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Yes there are a lot of podcasts available. There are a lot launched everyday. There are a lot that are dormant and / or dead too.
There is a lot written about podcasting and some about podcast strategy - yes I’m adding to it right now… but as I read those posts, articles and press releases I frequently wonder about it all.
I wonder which podcasting world they are writing about ‘cos it bears little resemblance to my podcasting world. It bears little resemblance to the podcasting world that is inhabited by many people I know who have podcasts too.
So I’ve thought about it for a while and a number of different podcasting worlds have shown themselves.
A veritable podcasting universe.
Taking the podcasting universe as a whole, and trying to work out where your own podcast might find a home and ‘fit’ can seem VERY overwhelming. It’s enough to make you stop before you ever get started. I wrote about those ideas in my last post “ Too Many Podcasts In Your Podcast Category ”
This is I suppose an extension of those thoughts. This still falls in the realm of podcast strategy – deciding if and why you want to create and launch a podcast.
Here are the podcasting worlds I can see.
1. The Podcasts Produced By Big Media Companies
So these are podcasts produced by large media companies such as The BBC, and NPR in the States, and all the others. Podcasts are created like TV programmes, with loads of staff involved. Big Media, Big Money. Big Podcasts. These are the sort of podcasts that dominate the media, that dominate media attention, that dominate the rankings, that dominate the advertising money. I’ve noticed ‘red carpet’ style launches even created for such podcasts. These types of podcasts are now transferring to the screen and stage. It is a growing trend for a podcast to do ‘live’ theatre shows and ‘go on tour’.
I guess I could do ‘Stitchery Stories’ ‘live’ at our small community venue, The Floral Hall, here in Hornsea?
Hmmmm this podcasting world is not where I inhabit.
Here is a good article from the Wall Street Journal on this very subject.
2. The Podcasts Produced By ‘Gurus’ and ‘famous people’
So these podcasts come from people who are already famous via another medium. Maybe they are a best-selling author. A comedian. A coach. A ‘guru’ selling info products, and membership sites. They built their platform on another medium, over time, and have now added podcasting to their platform. Wise move. They get amazing numbers of downloads per episodes (hundreds of thousands) and they drive business and attract sponsorship and generate money. Brilliant! Their podcast is an integral and essential, and profitmaking element of their business.
This is another world which is following the trend of doing live tours with their podcast. Which is what comedians and speakers do anyway, speak live.
Hmmmm this podcasting world is not where I inhabit.
3. The Podcasts Produced As A Hobby
So these are the podcasts stereotyped by 2 blokes chatting about sport, beer, and ‘stuff’ in their man cave. Or women chatting about womens stuff. Ditto. There is a marvellous selection of podcasts about absolutely every subject under the sun. Some of these are great, many are delightfully homemade, some are dreadful. But none of that matters. The host loves making their podcast, and they have an audience that loves listening to it. These are somewhat a labour of love, a hobby.
It would appear that my podcast Stitchery Stories inhabits this world.
Hmmmm sort of. To some extent, but not quite.
Here is an article about hobbies for men and podcasts are listed, but come on ladies, podcasts are brilliant for women to get involved with too
4. The Podcasts Strategically Produced By A Business Owner / Entrepreneur
[To Benefit Their Business By Helping Their Audience & Build Their Platform]
Phew! Well I think I need to come up with a more succinct name for this podcast world! Let’s go with Podcast World Four for now Anyway, these podcasts are set up for the same reasons that the people in Podcast World Two set up podcasts. There is a strong business aspect to them. Maybe they will grow big and move into the realms of Podcast World Two. Maybe that is NOT the intention, maybe it is not even necessary. These podcasts set up in Podcast World Four are set up with strategy behind them and a desire to help their intended audience in some way, which in turn, provides a business opportunity. They are also set up to demonstrate thought leadership and expert status.
I know lots of people with a podcast in this world.
This is the world where my podcast Stitchery Stories really fits.
This is the world where my podcast strategy advice and podcasting services really fit too.
This is the world I can help your podcast to flourish in.
Related: Too Many Podcasts In Your Podcast Category?
Podcast Strategy
So why do we even care about these podcasting worlds?
Well it comes back to confidence and your strategy, goals and expectations around having a podcast. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed about what the famous podcasts are doing, how many downloads and listeners they get, how much advertising money is sloshing around some podcast worlds right now, and all the rest of the stuff that we read about every week.
But really a lot of this stuff isn’t relevant to podcasts in our Podcast World Four. So let’s not get too worked up about it, and let’s focus upon what WE CAN DO to create a great podcast that supports our business and helps it to grow by helping our ideal listeners become our ideal paying clients. And that we enjoy
Podcast World Four is a great place for your podcast to be created in.
I can make it easy for you. Drop me an email info @ podcastprogress.com or message and let’s schedule a chat. Let’s start with your podcast strategy.
Are you ready to get started?