AURO UNIVERSITY (INDIA)

School of Business Bachelor of Business Administration

Module - Digital Marketing

Semester - V

(2017 – 20)

Module Leader - Tanu Narang

Name - Aditi Agarwal

Enrolment Number - 022018L003

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude and deep regards to PROF. TANU
NARANG for her exemplary guidance, monitoring and constant encouragement through out the
course.

She helped to understand each and every aspect which helped immensely while making this report.

I am thankful to my respondents without whom this report would not have been completed.
Without the support of the aforementioned people and institutions, I would have never been able to
give this project in its present shape.
 Table Of Content

Serial Number Topic

1 Abstract

2 Introduction
3 Literature review

4 The objective of the study

5 Methodology
6 Data Analysis
7 Finding and Discussion
8 Conclusion
9 Limitation of the study
10 Bibliography & Reference
11 Annexures/Appendix
 Abstract

Though in its nascent stages, podcasts are gradually gaining momentum in the country as

audiences increasingly seek content that is diversified, insightful, entertaining, and can be

consumed as they multitask or are on the go. Podcasts, in this way, have enormous

development potential in the nation, supplemented by factors such as increasing digital

penetration, the cost-effectiveness of smart mobile devices, content diversity and an

overwhelming amount of commute time.

Introduction

It was revolutionary when listeners were able to take their music to the beach or the park, but in
those days they still had to listen to whatever the radio stations were playing. Now, with podcasting,
listeners can choose the programming they want to download from the Internet and listen whenever
they want.

The term "Podcasting" is derived from the iPod (Apple Computer’s popular device for playing
compressed audio files) and "broadcasting." Podcasting allows for audio files that would have been
previously downloaded and played on a personal computer to be automatically downloaded and
listened to on portable music playing devices (such as the iPod and other MP3 players).

Much of the technological mindset behind podcasting has its origins in the world of blogging. In
fact, some have referred to podcasting as "audio blogging." For many, podcasting is a logical next
step from blogging. As Stephen Baker observes: "The heart of the podcasting movement is in the
world of blogs, those millions of personal Web pages that have become a global sensation. In a
blogosphere that has grown largely on the written word, podcasts add a soundtrack"

In the last year podcasting growth has been dramatic. This growth is obvious when we look at the
number of podcasts hosted by Indians are more than 70 in number.

The views on AudioBoom a podcasts platform have jumped from 2 Lakhs 2019 to 15 Lakhs 2019.

81,789 Number of National Public Radio (NPR) podcasts downloaded in India in 2015

335,828 Number of NPR podcasts downloaded in India in 2018

The monthly podcast listeners in India, who've listened to at least one podcast in a month, grew to

40 million at the end of 2018 from 25.8 million a year ago. This implies an annual growth of 57 per

cent, according to a research by PwC.

India ranked third, after the United States (US) and China, in terms of podcast consumption.

Currently, only 150 million Indians are estimated to be using audio-streaming services, which itself

presents a massive opportunity of growth for podcasts.

The growth of podcasting is being shaped by a number of social factors:

1. Podcasting allows listeners to engage in time–shifting, while providing space

independence, i.e., to listen to media at a time and place that is convenient.
2. Consumers view traditional radio as having too much advertising.
3. Listeners are frustrated with the homogeneous nature of traditional radio programming.
4. We are seeing a fragmentation of traditional media — from mass broadcasting to media that
is tailored to individual needs, i.e., to personalised media. This fragmentation is being
fuelled, in part, by podcasting — a technology that allows individuals to share their
expertise and interests with others.

Literature Review

In late June, 2005 Apple Computer added a podcasting feature to their iTunes software, making
over 3,000 podcasts available for free (Apple Computer, 2005a). Apple is promoting podcasting
with catch phrases such as "Radio Reborn" and "Podcasting. The next generation of radio" (Apple
Computer, 2005d). In addition to allowing users to download individual podcasts or subscribe to
podcasts, iTunes also allows podcasts creators to publish their podcasts. Within two days over one
million subscriptions to podcasts had been made through iTunes (Apple Computer, 2005c). The
inclusion of a podcasting feature by iTunes is the single greatest step in helping podcasts reach a
wider audience. This is because iTunes already has a well–established user base and the credibility
(and perceived creativity) of Apple Computer behind it.

“Podcast” is a term that people have been listening to a lot nowadays. Coined by a project team that
worked on a project called iPodder back in 2004, podcasting was an amalgamation of ‘iPod’ and
‘Broadcast’. Think of ‘Podcast’ as an advanced version of the radio and audio content mashed up
beautifully to become a megaphone albeit virtual.
The first organisation to pick up the trend of ‘Podcasting’ was not other than ‘Apple’. Radio
podcasts downloaded through the internet could be uploaded to an iPod through iTunes.

Steve Jobs officially announced supporting ‘’Podcasts’ in 2005 and Apple simultaneously added
‘Podcast Support’ to the iTunes. Steve Jobs actually believed in the power of Podcasting. At the
time of the launch, users could listen to more than 3,000 automatically delivered free podcasts to
their computer and iPod.

After almost a decade, Apple would go on to launch a dedicated podcast app in 2012. This early
adoption of the technology has made Apple one of the most prominent Podcasting Platform.

Today, Podcast is all about loyal followers, growing audiences and creating a niche. Just like other
social platforms that rely on visual gratification, Podcasts offers an audio one. They range from
crime thrillers, tutorials to dating advice.

However, one thing that makes podcasts different is the ability to filter out unwanted content and
subscribe to the things that only like. In simpler terms, there is no homepage of unwanted in-your-
face content to worry about. While podcasting hasn’t touched the engagement levels of Youtube or
Twitter, it is certainly on a growth trajectory.

The Podcast Consumer 2019

Edison’s Research

This information was taken by Triton Digital and Edison Research, in January/February 2019. They
surveyed 2000 people to gather this information.

• The podcast listener listens to mostly podcasts over other forms of audio.
• Smart speaker owners aren’t listening to podcasts on them – yet.
• People are listening to more shows, and spending more time listening.
• Podcasts share of ear has doubled in 4 years.
• In-car listening has grown significantly.
• 40% of Americans know about podcasts but don’t listen. We should find out why!
• 55+ audience has the biggest potential – they’re big audio users but not this form yet.
• Podcasters really need to start making their shows available on smart speakers.

(http://www.edisonresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Edison-Research-Podcast-
Consumer-2019.pdf)
ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS?
How audio podcasters adopt, transform and re-invent radio storytelling
Nele Heise, M. A.

This chapter introduces podcasting as an online delivery mechanism for audio files and as a form of
usergenerated content. In the second part, we will also discuss certain practices of podcasting as
forms of remediation, adoption and transformation of radio storytelling. Additionally, we will
address the ways in which podcasting differs from ‘radiogenic conventions’ and contributes to the
emergence of ‘personal media’ genre conventions and new forms of audio storytelling.

Certain podcast formats can be understood as new emerging ‘personal media genres’, which are
“both medium and outcome of textual practices” (Lüders et al. 2010, p. 947). They emerge through
a dynamic interaction between conventions and expectations afforded by technological platforms
(Internet infrastructure), media (podcasting) and specific ‘texts’ (episodes).

Taken together podcasting as an open, technological infrastructure for content distribution creates a
shared environment for both mass and personal media. This “new audiosphere of
podcasting” (Madsen 2009) is characterised by a broad variety of heterogeneous providers (e.g.
media professionals, institutions, or amateurs), topics (e.g. science, pop culture, technology,
society), and functions (podcasting as hobby activity, as marketing or educational tool, as
alternative news medium, as a non-public communication instrument, etc.). This diversity “re-
activates possibilities of the creative commons as reservoir of cultural wealth (…) allowing voices,
space and time to re-sound, in a new environment/ ecology, through time/space shifting and
dissemination” (Madsen 2009, p. 1202).

As we have seen, some practices of podcasting refer to elements and conventions of traditional
(radio) broadcasting, while others point to emerging personal media genre conventions as well as
innovative ways of audio storytelling and listener interaction

https://hamburgergarnele.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/podcasts_heise_public.pdf

Podcasting: A New Technology in Search of Viable Business Models

Mark Alexander Fox

Podcasting has become popular as it allows listeners to time–shift content, i.e., to listen — when it
suits them — to radio–like programming on portable MP3 and related devices. Dissatisfaction with
traditional radio — which has too much advertising and is perceived to have generic programming
— is fueling interest in programming that better meets the individual needs and interests of
consumers. Podcasting represents a shift from mass broadcasting to on–demand personalized
media. We look at the development of podcasting technology, the social context within which this
development has occurred, and outline the legal constraints that podcasters face. Then we examine
some business models for podcasting.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
220166999_Podcasting_A_New_Technology_in_Search_of_Viable_Business_Models
 Objective of the study

To study the emerging trend of Podcasting in India.

Methodology

To conduct the following research Quantitative Methodology is adopted in which a survey has been
conducted of 51 respondents from 5 different cities of India.

The Research was carried out in a very organised and systematic way through which a particular
case or problem can be solved efficiently.

• It is a step-by-step logical process, which involves:

• Defining a problem

• Laying the objectives of the research Sources of data

• Methods of data collection

• Data analysis & processing

• Conclusions & Recommendations

A mix of primary and secondary data source was used to achieve the objectives of the research.

Primary data is data that is collected by a researcher from first-hand sources, using methods like
surveys, interviews, or experiments. It is collected with the research project in mind, directly from
primary sources. Responses were fetched from the individuals using a mix of Simple random
sampling and Snowball sampling was used to fetch responses.

Simple random sampling is a sampling technique where every item in the population has an even
chance and likelihood of being selected in the sample. Here the selection of items completely
depends on chance or by probability and therefore this sampling technique is also sometimes known
as a method of chances.

Snowball Sampling is a non probability sampling technique where existing study subjects recruit
future subjects from among their acquaintances. Thus the sample group is said to grow like a rolling
snowball. As the sample builds up, enough data are gathered to be useful for research.

The researcher had opted survey method to carry out the study. Simple random sampling was opted
to reach out respondents. A questionnaire in the form of Google Form was used to collect data from
the respondents. A total number of 53 responses were received.

Source of Secondary Data

Secondary data refers to data which is collected by someone who is someone other than the user.
Common sources of secondary data for social science include censuses, information collected by
government departments, organisational records and data that was originally collected for other
research purposes.

Sources of secondary data used:

- News
- Articles
- Research Papers
- Internet Searches

Survey researchers normally adopt a flow plan or chart to outline the design and subsequent
implementation of a survey, Campbell and Katona (1953). The flow plan begins with the objectives
of the survey, lists each step to be taken and ends with the final report. The subsequent steps are as
discussed below: Statement of the problem : It is not always possible for a researcher to formulate
his problem simply, clearly, and completely. He may often have only a general, diffused notion of
the problem. This is in the nature of the complexity of scientific research. It may even take the
investigator years of exploration, thought, and research before he can clearly say what questions he
has been asking. Nevertheless, adequate statement of the research problem is one of the most
important parts of research. That it may be difficult or impossible to state a research problem
satisfactorily at a given time should not allow us to lose sight of the ultimate desirability and
necessity of doing so. Nor should the difficulty be used as a rationalization to avoid stating the
problem. Bearing this difficulty in mind, a fundamental principle can be stated: If one wants to
solve a problem, one must generally know what the problem is. It can be said that a large part of the
solution lies in knowing what one is trying to do. Another part lies in knowing what a problem is
and especially what a scientific problem is.

Although research problems differ greatly, and although there is no one “right” way to state one,
certain characteristics of problems and problem statements can be learned and used to good
advantage. There are at least three criteria of good problems and problem statements. Firstly, the
problem should express a relation between two or more variables. Secondly, the problem should be
stated clearly and unambiguously in question form. Thirdly, the problem and the problem statement
should be such as to imply possibilities of empirical testing, Kerlinger (1973). Sample and the
Sampling Plan : Selecting the universe in the field of study and choosing the sample from the
universe are the second crucial steps in survey research. The universe to be sampled and studied
must be defined. In sampling, normally we collect limited data from a population and after studying
the limited data we try to infer certain conclusions about the characteristics or parameters of the
population. Therefore, the sample design must result in a truly representative sample; sample design
must be such which results in a minimum sampling error; sample design must be viable in the
context of funds availability; sample design must be such that the systematic bias can be controlled
easily and sample should be such so that the result of the sample study can be applied, in general,
for the universe with a reasonable level of confidence, Kothari, (2005).
 Data Analysis

• Out of 51 respondents 32 respondents were aged between 20-35 and 15 were aged between 13-20.
• Only 4 respondents were aged above 35 and none below 13.

• Out of 51 respondents majority of respondents that is 37 respondents were from Surat, Gujarat
considering the Author is based from Surat and is conducting this research as a College Project.

!
• Out of 51 respondents about 23 respondents are students and 13 are entrepreneurs, 7 are self
employed and 8 are job working respondents. Zero respondents are unemployed.

• Out of 51 respondents 42 are aware of Podcasts and 5 said a no whereas 4 respondents chose not
sure considering incomplete awareness.

!
• Majority Respondents listen to a Podcasts rarely that is 17 out of 51 respondents.
• 15 respondents out of 51 chose they occasionally listen to a Podcast whereas only 8 chose
Frequently as an option.

• Very diverse response is seen to the platform used most to listen to a Podcasts, 13 out of 51
respondents choose Saavn as an option being the majority.

• Then Spotify and iTunes was chosen being 11 and 10 respondents out of 51 respondents.

• Others also mentioned Youtube, Stitcher, Soundcloud, IVM Podcasts.

• 10 respondents chose Not Applicable considering 5 were not aware of Podcasts and 4 were unsure
of the concept of Podcasts and lacked clarity.

!
• 39 out of 51 respondents chose English as the language preferred while listening to a Podcast
which is a majority of 76.5% and 3 respondents chose Hindi whereas 1 chose regional language.

• 8 respondents chose Not Applicable considering 5 were not aware of Podcasts and 4 were unsure
of the concept of Podcasts and lacked clarity.

• Majority that is 17 respondents choose they listen to a Podcast when they are taking a break from
work out of 51.

• 14 respondents chose on commute to and fro work being 27.5% out of 51 respondents.

• Whereas while getting ready in the morning was chosen by 10 respondents and before sleeping at
night was chosen by 10 respondents out 51 respondents.

!
• 15 respondents out of 21 choose 10-20 minutes as average time spent listening to a podcast.

• 10 respondents chose 5-10 minutes as average time spent listening to a podcast and 20-30 minutes
was chosen was 10 respondents.

• Only 5 respondents chose they spend more than 30 minutes listening to a podcast.

!
 Finding & Discussion

As seen the awareness of Podcasts is moderately high but the dedicated listenership is lower.

Reasons why chances of Podcasts becoming a rising trend are likely high:

Technology enhancing user convenience and engagement

Technological advancements are undoubtedly reshaping every industry and vertical across the
globe, and the podcast industry is no exception. By integrating modern technology tools such as
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and the Internet of Things (IoT), the medium
has become more accessible and personalised than ever before. Through a data-driven approach,
technological interventions-enabled podcast platforms are augmenting user experience by offering
and recommending an array of content that matches specific tastes and preferences. Such
customised content is driving micro-engagement and offering ease of accessibility for consumers,
thereby leading to a rapid inclusion of podcasts into the mainstream.

Rising ownership of smart devices and digital penetration

There is a steep rise in digital penetration and ownership of smart devices in the country. The
country is projected to have 1 billion mobile users by 2020, with 96 percent of them being
smartphone users. India presently ranks second in the list of countries that spend the most amount
of time to consume content, and the rising number of smartphone users has led to a remarkable 17x
increase in content consumption. This has also led to a rise in demand for passive content and
podcast serves as one of the most effective mediums of the same. Therefore, the podcast industry in
India is expected to grow in conjunction, with an increase in smartphone user base.

The Indian Podcast Listener Statistics in 2018 found that among all Indians who listen to podcasts,
77 percent do so on their phones, mostly while commuting. The time taken by people to commute
takes up a substantial share of their daily lives and they mostly resort to music and e-books for
entertainment due to a lack of alternatives. As the content available on podcasts becomes more
accessible and diversified, the medium is being pursued by Indian audiences with great enthusiasm,
with experts predicting it will pose a strong challenge to music consumption in the next few years.

Demography dynamics and diversified content

India is known for its diversity of languages and culture. According to a study by KPMG in India
and Google titled ‘Indian Languages—Defining India’s Internet’, the Indian language internet user
base grew at an exponential CAGR of 41 percent between 2011 and 2016. Furthermore, it has been
estimated that nine out of 10 Indian internet users will access the internet using a regional language
in the next five years.

Podcasts as a medium have tapped into this robustly-growing segment. Although podcasts initially
began with a focus on English language content, they now have a regional appeal with content in
Indian languages such as Hindi, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Punjabi, Bengali, Assamese, Rajasthani
and Bhojpuri, among others. Furthermore, the content available through podcasts caters to every
age group and every mood—from mythological series and bhajans that appeal to senior citizens, to
insightful and inspirational series for millennials, and fun stories and poems for children. Be it
news, sports, entertainment, music, politics, skillsets, or even a general take on life—the content
offered by podcasts has limitless possibilities. Therefore, podcasts are increasingly gaining traction
as a medium for everyone with diversified content for the dynamically evolving demographics.

A thriving platform to create and consume

One of the major hindrances in the growth of the podcast industry is the perception towards this
medium. Consumers often perceive podcasts as intellectual content consumed by an elite segment
of audiences while creators assume there is a lengthy technical aspect to the podcasting process
requiring a lot of insight, experience, equipment and capital.

On the contrary, podcasts are very native to Indian audiences and can be created by anyone who has
good oratory skills and good knowledge about their topic. Podcasts are thus emerging as a
flourishing platform to showcase the talent and to reach out to audiences among Indians.

Nostalgic appeal with an enriched listening experience

For a nation that has witnessed generations grow up with radio, audio content naturally strikes a
chord. Moreover, since radio is now widely criticised for its excessive reliance on advertisements
and Bollywood, and indistinguishable content across all channels, podcasts serve as a fresh take on
the medium.

Podcasts offer a wide variety of content with the least amount of clutter when compared to other
forms of media. Advertisements take over a substantial share of the radio show runtime, making it
less likeable to audiences who tend to switch channels immediately. On the other hand, podcasts
plug the content of advertisements into the content flow seamlessly, thereby keeping the user
engaged. Therefore, equipped with engaging content and seamless incorporation of advertisements,
podcasts offer the nostalgia of radio with an enriched listening experience.

The Indian audience is more used to listening to music than to talk content. “We have many
bloggers, but few have taken to doing podcasts. Also, I feel many think that doing a podcast
requires some hi-tech technology, which is not true.”

I think it is now changing due to the increased exposure of the digital natives; the millennials, to
international podcasts. It is because of them that there is a demand, and hence we see a few good
Indian podcast channels by well-established personalities from theatre, Bollywood, stand-up
comedians, etc

Launched in January this year, aawaaz already has 54 audio shows with over 1,000 episodes in
total. The company has over two lakh subscribers.

Music streaming companies like Hungama, Spotify and Gaana are trying to leverage this increased
demand for audio content in India. They are also trying to build their own podcast platforms.

Gaana, for example, is using its Radio tab on the app to turn it into a destination for podcasts.
Launched this week, its audio original shows have a mix of storytelling shows from Radio Mirchi to
original comedy and devotional content.
Hungama, on the other hand, has been focusing on creating podcasts only around films and
entertainment, which so far has only been in Hindi and Tamil. But seeing the growth in the number
of listeners, Hungama is expanding its original podcasts to Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.

The world's largest music streaming company Spotify, which only launched in India this year, has
already started engaging with podcast creators in the country to build its podcast library targeted at
Indian consumers.

"Since our launch in India earlier this year, we have observed interest in non music audio content
that is based on self-motivation, music, true crime, mythology, and topical content such as
Chernobyl. In just under two years, Spotify has already become the second largest platform for
podcasts worldwide, and there is no reason why in the coming years, India won't be a part of this
global opportunity. In fact, the engagement level on the Spotify app in India, for podcasts, is not
very different from what average global engagement on the platform," Amarjit Batra, MD, Spotify
India, said.

Conclusion

The Indian podcast industry is all set to boom with time as communication is becoming more

content-centric with each passing day. Keeping the stats and industry predictions in mind, the Indian

podcast industry is all set to become the next big thing by 2020.

While the podcast industry is still a new concept in India, its existence on a global level just can’t be

ignored. Countries like the United States have the most advanced podcast market, where the

medium is gaining huge popularity in India as well.

The podcast industry in India is has been quite successful in attracting the young population of

India.

Without a doubt, the industry is fairly in its initial days where the segment requires the

right awareness through different marketing strategies. But despite being in its early days,

the industry is growing at an exponential pace, believed to transform into one major

lucrative segment in the near future.

 Limitation of Study

The study fails to understand the reasoning behind why people prefer listening to Podcasts and why
not to a Podcasts.

It also fails to understand topics podcasts listeners are interested in listening.

Questions like are also yet to be explored :

• Sources Used at Least “Occasionally” to Discover Podcasts

• Which Podcast Topics are Consumers Interested in?
• Podcasts Downloaded and Listened to Later
• Reasons for Listening to Podcasts
• What Make Podcast Listeners Listen More?
• Likelihood to Consider Brands Advertised on Podcasts

A deeper study is required to study in depth the prospects of Podcasting and its trend in India.
 References

http://www.edisonresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Edison-Research-Podcast-
Consumer-2019.pdf

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/podcasting-growth-is-slowly-picking-up-
in-india/articleshow/67398243.cms?from=mdr

https://firstmonday.org/article/view/1273/1193#note1

https://hamburgergarnele.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/podcasts_heise_public.pdf

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
220166999_Podcasting_A_New_Technology_in_Search_of_Viable_Business_Models

https://yourstory.com/2019/01/2019-terrific-year-podcasts-india

https://www.emarketer.com/content/podcasts-a-small-but-significant-audience

https://scroll.in/article/908291/why-the-indian-podcasting-industry-needs-more-high-quality-crap-
in-2019

https://innov8.work/blog/future-podcast-golden-age/

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/watch-out-gdp-slowdown-has-
jhunjhunwala-among-its-victims/articleshow/70957714.cms?
utm_source=ETMyNews&utm_medium=ASMN&utm_campaign=AL1&utm_content=10

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/podcasts-are-the-new-battleground-in-music-
streaming/article28319870.ece

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
220166999_Podcasting_A_New_Technology_in_Search_of_Viable_Business_Models
Appendix