Podcasts have been around for more than a decade now however it has been of recent years were every man and his dog has a podcast. Podcasts sure can be handy, they can be consumed in tasks where everything but your ears are preoccupied; think running, driving, working, walking or at the gym.
I see the rise of these small podcast producers for 2 key reasons, the first being ease of creation and second being the content format.
Podcast creation
Comparing a podcast to a video you can see that a podcast would be quicker to edit/upload/spread. If done right you wouldn’t even need to clip and cut the audio around, just add in your ads and upload it. A podcast is comparable to a video or a blog/article. If done right a creator would be using all these formats regularly.
A comparison video to a podcast would be an info graphic/tutorial style or for sports pod casters showing footage + text and images.
You can record a podcast on your phone at the low-end or a cheap microphone and editing the audio can be done on a low-end computer. Video uses more resources and a somewhat decent camera + accessories are needed.
editing audio is easier than editing audio + video making podcast creation open to many more people than video creation otherwise would be.
The format
Easy to listen to anywhere. Many podcast listeners I know consume their podcasts on the road whilst driving or when out exercising. It is this laid back, multi tasking ability when listening to podcasts that make them great especially for those on a tight schedule. It is here that podcasts come out above other content that needs your eyes attention (videos and blogs).
Podcasts when done right can be filled with ads, affiliate communication and brainwashing behavior. Good for the creator to earn some cash on the side and continue to grow in their area of influence.
It makes a lot of sense for a YouTuber, techie or designer to be a podcaster. Their fans would be highly capable to consume the podcasts and the creator would easily be able to make them. The only issue I see is keeping the quality high without dropping off in their main channel, what ever that may be.
Personally im not into podcasts, more of a visual learner + engager however I absolutely see their worth and have been told of some good podcasts for certain topics (Marking and SEO). Podcasts open up a different way for creators to communicate and its odd, we have the internet speeds and infrastructure to display high-definition video yet an audio only content rose up in the digital age. God sped podcasts.