The ROI Podcast: Top five most downloaded episodes

In honor of International Podcast Day 2019, we are sharing our top 5 most downloaded episodes of all time. We are also including some fun facts about the podcast industry.

In 10 years, the percentage of podcast familiarity has almost doubled in the U.S. alone, according to Edison Research. They estimate 197 million people in the United States are familiar with podcasting. People who listen to podcasts has also doubled, going from 22% in 2009 to 51% this year! And trends show continuing growth. According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), $479 million was spent by marketers for advertisements – that’s a 53% INCREASE from last year. According to the same experts at IAB, they project revenues will surpass $1 billion in 2021.

So why does this matter? Like Netflix was to TV/Cable, podcasts are becoming to radio. Gone are the days of trying to catch your favorite radio program at a certain time. Now, all a listener has to do is hit play on their phone. And for those who instantly think NPR when they hear podcasts, think again. According to Edison Research, they released a brand new study showing listening habits for veteran podcast listeners (2 years or longer) and rookie listeners (6 months or less). What they find is changing the podcast landscape. Rookie listeners are consuming more story based, feel good content that helps them escape the day, unwind, and get lost in imagination. Compare that to the veterans who listen for mental engagement or going really deep on a specific topic and the playing field broadens.

Heck, we even see organizations creating podcasts as internal communication streams! Think about it, an organization can cast vision, instill organizational values, or get important information to their employees without disrupting workflow. All an employee has to do is listen when they have a moment and they’re instantly caught up. Other companies like eBay use a podcast to create stories on how their organization helps so many out of poverty WITHOUT sounding like a late night infomercial.

Podcasts are growing at an exponential rate, from organizations to networks to homemade shows, just as we saw with Netflix, we will see with podcasting.

Charlotte Westerhaus-Renfrow, Clinical Assistant Professor of Business Law and Management

#1: How to deal with bullying in the workplace

Were bullies just a high school phase? Not according to the latest research. On this episode, the main topic is how to deal with a bully in the workplace. Kelley School of Business professor Charlotte Westerhaus-Renfrow discusses the best way to handle a bully at work. She provides tips you can apply right away to minimize the stress a bully may cause you.


Kyle Anderson, Clinical Assistant Professor of Business Economics

#2: Our Kelley economists give their projections for 2019

On today's episode, given all the financial headlines in the news, we thought it would be a good time to get two of our economic experts, Phil Powell and Kyle Anderson, in one room and take a look at our current economic climate. We’re going to jump into how this continued government shutdown and our country’s current trade wars directly and indirectly impact our economy. Finally, we’re going to wrap up this episode with tips from our experts so you can make better business decisions this year.


Gregory S. Barsh, Senior Leadership Development and Executive Coach

#3: How to be super happy and thrive at work

Monday morning hits like a ton of bricks. As we mentally struggle with finding our motivation for a new work week, we sluggishly brush our teeth, button our shirts, and sip our morning coffee, hoping the flavor awakens our purpose. Sadly, according to a Gallup study, around two-thirds of the American workforce feel the same way – a lack of purpose. So why would we spend 40 hours of our week in a place we dread or simply view as just a job? On this episode, we’re sitting down with an Executive Coach, with over 20 years of employee engagement and emotional intelligence training, who’s showing us how to be super happy and thrive at work.

 


Kim Donahue, Senior Lecturer of Marketing

#4: How to make fans of your organization, not just customers or donors

Competition. One of the great pillars of our free-market culture. It drives us to be better – pushing us into new frontiers of innovation. And what better manifestation of this value than the fields and arenas around the country, full of sweaty athletes and tribal chants. However, none of this exists without the loyalty of the men and women in the stands. So what draws those crowds? On this episode, we’re sitting down with Kelley marketing professor Kim Donahue, who is helping us discover how we can make fans of our organizations, not just customers or donors.

 


Matt Hunckler, CEO of Powderkeg

#5: How to successfully network in a hyper-connected world

As technology improves – our world shrinks; allowing a new wave of connectivity. Friends sharing breakfast halfway around the world, businesses signing deals from different countries, and news feeds giving up to the second updates – all in real time. Yet, there are still those who struggle to create a successful network that inspires collaboration. Sure, we may have hundreds or thousands of social media followers or friends, but how do we capitalize on building a meaningful community?

On this episode, CEO of Powderkeg Matt Hunckler helps us create meaningful connections.