What Is Microcasting?

More than 75 million Americans listen to podcasts every month, on subjects ranging from history to pop culture, with the podcast medium projected to grow. Microcasts appeal to the same audience that enjoys podcasts, but microcasts are shorter, ranging from two minute bursts of information to 10-minute mini-podcasts. “Any podcaster or person who wants to build an audience should be there [microcasting]. This is a huge opportunity to build a new audience of people who are searching for small clips of information in a way they can easily digest as they go about their daily lives,” said Daniel Hill, a social media strategist with a podcast and a microcast about Instagram.

The Growth Of Microcasts Aligns With The Popularity Of Alexa And Google Home

Microcasts can be similar to stories on social media platforms — a way for a brand, personality or industry expert to convey information in quick, digestible parts to fans, consumers and other audiences. However, microcasts offer a connection without any images, making them ideal for voice assistants or musicians who may be looking for additional ways to connect with listeners streaming Spotify.

“The microcast is a perfect medium for frequent communications: It’s short, multiplatform, relatively inexpensive to produce and easily works into how fans want to listen. It’s great for musicians, but actors or musicians could conceivably use it to build attention around a current project, film or album — extending their reach onto an audio platform where the visual content won’t translate,” said Lars Murray, a former executive at Pandora and Sony Music.

Microcasting Can Be A Great Way To Reach Targeted Or Niche Audiences

Artist K.Flay launched a microcast in the fall with SpokenLayer, a provider of voice content for virtual assistants and connected devices, in support of an album release and tour. This is SpokenLayer’s first foray into personality-centered microcasts, and the company brings their relationships with global brands to the partnership. Microcasts are an opportunity for “casters” to reach small niche audiences or targeted groups and for advertisers to align with those audiences. The popularity of podcasts, voice assistants and the unstoppable growth of digital as a source of news and information may mean that microcasts are the next exciting monetization opportunity.

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