19 Apr Podcasting Bandwagon
I read an article recently that posed the question, “are we living in a second golden age of radio?” To be clear, the title was click-bait and it worked. But we have seen a huge boom in podcasting since the pandemic. Why now? And how can you jump on the podcasting bandwagon?
Podcasting is not new; it has been around in various forms since the 1980s; something I wrote about in my book “Media Matters: How to leverage the media to grow your business.” But we have seen a spike in downloads since the pandemic lockdown of 2020.
The actual download numbers were not great during the lockdown. Nationally we saw a decline as millions of Americans were no longer driving to the office. But during that season we also saw a new platform take off, Clubhouse. Clubhouse is an app you can download and host or join virtual rooms to discuss just about every topic. The idea behind the app was to fill a networking void missed when tradeshows shut down. I wrote then that Clubhouse was a fad, not a trend. I still feel the same; as more people get back to the office, they are less likely to have the time to drop in on audio rooms.
But the birth of Clubhouse got the attention of Twitter, with the launch of a similar application on its platform. That one is intriguing to me, but not so much for business applications. People tend to go to Twitter to connect with others who are experiencing the same event. I can see the benefit of taking that connection to an audio chat room.
These audio options have reminded the consumer of the benefit of listening to information.
So what does this have to do with podcasting? These audio options have reminded the consumer of the benefit of listening to information. Add to the fact that other social media platforms, like Facebook, now allow people to push out their podcasts. And finally, you have the celebrity factor. More and more celebrities have started a podcast. Maybe they were bored when productions shut down. Whatever the reason, this has created a perfect storm for a podcasting boom.
Want to start a podcast? Have something of value to add. If you want to use the podcast to grow your business, create content that offers free tips to build your credibility.
Speak to one person. Radio lesson number one is to always speak to one person. Podcasting is a personal medium; your listeners are often in their car or working out on the treadmill alone.
Want more advice on starting a podcast? Good news, we can help. Click on the “Contact Us” page and set up a free call. We will be happy to answer your questions.
Scott Miller is the CEO of Centerpost Media, host of the Create. Build. Manage. show (seen on BizTV, heard on BizTalkRadio, and available wherever you listen to podcasts,) and a member of the Forbes Agency Council, Entrepreneur Leadership Network, and Dallas Business Journal Leadership Trust. You can find Scott on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter via “@scottmillerceo” or on LinkedIn via “@scottmillermedia.” Centerpost Media is a content marketing agency with a vision to help every business they encounter with their media needs by providing outstanding quality, service and value. Centerpost Media is the parent company to BizTV, BizTalkRadio, BizTalkPodcasts and Bizvod.