IMDb has announced that creative professionals can now list ‘podcaster’ as a main profession on their IMDb or IMDbPro page, with a goal of improving discoverability for these roles within the entertainment industry.
IMDb revealed to customers last week that it would be introducing ‘podcaster’ and ‘music artist’ as supported professions on the platform. This follows the introduction of new title types for podcast series and podcast episodes, as well as music videos, late last year.
“These new options may help you better represent your professional focus on your page” said IMDb in a statement. “Choosing them as your primary profession will make you discoverable to decision makers searching for music artists and podcasters.”
“As part our commitment to help entertainment professionals throughout all stages of their careers, IMDb is thrilled to announce the addition of podcaster and music artist to our officially supported professions” said Rachel MacTaggart, IMDb’s head of podcasts, music, and games. “Now podcasters and music artists can showcase their work, and get discovered by both fans and other entertainment professionals on IMDb.”
In addition to the main IMDb platform, this update is also being rolled out across IMDbPro, the company’s paid platform for managing professional connections within the entertainment industry. It includes multiple features to aid discoverability and job prospects, including the ability to update contact and agency representation information, as well as managing the content of your public IMDb page. Members can browse job notices from entertainment job sites, and IMDbPro Discover also allows members, when on the desktop site, to search people and projects based on IMDb data.
“This is another important step in legitimising podcasters and podcasting with the wider public,” said Dan Page, CEO and founder of podcast marketing agency PodSpike. “We'll be watching closely to see what it means for discoverability and audience development.”
Those listed as podcasters on the site include Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo, the hosts of Kermode and Mayo's Film Review as well as the creators and co-hosts of Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, Dax Shepard and Monica Padman. Shepard and Padman were also the first recipients of IMDb’s STARmeter Award for Podcasts in September, an award program which highlights creators of podcasts that IMDb users are most excited about, as determined by IMDbPro data.