Google (finally) Gets Into Podcasts

Apple has dominated the podcast scene with about 70% of podcast traffic running through iTunes and its app which comes pre-installed on iPhones and iPads.  The long asked question is, what about Android?  Many have thought that Google’s answer to podcasting was its own YouTube.  But this week the calculus changed with Google Play Music announcing that it will soon feature podcasts. 

This opens things up for millions of potential new listeners using Android devices.  Clearly a big lift to the already growing podcast sector.  But wait, there's more ......

Google intends to use its search algorithms to recommend podcasts as part of regular searches.  So here is how it might work; if you were looking up something regarding fly fishing, you might see a referral to a fly fishing podcast.  That’s pretty powerful. 

It’s not a pre-installed app, but it will be in the Google marketplace which is another step in removing some friction in the process of finding and listening to podcasts on Android devices. 

And one more interesting angle – Google is calling them podcasts.  Pretty interesting. And something which further quells the debate about what to call these things, something I have talked about for a while.