The entire PodcastOne catalogue will be available through Spotify in a deal that will create new cross-promotional opportunities.

While the exposure of Aussie content on Spotify will create more openings for distribution, the deal will add some notable US titles such as The Adam Carolla Show and other PodcastOne stars that include Shaquille O’Neal and Steve Austin.

As the year draws to a close, online and social data analytics company Talkwalker has surveyed 50 social media experts and distilled what is thinks will be the key social media trends for next year.

Talkwalker and HubSpot gathered industry experts, PR professionals, social media gurus, and influencers, from the US, Europe, MEA, India, APAC, and the rest of the world to define the trends to make your marketing win in 2020.

Analysis from Steve Ahern

 
Podcast listening was on the rise across the globe in 2018.

Spotify has analysed its stats from last year and found the number of monthly users intentionally listening to podcasts increased by 175%.

A Spotify report on podcast usage on the platform says:
 

Triton Digital has released its monthly digital audio Top 20 Ranker figures for December 2018.

The data is dominated by American streaming listening, but also includes international streaming in the data we examined (we excluded Latin American data).

American podcast company Panoply has released data that indicates that Spotify is "growing the pie" for podcast listening in the United States.

It only took 13 years, but Spotify has finally turned a profit.

In a report released last night in New York, Spotify declared that for the first time in company history, Operating Income, Net Income, and Free Cash Flow were all positive.

Monthly active uses grew 29% year to year to 207 million with the number of Premium Subscribers reaching 96 million, up 36% Y/Y.

While ad-supported revenue increase, the growth in programmatic and self-serve (Ad Studio) channels has continued to outpace the growth in direct marketing.

Spotify has launched Sound Up Bootcamp Australia, an initiative that gives aspiring Australian based First Nations podcasters the opportunity to undergo an intensive learning program, facilitated by podcasting and radio greats, and delve into podcast creation, story development and understanding their audience.

10 participants will be invited to take part in the four-day workshop, 26-29 November 2018, at Spotify Australia’s Sydney HQ and will receive mentoring, practical experience, and networking opportunities with facilitators.

As part of today’s Interactive Advertising Bureau presentation of the latest research in interactive audio, Omny Studio’s CEO Sharon Taylor and Eardrum’s Creative Director Tristan Viney discussed creative formats for audio platforms.