Exclusive: AI-powered tools to play a crucial role in streamlining content creation and distribution, says Pocket FM's Suyog Gothi

Suyog Gothi, Pocket FM's India Head

Pocket FM stands as the world's largest platform for audio series, dedicated to empowering writers and sharing their stories with a global audience. With a strong commitment to a "writer-first" approach, it equips creators with the necessary tools and support to unleash their creativity for millions of listeners. With a community of over 250,000 writers globally, they present the listenres with immersive storytelling, averaging over 115 minutes of engagement daily.

Pocket FM remains devoted to nurturing its writer community, encouraging the creation of even more captivating audio series. In an exclusive interview with Moneycontrol, Suyog Gothi, Pocket FM's India Head, discussed the landscape of content creation in the audio entertainment sector, strategies for monetization, and the future of audio content creators.

At Pocket FM, the success of our writers is our top priority. To foster a sustainable creator economy, we have implemented several key initiatives:

1. Generous revenue-sharing: Writers earn a lifetime revenue share on their stories, ensuring long-term financial stability

2. AI-powered tools: Our AI-driven algorithm delivers personalised recommendations to listeners. With our AI Audio Series feature, writers can transform their scripts into audio series using advanced voice AI capabilities

3. Comprehensive analytics: We provide detailed analytics to help writers understand their audience and optimise their content effectively

4. Creative support: We offer mentorship programs, workshops, and collaboration opportunities to help writers develop their ideas and improve their craft

These initiatives have driven significant growth and sustainability for both Pocket FM and our creators. We are proud to empower our creator community, composed of writers and voice artists, to build successful careers and reach a global audience.

Monetization is a crucial part of a writer’s journey on Pocket FM, and we have designed our platform to maximise their earnings. Our revenue-sharing model allows writers to directly benefit from the success of their content, with a significant portion of earnings from blockbuster shows allocated to them.

In 2023, the top 10 writers from India collectively earned over Rs. 2 crores, showcasing the lucrative opportunities available on our platform. Additionally, many individual writers achieved impressive monthly earnings, with some making up to Rs. 4 lakhs per month. This not only highlights our commitment to fostering creative talent but also ensures that our contributors are rewarded in a way that keeps them financially motivated to continue their contributions to the success of our audio series platform. Pocket FM boasts a global community of over 130 million listeners, providing a significant audience for creators. This massive user base, combined with our effective monetization tools, has enabled many creators to achieve impressive earnings.

Pocket FM is changing the narrative with innovative monetization strategies and breaking the myth that audio doesn’t pay well. Our successful writers are earning substantial revenue, demonstrating that a rewarding career in audio is not only possible but thriving.

Pocket FM has quickly established itself as a leading force in the entertainment space, achieving a remarkable feat with five blockbuster audio series surpassing the Rs. 100 crore mark this year. We warmly welcome writers to bring their scripts to our platform, opening doors to new opportunities.

For instance, top writers like Moni Singh and Jigyasa have seen impressive success on our platform. Moni, a 21-year-old from Bihar, discovered her passion for storytelling at 19, achieving financial independence while supporting her family. Her debut audio series, "Devil Se Shaadi," became an instant hit with over 168 million plays till date, marking the beginning of her journey as a writer.

Similarly, Jigyasa, a 22-year-old from Katihar, found her passion for writing during the lockdown. While pursuing her Botany studies, she created captivating stories for Pocket FM's audio series, "Majburi Mein Bandha Ek Rishta," that has garnered close to 34 million plays and now serves as an inspiration for aspiring writers across the country.

These examples are just a glimpse of the many inspiring stories from our community, which extend beyond India to writers around the world. Every writer from our community has the potential to inspire others, and we are proud to support their journeys.

Pocket FM's success is fundamentally rooted in its commitment to exclusive content. To ensure the quality and originality of our content library, we have implemented rigorous plagiarism checks and content moderation processes. This ensures that our listeners are always enjoying unique and engaging stories.

Exclusive content serves as a major differentiator, attracting and retaining an audience by offering a unique value proposition. With over 100,000 hours of exclusive audio series, Pocket FM boasts a diverse and engaging content library that continues to grow at a rate of 30-40% quarter over quarter. This ongoing expansion ensures that our listeners always have fresh and exciting content to discover.

Pocket FM's dedication to supporting the writer community has profoundly influenced the audio entertainment landscape. By empowering writers, we have:

● Boosted the Writer Economy: Our platform enables writers to monetize their work and connect with a broad audience, inspiring more individuals to pursue careers in audio storytelling.

● Popularized Audio Series: As pioneers in the field, we have played a crucial role in establishing audio series as a favoured content format, setting trends for others to follow.

● Shaped Industry Trends: Our commitment to supporting writers and investing in audio content has prompted other platforms to adopt similar initiatives.

Through these efforts, we have fostered a vibrant and sustainable audio entertainment industry, enhancing opportunities for writers and enriching the listening experience for audiences worldwide.

The future of the writer economy, particularly in the audio content space, looks incredibly promising. We can expect continued growth in audio content consumption, which will create more opportunities for writers to monetize their work effectively. AI-powered tools will play a crucial role in streamlining content creation and distribution, allowing writers to focus on storytelling and engaging their audiences.

Additionally, there will be an increasing demand for niche and specialised audio content that caters to specific interests and demographics. Writers will also have opportunities for cross-platform collaboration, expanding their reach and audience. The rise of direct-to-consumer models will empower writers to build stronger relationships with their audiences, enabling them to monetize their content through subscriptions, merchandise, or live events.

Our commitment lies in continuing to nurture and expand our creator community, providing them with the tools and support to create more audio series and share their content with a global audience. We offer tailored support for writers of all levels, from experienced professionals to aspiring talents Our goal is to continue enabling them to flourish and gain recognition while we aim to build the largest audio creator community on a global scale.