The Pod 11 - The most influential Entities in Podcasting

 

This list is in response to this other list - The Pod 22 the Most influential people in NY City Pro Podcasting 

 

Rather than look at individuals - I wanted to look at the teams and entities that are really the most influential in ALL of podcasting - not the very small niche that is NY City Pro Podcasting.

 

The list in no particular order - but numbered so someone who does not read this intro can mis-report on it.

 

1. iTunes Podcasting team - it is more than one person at Apple - and clearly with 65% of the downloads directly to iTunes or the Podcasts App - this is the most influential team.  Additionally another 15% of downloads comes from aggregator apps that pull from the iTunes directory.  

 

2. Libsyn - The first podcasting hosting company - responsible for hosting around 35% of the top 200 shows in iTunes US.  Libsyn will deliver over 25% of all the downloads iTunes and the podcasts apps play.  No one else is even close. 

 

3. Scripps - They purchased Mid-roll and now Stitcher - it is very clear they are in this space for the long term and have the financial chops to back up their plans.

 

4. Blubrry - That team has been part of Podcasting before iTunes was supporting podcasting.  Their plugin supports a large number of podcasts and their ad sales support has been there since the beginning.

 

5. Podtrac - Their Ad sales also from the beginning and support many podcasts big and small.

 

6. Soundcloud - Sure their tools suck and they are all focused on Promoting the Soundcloud brand - and a simple search of “buy soundcloud plays” shows you for $50 you can buy 50,000 plays - BUT, they still do power a good number of shows and Twitter gave them life for at least 18 more months.

 

7. Podcast Movement Team - The guys behind Podcast Movement now have the largest podcast only event.  This is where people through out the industry go to get influenced.

 

8. PodcastOne / ACE - Norm and Adam combined to build an instant and powerfully influential entity.  Ok - lots of other people are involved in this tandem - Gary, Mike, Mike and more.  

 

9. IAB Podcast Technical Working Group - This is the team that is working to standardize what the definition of a download is, so that everyone can talk in one standard language to advertisers.  

 

10. GPM Team - Finally native Podcasting support for Android users.  Right now it is about 1.7% of plays for big shows - That is actually really good for the first month.  

 

11. Overcast - Ok Really this is just Marco Arment - but what the heck - Marco is smarter than most teams combined and Overcast is the number one 3rd Party App on iOS.

 

Honorable mentions:  She Podcast Facebook Group, Podcast Paradise Group, Podiobooks Team, Roger Wilmut (Don’t know who Roger is - then you don’t have any right making a list on influential podcasters), NPR, WNYC, Gimlet Media, Spreaker, Podbean, Podomatic, Panoply, LA Podfest team,  Blogtalk, TWiT Network, Audible, 5x5 network, Art19, Pod to Pod news letter, Auphonic team, BossJock Team, Serial Team, QDNow Team, Nerdist Industries, Clammr team, CBS.