Our 4 Syndication Networks

June 28, 2017 114

Before we begin, let us clarify what “syndication” means. Syndication is the act of distributing your podcasts on other networks. The proper term for our podcasters and the process of growth is distribution, but for the sake of the industry, syndication is more widely accepted.

Syndication is a major component in our services within podcasting. It’s more popular with our current show hosts than live and recorded shows. It’s smart for podcasters to syndicate (read as “distribute”) their content across other stations, other networks and other platforms to maximize their reach. It provides the host a chance to grow with little money out-of-pocket and the ability to open up into new networks of listeners.

When it comes to syndicating your show or shows, we advise doing your homework first and finding the right home. What audience does your content resonate best with? Find your target audience first, then find the right platform which best encompasses that target audience.

Life Improvement Radio (LIR) and Life Improvement Radio After Dark (LIRAD) are our two Internet radio stations under the umbrella of Life Improvement Media Group (LIMG). Both stations are syndicated across four major Internet audio platforms. The first of which is the largest–iTunes–followed by Spreaker, SoundCloud and MixCloud. There is a slew of other platforms, both with free and paid subscriptions. Each platform has its own audience and its own voice. For now, we will cover the four platforms we use.

iTunes

It’s no mistake why this giant is the first platform we syndicate to via a podcast feed upload. As of 2013, one billion subscriptions were spread out across a quarter million podcasts in over one hundred languages! Yes, there’s a lot of competition out there and surely, your content is not the first one (it’s possible, if it’s specific or rare enough of a topic). The good news is that even with 1,000,000,000+ people listening, they still go to iTunes for their podcasts. This means you’ll have a greater chance of being heard by being placed on the largest network in the world. Naturally, having two apps to connect to the Apple platform makes things easier too.

Spreaker

Based on Spreaker’s website, they have a solid comparison chart showcasing their features against a few of their competitors. To be fair, they also have plans and pricing. It’s worth looking into as the second largest platform we syndicate directly to. Some of their features include auto-publishing to YouTube and SoundCloud. Spreaker also auto-posts to Twitter and Facebook. Of course, stats and analytics are a must if you are serious podcaster. Rest assured that Spreaker has you covered. The feel behind Spreaker is a platform for podcasters of all types.

SoundCloud

Regarding feel, SoundCloud has an attraction to younger and more diverse content producers. Podcasters and emerging musical artists alike upload content to the platform. SoundCloud is a major underdog compared to other music and audio content platforms. TechCrunch reported that SoundCloud achieved 175,000,000 monthly users! In other words, explore the platform for yourself. Do not underestimate a monthly 9-figure user base.

MixCloud

According to Musically.com, MixCloud has enrolled one million content curators on their service. The majority of content is aimed toward newer styles of music–with overall younger audiences. Even some older styles of music made the list:

House (deep house, electro house, tech house) – 36%
Urban (hip-hop, R&B, reggae) – 16%
Funk, soul and jazz – 12%

So … which platform should you choose?

We’re glad you asked! If you decide to become a host and provide content for LIR or LIRAD, you can syndicate with us. As part of the package we offer, you’ll automatically be syndicated for all four networks above. If you are using our blog as a reference guide to learn more, great! We also recommend checking out the following services:

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