big podcasting" alike.

Podcasting's Most Controversial Statistic
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The Care And Feeding Of A Podcast Audience

This week, Tom talks about how to compete in a world where the vast majority of listening is to a handful of podcasts

The Care And Feeding Of A Podcast Audience
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What Podcasting's Best Customers Think Of Podcast Ads

This week, Tom looks at the top five findings about Podcast Ads from the recent Super Listeners Study

What Podcasting's Best Customers Think Of Podcast Ads
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Scattered To The Wind

This week, Tom looks at the nature of "exclusivity" for podcasting, Farmers, and Peter Fonda, man.

Scattered To The Wind
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The Oversimplified Superstring Hit Incubation Theory Of Podcasting

This week, Tom has an EPIC look at the "podcasting isn't producing any new hits" article: what's right, what's wrong, and what the *real* problem is. PLUS: The OSHIT theory, and too many Big Night references.

The Oversimplified Superstring Hit Incubation Theory Of Podcasting
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The Best Schnitzel In Detroit

This week, why podcast listening has been destroying commercial talk radio right under our noses. Plus Demi Lovato, ONJ, and (of course) schnitzel

The Best Schnitzel In Detroit
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Racing, And Pacing, And Plotting The Course

This week, Tom looks at the growth of podcasting--is it at the "break line?" ALSO--a mission statement for your podcast

Racing, And Pacing, And Plotting The Course
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Why Would People Listen To Podcasts On The 'Tube?

This week, Tom examines why people who otherwise use audio-first apps might also use YouTube for podcasts, and how podcasters can adapt to that information. PLUS: the latest Share of Ear data, and some exciting Infinite Dial news!

Why Would People Listen To Podcasts On The 'Tube?
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The Last, Best Frontier For Podcasting

There is a final frontier for podcasting--and when it is crossed, everything in audio will change forever.

The Last, Best Frontier For Podcasting
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Music Was Better In My Day - Now Get Out Of My Yard

Spoken Word has grown 40% in the last seven years--but what the heck is going on with music? PLUS: NFTs, and GWAR

Music Was Better In My Day - Now Get Out Of My Yard
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The Crux Of The Kerfuffle

This week - a new stat on independent podcast listeners. PLUS: a deep dive on Spotify's recent claim to being the most preferred platform

The Crux Of The Kerfuffle
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Look For The Flowers

Is Facebook good for podcasters? Bad? It can be good--if you adopt the right mindset.

Look For The Flowers
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Normal, But Not Back To Normal

Is Normal, "Normal?" How to think about your listeners, their lives, and the present moment as a podcaster or content creator

Normal, But Not Back To Normal
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Looking Into The Matrix, Digital Audio Edition

Today on I Hear Things - a digital audio stat that has fallen through the cracks.

Looking Into The Matrix, Digital Audio Edition
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Podcasting For Connection

Podcasting is difficult, and it can be hard to "get your reps." Here's a way to break Podcaster's Block and maybe even help society

Podcasting For Connection
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To All The Podcasts I've Loved Before

This week, I excavate the bones of ALL the podcasts I've "podfaded," why I stopped, and what I learned as a serial killer...um...of podcasts

To All The Podcasts I've Loved Before
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Workshopping Your Podcast

Today: Writers' Workshops, but for podcasters. That's the tweet ;) Also: an extended meditation on failing, failing fast, and the "just ship it" mentality.

Workshopping Your Podcast
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Little Boxes

It's been two years since iHeart put Sunday Night Podcasts on the radio. Do podcasts belong on the radio? And if so, how?

Little Boxes
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Wherever You Get Your Podcasts

How should we tell people to listen to our podcast? Is "Wherever you get your podcasts" really the best answer?

Wherever You Get Your Podcasts
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The Most Important Question In Podcasting

Today we answer the most-asked question in podcasting. Also: the most influential people in podcasting, and ham.

The Most Important Question In Podcasting
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Adaptability

Fallout from The Great Apple Download Bug of 2021, and a few thoughts about adaptability for podcasters and humans

Adaptability
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Is Podcasting...A Slowing Market?

A recent analyst report claims that podcasting is "a slowing market" based on recent download figures. Could that be true?

Is Podcasting...A Slowing Market?
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The Blueprint For A Podcast Listener Survey

A bonus issue of I Hear Things with a free, do it yourself listener survey template

The Blueprint For A Podcast Listener Survey
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Podcasting, Audiobooks, and the Third Thing

Podcasts and Audiobooks are crossing the streams of spoken word content - what else is possible? Also: more on listener surveys!

Podcasting, Audiobooks, and the Third Thing
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How To Field Your Own Listener Survey

Everything you need to know about soliciting feedback from your audience

How To Field Your Own Listener Survey
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Who Doesn't Like Pizza?

What a Baja Chicken Salad can teach us about the dangers of super-serving your current audience.

Who Doesn't Like Pizza?
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The Celebrity Podcast: Neither Fish nor Fowl

Why celebrity podcasts won't "ruin podcasting" and aren't a sure thing.

The Celebrity Podcast: Neither Fish nor Fowl
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Elephants, Shar-Peis, and Hedgehogs: What Recent Podcast Platform Data Really Tells Us

This newsletter has everything: new data on podcast platforms, elephants, Shar-peis, hedgehogs, Clubhouse, Faberge Organics, The Scorpions, and the podcasting mindset for today

Elephants, Shar-Peis, and Hedgehogs: What Recent Podcast Platform Data Really Tells Us
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What Happened to Podcast Listening in Canada?

This week, some detective work, as we look at some new data on podcasting from the Infinite Dial. Also: who is your podcast for? Not everybody...

What Happened to Podcast Listening in Canada?
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Where To Find Millions Of New Listeners--Today

This week is an ENORMOUS GRAB BAG OF JOY, featuring new research on podcasting and social media, the top 10 most-recalled brands in podcasting, and new data on Clubhouse.

Where To Find Millions Of New Listeners--Today
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The Provenance of Podcasting

An early candidate for Real Heroes of Podcasting Hero of the Year, and the most interesting-yet-largely-ignored-by-podcasters news story of the past couple of weeks.

The Provenance of Podcasting
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The One Thing Podcasters Must Do To Prepare For Paid Podcast Subscriptions

Paid subscriptions on Apple Podcasts: should you? What you NEED to do if you go down that road. Also: how Clubhouse should spend its sweet VC cash.

The One Thing Podcasters Must Do To Prepare For Paid Podcast Subscriptions
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Here's The Thing

Spotify introduces the Car Thing. Is it a Good Thing? This week, a primer on unlocking demand vs. creating it.

Here's The Thing
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It's Fun Not To Count Things

My wife and I have been watching all of the James Bond movies in "book order." Last night was Octopussy, and we've got just two left to complete the ordeal. Most of the Bond movies were based on books and short stories by Ian Fleming, who composed many of them

It's Fun Not To Count Things
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Rent To Own, And Other Content Strategies

Why I left Substack, "Rent to Own" content strategies, and the Patagonian Toothfish.

Rent To Own, And Other Content Strategies
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What If We Were Wrong About Radio

Plus: The two kinds of Clubhouse experiences

What If We Were Wrong About Radio

Recent Posts

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Sounds Profitable

I Hear Things is joining Sounds Profitable. That's the tweet.

Sounds Profitable
Members Public

Roll With The Changes

What does this week's Spotify quarterly earnings call portend for podcasting? PLUS: a bit of personal news...

Roll With The Changes
Members Public

Podcasting's Most Important Investment

Podcasting's central challenge in 2022 is NOT discovery--but something related. PLUS: more than you want to know about NFTs and podcasting.

Podcasting's Most Important Investment