Six Lessons from Six Years in the Podcast Biz!
Please join me in a big high five for The Podcast Man in turning six years young this month! I’ve learned so much along the way. Here are just a few of my takeaways relating specifically to the podcast side of business.
BTW, I never miss an opportunity to thank my awesome clients and colleagues for making it all possible! THANK YOU!
👇 Now on to the takeaways 👇
“The Song Remains the Same.”
As much as it feels like everything has changed in the podcast industry in the past 5+ years, between tech, AI, ad spending, formatting, etc., the heart of podcasting remains the same: A long-form medium that shines above all others in sincere connection with the audience during the consumption experience. Any podcaster can tell you the challenge of connecting with the audience outside of the actual consumption experience. That’s another convo for another day. Let’s focus on the good as we celebrate!
Quality Over Quantity.
When The Podcast Man was born in 2020 - a pandemic baby, as it were - it was the heyday of new podcasts popping up left, right, and center! Everyone was launching a podcast to keep up with the Joneses! The world of podcasting has aged like fine wine in many ways. One of those ways is that, though there are now fewer podcasts being launched per day, the folks getting into podcasting these days have thought through their game plan and are much more intentional and strategic about how a podcast will best serve them and their business’s growth.
Podcast Friends For Life!
No matter what seat you occupy in podcasting (host, guest, industry member, etc.) I’ve seen a strong community bond around podcasting.
Industry members teaming up in collaborations, events, masterminds, etc.
Hosts building life-long, often fruitful, connections with guests
Hosts doing successful episode swaps, guest swaps, and more!
…the podcasting field is a supportive and fun one to be a part of!
Authenticity is Key!
I may be a bit ad nauseam with this authenticity word. If you consume The Podcast Man content in any form, you know that I just love the power of authenticity in podcasting. I won’t bore you with all the gushy details, but just let me tell ya one more time the beauty of a podcast connecting with the listener/viewer on a deeper human level. In a world of increasing AI repetition and conformity, hearing a real conversation had by real people is a true connection point!
Ya Gotta Believe! (even when the going is slooow)
Discoverability in podcasting is still quite the tricky beast to tame. Each podcaster needs to believe in their podcast and get their name out there!
In-person and online networking
Nominate yourself for awards
Incorporate your pod into your other content creation
Keep it fun and fresh!
Sometimes we need to be our own biggest fan to get things rolling. 😎
Keep The Faith! (even when times are tough)
This is a direct cousin of the aforementioned “Ya Gotta Believe!” The point I want to drive home here is that, no matter what combo of roles you occupy in podcasting (host, guest, industry), there will be waves that are…not so exciting. Podcasting is a long game. Sometimes the magic is happening behind the scenes when all we see is a white blank page.
That’s all (for now) folks! May you take this inspiration with you into your next episode recording, strategy session, and beyond!
Podcastingly yours,
-Zack
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