Why podcast?
Why podcast? There are...I don’t know...a thousand other things you can be doing with your time at any given moment. And your time is valuable, right?
Why sit in a room by yourself or even worse, with another flesh and blood human being, set up a microphone, hit record and talk for 15 minutes? 30 minutes? 45 minutes? Oh my god you’ve been talking for an entire hour! Why is talking so much fun?
Everyone reading this will have different reasons for podcasting and exploring those reasons will be key to your podcasting strategy and the metrics you set for success.
You may want to become the next true crime podcast star ala Serial.
You may want to monetize your podcast as soon as possible.
You may want to use podcasting as a networking tool that can lead to business relationships later.
You may (I can relate with this reason the most) just love to hear the sound of your own voice.
I do believe there is one reason (a ‘theory of everything’ for podcasting) that you MUST have for wanting to podcast. That reason also happens to be the same must-have reason for generally any creative endeavor. And that reason is…
“I have something of value I want to say.”
You have something you want to give to the world and saying it out loud is the medium that makes the most sense to explore that something. If you decide to start a podcast without this reason, then you will find yourself wasting time and treasure chasing people who simply don’t have the time to listen to someone who doesn’t have anything of value to say.
Whatever your reasons, make sure to write them down somewhere near the place where you plan to podcast. Let those reasons guide you every step of the way and don’t be afraid to re-evaluate as you grow and evolve your show.
But why podcasting? Why not paint or write or run for office? I can’t fully answer that question for you but I can give you a few reasons why the medium of podcasting is worth exploring.
Podcasting is on the rise and here to stay.
According to research by Nielsen and PodcastInsights.com, as of June 2019 there are over 750,000 podcasts that have produced 30 million episodes. That’s up from April 2018 numbers of 550,000 podcasts and 18 million episodes. 22 million episodes in just one year. On-demand audio is in-demand.
Podcasting is an intimate medium.
When people listen to podcasts they typically listen alone. They might be in the car. They might be at the gym. They could be passing time at work. Or maybe they are on vacation. Wherever they are, they have earbuds engaged and everything in their brain that deals with social interaction takes a coffee break. If they happen to be listening to you, it means that you have a unique opportunity to have an impact on them. A one-on-one impact on them. You are, not so metaphorically, whispering in their ear. You can speak to their desires, their fears, you can motivate them, you can scare the shit out of them, you can activate them in ways that few other mediums these days have the power to anymore.
Podcasting is mobile.
The rise of podcasting can be directly correlated with the rise of cell phone technology. In its infancy, podcasting was a bit of a hobbyist’s game, both to make and to listen to. RSS feeds were passed back and forth. Apps were not a thing yet. Now it’s easier than ever to search and find a podcast on the topic of your choice and listen whenever and wherever you are. People are on the go and they can take you with them. You have the power to be in their pocket. With great power comes great responsibility. Think about what you put in your pockets/bag everyday. Money, receipts, gum wrappers, someone’s business card. If it’s valuable it stays, if it’s trash it goes. Same with your podcast.
Podcasting is easy to start.
We’re not talking about making broadcast television here. The overhead costs of starting a podcast are very low compared to its media brethren. You can setup and launch a podcast in as little as a few hours for under $40 dollars (not a good one mind you but you definitely can do it.) Making a podcast is easy, making a podcast people want to listen to and tell their friends about...that’s the hard stuff. More on this later.
“Why should I podcast?” is ultimately a question that everyone must answer for themselves. The overhead is low, the market is riper than it has ever been and help is available. Do you have something to say? If the answer is yes, you might want to consider podding about it.
What’s your reason? Tweet it to me @dougbransonloh.