It’s always easy to find examples of publishers who have overstretched in their investment and had to cut back. But there are so many more examples of organisations taking a more cautious approach; getting the right resources in place and scaling as demand grows, that just don’t make headlines.

Tech and media analyst Simon Owens set out the problem succinctly in his tech and media newsletter last Friday. He argues that although there are benefits to publishers going into podcasting, that doesn’t mean bubbles can’t form when investment far outpaces industry growth.

“Think of the dot com bubble as a good example,” he writes. “The revenue potential for the internet was there – in fact, some of the most profitable and valuable companies in the world today are internet-based – but internet adoption in the late 90s was still low and there was no justification for the tens of billions of dollars of capital being dumped on businesses that had no near term path to profitability.”

Owens has previously written about why every publisher should have a podcast strategy, and is an advocate of publishers exploring the format, but carefully.

“I’ve been surprised by how many publishers dive head first into creating super expensive narrative podcasts – the kind that require six months to produce a single season of 10 or so episodes,” he explains. “The production cost for these run into the six figures…and guess what? Most won’t pull in a million downloads.”

“Some of the most popular podcasts in existence are conversational shows with relatively low production costs,” he concludes. “As much as you may want to create the next RadioLab or Reply All, I’d advise most publishers to walk before they run.”

This quote later in the article is worth highlighting

Houston points out that some publishers may also be stumbling by seeing podcasting as a singular answer to revenue woes. “The gold rush analogy is so flawed,” he argues. “Podcasts should be another plank in publisher’s portfolios, not another ‘get rich quick’ pivot.”

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2

Why You Need a Creative Brief for Podcast Artwork

From James Parkinson on the Lawson Media blog:

Podcast artwork is essential for any show, especially if you hope to connect with and grow an audience. Audio is incredibly powerful, but before people hear your show they’re probably going to see your show.

Whether that’s through social media, your podcast website (also essential, by the way) or via a podcast app, the visual identity of your podcast contributes to how people feel about your show, and maybe whether they even press play at all.

How’s your podcast artwork? Take a look at the artwork for the top shows in Apple Podcasts. If your podcast artwork isn’t on that level, consider hiring a designer to give your show an artwork upgrade. This blog post will help you with communicating with that designer.

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3

How to Podcast With A Co-Host

From Caitlin Van Horn on the Simplecast blog:

Communication between co-hosts is key, and not just when the mics are on. If you're treating your podcast like a business, then that means you're business partners–so you need to outline protections, expectations, and boundaries to set the tone for how your podcast proceeds in the future. Consider starting off with a co-host agreement.

You should also check in about how you like to communicate. If one partner loves Asana boards, face-to-face communication, and is very protective of their work-life balance, that needs to be detailed in order to avoid clashing and miscommunication with their partner who loves texting business plans at all hours.

The dynamic between co-hosts manifests audibly and visually in the podcasting process. Talk about your strengths and passions and find a way to best showcase them within your podcast. Find friends that are willing to work with you and expose each other’s creativity. The greatest benefit of having a co-host is that you don’t have to do everything on your own.

If you’re thinking about starting a podcast with a co-host, I’d recommend reading this article and also this episode I published back in February of 2016.

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4

Podcasting on YouTube: 8 Things to Know Before You Start

From the Buzzsprout blog:

While YouTube is currently the most popular way to listen to podcasts, YouTube podcasts should meet the expectation of a video platform (i.e. your podcast should actually feature video)! Video podcasts should deliver high-quality content with engaging visuals and break up long-form content into shorter clips and segments.

Before deciding to put your podcast on YouTube, make sure you have the time and resources to do it well and invest in the equipment you need to produce quality videos. Make your YouTube channel a place where you engage with your audience and supplement your show with valuable video content.

Nice article from Buzzsprout about YouTube and podcasting. A good YouTube channel can be an effective way to grow an audience for your show.

Closing Thoughts

Bit of a slow week in podcasting, but that’s alright. I’m just a couple weeks out from my move to Los Angeles, so I’m getting ready for that. Hope you have a good week, and stay safe out there. Wash your hands, and happy podcasting!

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This show was produced by me, Aaron Dowd.
Music and SM7B illustration by Sean McCabe.
Hosting and technology by Simplecast.

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