Which actually makes this a surprisingly good time to publish. Commutes get longer, people are driving, flying, or sitting at a barbecue with their earbuds in. Podcast listening spikes around public holidays. If you've been sitting on a finished episode, today is a better day to drop it than Monday. Keep that in mind next time a holiday weekend rolls around.

Today's edition is short, sharp, and useful. Five things worth knowing before you close your laptop.

This is the highest weekly audience on record and it shows podcasts have truly become a regular part of how people consume media.

This isn’t just slow, steady growth—it’s a big shift in the way people are choosing to spend their media time. The audience is out there. The real question is: Is your show easy to find and interesting enough to keep listeners coming back?

One of the most interesting predictions heading into 2026 from industry insiders was the idea that podcasts will become the next wave of bestselling books. The logic is straightforward: many podcast companies were built on the promise of IP development for TV and film, but the book and audiobook pipeline is largely untapped.

Think about what you've already created. If you've published 30, 50, or 100 episodes on a specific topic, you almost certainly have enough material to structure a book. Your best episodes are already chapters. Your most downloaded moments are already proof of concept for what an audience wants to read.

This isn't about chasing a new format. It's about recognising that the content you're making every week has more value than a single listen. Transcripts become manuscripts. Episode arcs become chapter structures. Guest conversations become interview sections. The podcasters who figure this out early will have a significant head start on the ones who treat each episode as a standalone product.

Even if a book feels too big right now, the habit to build is simple: after every episode, save the transcript somewhere organised. Future you will thank you.

A new RSS.com survey shows that most independent podcasters publish regularly and are adopting video and AI to grow, but finding new listeners is still their biggest challenge. Many see social media as the best way to attract an audience in the future, and over half are already using AI tools. While most podcasters invest money in their shows, less than 40% are currently earning income from them.

Libsyn has partnered exclusively with “TheMove” podcast, hosted by Lance Armstrong, to host and monetize special daily Tour de France episodes in July 2026. The show, known for in-depth race analysis and commentary, will be available on all major podcast platforms, YouTube, and Peacock. With 220,000 downloads per episode and strong YouTube reach, this collaboration offers advertisers access to a highly engaged, endurance sports audience.

Digital audio advertising is working to show marketers that its fragmented inventory can still deliver big audiences and strong measurement. Companies like DAX are helping smaller audio publishers combine their reach to attract national advertisers and prove campaign results. As advertisers demand more data and accountability, measurement tools and audience aggregation are becoming key for audio ad success.

P.S. If this isn’t for you but you know someone who’d be a great fit, please forward this email. We appreciate your support more than ever.