Okay, so we know you didn’t start your podcast just to decorate your mantle with all types of podcast awards. (But let’s not pretend we haven’t stood in front of a bathroom mirror practicing an acceptance speech or two. Just me? Okay, moving on.)
But the fact remains that there are all sorts of podcast award programs out there. And it would be cool to be able to see your podcast up amongst the nominee lists. Besides the confidence boost winning a podcast award for all your hard work would be, being the proud host of an award-winning podcast can also do a lot when it comes to furthering your path in the podcast industry.
In this blog post, we’ll be taking a look at the podcast awards on the agenda for 2023 and how you can get your podcast nominated. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been podcasting for years, being nominated for podcast awards is a great way to give your show some extra exposure and connect with other passion podcasters in the industry.
So, start penning your acceptance speech, as we take a look at all the Podcast Awards lined up for 2023 and how you can get your podcast on the nominee list.
1. Signal Awards
The executives behind the annual Webby Awards have created a way to celebrate the world of podcasting by introducing the Signal Awards.The inaugural Signal Award winners were announced on the 23rd of January, 2023. So while you and your podcast won’t be able to enter this year, it’s one to remember when submissions open up for 2024.
The Signal Awards seeks to honor and celebrate the people and content that raise the bar for podcasting.
The Signal Award Competition is open to all organizations and individuals involved in the process of creating, running, hosting, managing, maintaining, marketing, or promoting podcasts. There are submission costs involved, and these depend on what you are submitting. You can find out more information here, so you’re ready when entries open.
You can also check out all of the winners from this year here.
And speaking of the Webbys…up next we have…
2. The Webby Awards
The Webby Awards honors excellence in 7 major media types: Websites, Video, Advertising, Media & PR, Social, Apps, Mobile, & Voice, Games, and, importantly in light of this list, Podcasts.
There are a number of podcast-focused categories, and within each category, there are two prizes up for grabs – one is the Webby Winner, selected by the members of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, and the other is the People’s Voice, selected by the voting public.
There is a submission fee involved, but anyone is able to submit their show. Submissions for this year have been extended and will now close on February 10th, 2023.
You can submit your podcast here.
3. The iHeart Radio Podcast Awards
The iHeart Radio Podcast Awards for 2023 will be taking place March 14th, 2023.
For the iHeart Radio Podcast Awards, the nominees in most of the categories are selected by a judging panel “comprised of blue-ribbon podcast industry leaders, creatives and visionaries,” according to iHeartMedia. But it is the loyal listeners who cast their vote and determine which show will be crowned Podcast of the Year.
You can check out this year’s full list of nominees and the over 30 different categories here. Then keep an eye on their website for all the info on how your show can land on the next set of lists!
The ceremony can usually be viewed on YouTube or Facebook or listened to on @iheartradio.
The race is still on for Podcast of the Year! Take to Twitter and have your say!
4. The People’s Choice Podcast Award
The People’s Choice Podcast Awards – more commonly known as The Podcast Awards – is one of the longest-running podcast award programs. These awards have been honoring podcasters since 2005.
The People’s Choice Podcast Award celebrates podcasts nominated by their audiences and is open to shows from all over the world, regardless of country of origin or language.
No information on the 2023 offering has been shared as of yet, but keep checking in, you don’t want to miss the opportunity to submit!
The awards ceremony usually takes place via a live video broadcast in September, as it coincides with International Podcast Day.
In the meantime, browse last year’s list of winners and watch the previous ceremony here.
5. The Ambies
The Ambies are the Podcast Academy’s awards program for celebrating excellence in audio. And one of the main aims of the Ambies is “to honor podcasts as a unique and personal medium for entertainment, information, storytelling, and expression.”
Production companies, individual producers and creators, as well as distributors of a podcast series are eligible for entry, provided they published at least 3 episodes during the designated period.
The submissions for this year have closed, but stay tuned for the nominee announcement, which is set to take place in late January.
Take a look at the rules and timelines here, so you can get your show ready for next year’s nominee submission.
6. The Peabody Awards
The Peabody Awards exist to recognize when storytelling is done well; when stories matter. And so while these awards are not solely for podcasts, over the years, podcasts have been recognized and awarded these prestigious story-telling awards.
Entries usually open around October every year, and close by December. But you can find all the necessary information pertaining to the awards submissions here.
The nominees and winners must be unanimously chosen by the board of jurors, after an intense judging process.
NOTE: The following podcast award programs are location specific.
7. The British Podcast Awards
Yes, that is Idris Elba. The Idris Elba. And this, is the British Podcast Awards.
The British Podcast Awards honors podcasts and podcasters who produce their show in Great Britain or Northern Ireland, or whose content is specifically designed for UK audiences.
There is an entry fee required for your submission, and the nominees and eventual winner in each category are selected by an independent panel of judges, except the Listener’s Choice Award. The Listener’s Choice Award, voted for by British podcast listeners.
No news or updates yet about the program for 2023, but keep coming back to this post! We’ll update it as soon as any new dates drop!
8. The Australian Podcast Awards
The Australian Podcast Awards is a celebration of podcasts for Australia by Australians. The entries for these awards are all self-nominated, and there are over 20 categories up for awards. Entries come from independent podcasters, broadcasters, the business community, as well as students and non-profit organisations. The judges usually consist of a panel of podcasting experts, with podcast listeners eligible to vote for The Listener’s Choice Award.
There is currently no information available for the 2023 awards, but if you’re an Australian-based podcast, keep an eye on the website, or sign up for their newsletter, so that you’re in the loop when the doors open for this year’s entries.
Check out the impressive list of winners from 2022 here.
In Conclusion
As we said in the beginning, winning podcast awards was probably not your motivation for starting your podcast.
But why not make it one of your podcasting dreams! It can bring recognition, open more doors, and not to mention, give you some pretty cool bragging rights!
Participating in podcast awards is a great way to gain further visibility for your show and amplify its reach, even if it doesn’t come out on top. Podcast awards offer an incredible opportunity to expand your network among other podcasters and introduce yourself and your content to prospective audiences.
A winning strategy, if you ask us.
NOTE: Keep an eye out on this post, as we will update it should other podcast award events open up throughout 2023.
Related read: The Exciting Podcast Events of 2023 – Part 1
