Our last update on the podcasting landscape, from September 21 (read here), took note of Amazon’s move to make its Audible podcasting content—known as Channels—freely available to Prime members. But perhaps more importantly, we also observed that, while podcast advertising is certainly increasing, the median number of downloads for any podcast episode is 173, and the top 10 percent of podcasts get around 4,000. There’s a lot of risk-taking and enthusiasm for a medium that’s historically been difficult to monetize as well as to quantifiably track engagement for.
That hasn’t dissuaded Macmillan—one of the Big Five New York publishers—from launching the Macmillan Podcast Network with author-centric shows. Macmillan does have a demonstrable track record of success as a partner in the Quick and Dirty Tips (QDT) network with Mignon Fogarty, the legendary Grammar Girl, who anchors the QDT network.
Podcasts have been strong, effective marketing tools for authors; they have been a medium that authors use—as Nicholas Quah writes—“to deepen and sustain their relationship with audiences,” with the potential for advertising revenue. (Note the keyword there: potential.) Fogarty’s podcast network excelled because it was practical, to the point, and evergreen (as Owens points out), with transcripts published as how-to articles on the QDT website. If Macmillan’s shows go a different route—e.g., featuring hour-long discussions or interviews—they may not enjoy the same kind of success. One of the announced shows, Raise My Roof with Cara Brookins, promises that the memoirist will talk to “experts, authors, activists, and her kids about inspiration, happiness, resilience, trauma, purpose, entrepreneurship, success, and more.” That sounds rather soft and broad to us, but maybe the execution will be more focused and sharp than the marketing copy.
Bottom line: Macmillan is in a unique position to launch a new podcast network, given its decade-long partnership with the QDT network. It’s undoubtedly become an expert in the marriage of authorship and audio content to drive branding, marketing, and revenue. Since we only have information about one show in the network so far, it’s hard to say if there’s a more compelling vision that Macmillan will adopt for its network beyond “It’s a Macmillan author!”
Jane Friedman has spent her entire career working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals; in 2023, she was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World.
Jane’s expertise regularly features in major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, The Today Show, Wired, The Guardian, Fox News, and BBC. Her book, The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (The University of Chicago Press), is used as a classroom text by many writing and publishing degree programs. She reaches thousands through speaking engagements and workshops at diverse venues worldwide, including NYU’s Advanced Publishing Institute, Frankfurt Book Fair, and numerous MFA programs.
