Episode #016

• We explore the Kidcast podcasting landscape for a growing audience of younger listeners.

• We touch on marketing to children and why it’s Kidcast monetization is a sensitive topic.

• We end by discussing the potential for creating smart kids using podcasting as an educational platform.

What did we learn?

• Both Kyle and Tim agree that there are not enough Kidscasts.

• Kyle talks about how the Kidcasts world is still a Blue Ocean when it comes to your podcast production strategy.

• We discover how many Kidcasts are educational and well-produced to keep children engaged.

• Kyle raves about Gimlet’s Story Pirates and why that show’s format and marketing strategy is something to pay attention to.

• The myth that kids have short attention spans regarding Kidcasts is just that — a myth.

• Sponsors can monetize a Kidcast podcast, but it needs to be monitored by both producers and parents.

• Disney Kidcasts have yet to gain traction but could become a strong competitor in the children podcasting space over the next year.

• Tim points out that your first two (2) listens will be the parents. If it’s good, your next 100 listens could be super loyal kids!

• Kyle and Tim both think that Kidcasts could be one of the genres that is a natural fit for podcasting paywalls (which is something that Disney is already considering).

• Tim sees Disney as the high-quality mark in Kidcasts.

• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Kidcasts make up the majority of the market for children podcasting right now.

• There are 1.6 million home-schooled students that could benefit from podcast teaching with lesson plans by leveraging STEM Kidcasts.

• We touch briefly on where smart speakers fit into the Kidcast podcast equation.

Quotes

“A podcast aimed at 3-10-year-olds that parents could actually tolerate—if you could do it right—would be an unbelievable hit.”
― Matt Lieber, Gimlet

Additional Reading

• Where Are All the Kidcasts?

• As Marketers Target Younger Consumers, Ethical Issues Arise

• 3 Fundamentals of Ethically Marketing to Kids

• The Podcasts That Will Make Your Kids Smarter

Podcast Mentions

• Kid Friendly Joke Of The Day

• The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian

• Story Pirates

• Kid Friendly Disney Fun Fact