Let’s Talk Podcasts

It’s no secret I regularly come on this platform and advocate for the fenestration industry to be more involved with the expanding social connectivity platforms we have available at our fingertips (See my past blogs about TikTok, Snapchat and social media trends in general.) This next area of opportunity isn’t as visual as some of the other networking media options, but the space to grow and explore is real and available for the taking. Let’s talk about podcasting.

53% of Americans listen to podcasts

Since its infancy in 2001, podcasting has seen exponential growth. In a single month, 53% of Americans listen to a podcast. In this segment of listeners, we see a fairly even split between listening tendencies of men and women with 43% and 48% respectively. There are currently over 3 million active podcasts available across multiple streaming services that cover topics like society and culture, education, business, religion and spirituality, comedy, sports, science, and a whole host of other genres.

Businesses are catching on to the growth and captive audience this space provides. In 2024 alone, podcast ad revenue is expected to grow to $2.56 billion. Among podcast listeners, 62% consider new products and services after hearing an ad placement, and 80% will let an ad placement play through without skipping ahead. This platform, and the listener connection it provides, is continually evolving and continually providing room for businesses and listeners to explore.

Industry podcasts to check out

So how is this impacting the fenestration industry currently? A few pioneers in the glass and glazing world have already been hard at work making and providing audio content pertaining to our particular niche of the world. Check out a few of these fenestration-focused or fenestration-adjacent podcasts:

• “Glass Cast” and “Window Cast” hosts Katy Devlin and Sara Neiswanger dive into topics relevant to your glass and fenestration business.
• “From the Fabricator” host Max Perilstein addresses some the most important and timely subjects in the industry.
• “Glazier Nation” host John Spelman talks about all things glass and glazing.
• “Glass Talk” host Patrick Flannery discusses Canadian fenestration.
• “Creating Structure” host John Wheaton covers business, architecture, construction and more.
• “Hear Her Story” host Allison Grealis talks with top women in the manufacturing space.
• “Detailed” host Cherise Lakeside discusses the process of design and construction.

This is only scratching the surface and I look forward to more recommendations. The podcasting world is giving us ample opportunity to grow, learn, teach, promote and connect with others. Its growth is undeniable and offers emerging possibilities of how we can be impactful within this space. Whether you choose to be a consumer or a contributor, I implore you to open your ears and find new ways to connect.