Do you like numbers? My son likes numbers. In fact, he loves counting forward and backward from ten, often. Every game of hide-and-seek begins with counting. And the perfect number of strawberries to eat (as far as he is concerned) is five. Always, five.

So, what’s all this talk about numbers? Welllll, just last week Edison Research and Triton Digital released Infinite Dial 2019, their annual statistical report on all things digital media (including social media, smartphones, music streaming, and yes, even podcasting). Why is this important? Well, if you are someone working in the online space or hoping to in the near future, the way people are interacting and using digital media matters and will help you with creating your own digital media strategies for the months to come.

Here’s one quick example: if you are about to ramp up social media efforts but unsure whether to post on Facebook versus Instagram, Facebook usage is down while Instagram usage is on the rise. However, keep in mind that based on the number of users, Facebook still surpasses Instagram. If you are on the fence as to where to post, some of the social media trends could help you determine where to align your best efforts. The report offers food for thought, as well as, encouragement for audio media and consumption.

Here are some other interesting takeaways:

LinkedIn usage remained exactly the same for 2017, 2018, and 2019. Which, based on my interpretation, means it’s a fairly stable platform and worth using to connect and network with professionals in your industry. Hop on the LinkedIn gravy train; stable isn’t a bad thing.

Smart speaker ownership and use is up to 65 million estimated users (with Amazon Alexa beating out all of the other competition, currently). Soooo, if you have a podcast, submit your show to TuneIn or consider creating an Alexa Skill so that users can find and listen to your podcast on their smart speaker. Not sure how to go about doing so? I can help walk you through the steps.

Podcasting familiarity and listening is on the rise with the average monthly listening (age 25-54) up to 39%, compared to 2018 when it was at 32%. According to the report, “Along with the increases in podcast listening, audiobook consumption also surged, indicating a trend towards increased spoken word audio consumption."

If you have a podcast, this means, keep going! If you are thinking about starting a podcast, consider getting it started. Regardless of the Infinite Dial report, podcasting has been around for well over a decade and isn’t going anywhere. If you have a message and want to share it, what are you waiting for?

If you want to geek out on all things digital media trends, read the full Infinite Dial 2019 report here.

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been covering marketing as a topic on my podcast, “The Inspired Entrepreneur’s Guide.” My guests have shared their insight and expertise about blogging, social media and networking, just to name a few. Among all of the conversations I’ve had, there was one common theme my guests kept coming back to, as it related to online marketing. I’ll get to that in one moment. In today’s technological world, there is a misconception that we don’t connect with each other, our noses stuffed in our phones all the time. Yes, this is true. But for many, we are still connecting.

Let’s circle back to the commonality that kept popping up in my conversations with my podcast guests about online marketing: they all said (in one form or another) that being authentic, honest and caring was the most important thing we can do to connect with our audience in today’s online world.

That’s right; the common thread had nothing to do with using a specific tool, device or a social network. It was not about the 80/20 rule of sharing on social media or how to send a specific,“tweet.”

It all came down to one simple thing: what it means to be human. It's so important to not fall into the practice of being a machine pushing out content or sending links haphazard on social media. Be invested in what you put out into the online world and truly care. Also, don’t be afraid to show your true self. Your audience will notice. And, that will be the reason they choose to connect with you, the real you.

Check out recent episodes of The Inspired Entrepreneur’s Guide to hear some of the conversations with business owners about online marketing.

Podcasts, blog posts or e-newsletters are great ways to share relevant content in an authentic way. Contact me, I’d love to help.