The third edition of the Dubai PodFest, held on Tuesday under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, featured a series of side activities, including workshops, live podcasts and a fireside chat on the region’s podcasting industry.

Workshops

The workshops, led by leading global audio streaming platform Spotify and Podeo, one of the Arab world’s largest podcasting platforms, were held as part of Dubai Press Club’s (DPC) efforts to build the podcasting capabilities of audio content creators and media professionals in the region and equip them with the skills and tools required to excel in the field.

One of the workshops titled ‘Spotify for Podcasters:  How to Grow your Audience with Spotify’, provided participants with valuable insights on how to grow their podcasts. The workshop covered a range of topics, including how to improve podcast descriptions, cover art and marketing strategies. Participants were able to learn how to create effective marketing campaigns and engage with their listeners. The workshop also provided an in-depth look at Spotify for Podcasters, a powerful tool that enables podcasters to track their performance on the platform and connect with their listeners.

Another workshop titled‘Podeo Enabling your Podcast’, was designed to help podcast creators learn about the platform’s unique services ranging from customised distribution to efficient account management. During the session, participants were able to gain a deeper understanding of Podeo’s exclusive features and learn how to optimise their content to reach a wider audience. The workshop covered topics such as how to use Podeo’s customised distribution to increase the visibility of their podcast, how to efficiently manage their account and how to leverage Podeo’s end-to-end solutions to grow their podcasting community.

Fireside Chat

A fireside chat featuring Podeo’s CEO Stefano Fallaha at the Dubai PodFest 2023, discussed the history and future direction of the platform in the region. The CEO shared his vision for the future of Podeo and how the company plans to leverage its partnerships to take the podcast industry to new heights. The fireside chat provided an exciting opportunity for attendees to gain unique insights into the future of podcasting and learn about the latest innovations that Podeo is bringing to the market.

Live Podcasting

As part of the side activities, Sowt Podcasting and Training recorded and published two podcasts as live episodes at the event. The first conversation titled ‘From Vlogging to Podcasting’, featuring content creators Bisher Najjar and Sumayya Gamal, discussed how they both hopped on the podcasting bandwagon at a time when a lot of podcasters were reverting back to video. The 30-minute long episode also discussed how the medium affected their content from production all the way to engagement and audience reception.

In another 30-minute live episode recorded at the event, comedians and content creators Mohammad Helmy and Alaa Al Sheikh spoke about comedy podcasts and how they have become a trend, especially in Egypt.As part of the episode titled ‘How Comedy Found its Way to your Ear’, both comedians revealed why podcasting appealed to them and how it has transformed their career. Both conversations were published on each of the speakers’ shows.

Immersive Listening Experience

At the Dubai PodFest, attendees also had the opportunity to try the Kerning Cultures Network’s immersive listening experience, which was set up at DPC’s dedicated listening pods. Each pod was designed to create a unique atmosphere for guests to step into. Additionally, a 2-4 minute audio clip from one of the Network’s top three podcasts, Bhob, Kerning Cultures, and Podcast 3lmy Geedan, played on a loop. The experience was designed to provide a fun and interactive way for attendees to discover and engage with Kerning Cultures’ podcasts.

Leading audio streaming platform in the Middle EastAnghami also provided visitors with the opportunity to stream podcasts in immersive 8D audio through a headset. Additionally, Anghami showcased their best podcast productions, giving participants an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at original works.Anghami’s team of experts closely engaged with the podcast community by networking and providing support to up-and-coming talents. They also shared valuable insights into the latest podcast trends and best practices.

The region’s largest annual gathering of podcasters, Dubai PodFest, organised by the Dubai Press Club, brings together stakeholders across the sector to share strategies, ideas and solutions for accelerating the growth of the Arab world’s podcasting sector