TL;DR: The NeverMind the Sh*tcoins podcast is a project born of passion from my living room. With episodes one and two out now in all good stores, I’ve got a couple of insights to share. If you have more, or would like to be a guest on the show, then get in touch!
Podcast stats
Good old Joe Rogan and his $200 million Spotify deal has taken the art, and recognition, of podcasts to a whole new level. The latest information from Buzzsprout shows there are over 160 million Podcast listeners worldwide as of June 2021. This is 55% up from 2020!
It’s due to this recent increase in listenership, and the massive potential for engaging your audience on a level that other formats fail to reach, that the number of podcasts on the market has also skyrocketed with over 750,000 podcasts actively recording new episodes on a regular basis. Given that anyone with a smartphone can produce their own show, this swell is no surprise.
But what differentiates the high flyers, from the single viewer streams?
Quality and Quantity
The two main factors that determine whether a new show will give its listeners eargasms that keep them coming back are:
- the level of production and effort put into the show;
- and the consistency at which the show hits the shelves.
If every punchline or epiphany from your guests is interjected by a motorbike engine or angry dog, the listener isn’t going to hang around. And likewise, if you get their attention with your content, then you need to keep them hooked with regular content delivered on time. Listeners have a choice, and therefore the power. Ignore their needs at your peril.
Friends and Family and Family of Friends
So, you’ve polished and produced the piss out of your podcast. You’ve got a theme tune, a plan, a vibe, and your first couple of episodes in the bag. What next? Well, Apple isn’t going to do the heavy lifting for you, sorry to say. Whether you want to be the next Joe Rogan, No Such Thing as a Fish, or Bad Crypto Podcast, it’s down to you to get those first listeners actively engaged.
The platform algorithms are cruel, and nobody, not even our Fear Factor MMA Messiah, gets noticed by putting in the work. So, it’s time to get that old black book of phone numbers and email addresses out, and start calling in favours! If you can get enough support in those vital first weeks, the Gods of opportune placement may shine favourably upon you yet!
Work Hard, Play Hard, Work Hard Again
Making a Podcast is a lot of fun. There have been moments that have made me laugh till I cried, and the feedback from listeners so far has warmed the depths of my heart to a sugary sweet bubbling boil. However, unless you have a budget to outsource your editing to a third party, you best be prepared to hate the sound of your own voice.
A seasoned pro will take anywhere up to 4 minutes to edit a single minute of a show. And I’m guessing, if you’re reading my advice, you’re no pro quite yet. So, make sure you’ve plenty of passion, and coffee, and commitment to your vision, or else the struggle will overwhelm you before you have a chance to say testing, testing…
The Secret Sauce
I hate to be the one to break it to you, but the advice above is all the sauce I have for you so far. As with any creative arena, success is fickle and hard-fought, and ultimately, the deciding factor will be your level of determination. The champions of today have worked at their format for years, don’t expect to step up to them in your first few weeks!
NeverMind the Shitcoins
If you enjoyed this article then please check out my show!
It’s brand spanky new, and much like you, I could do with all the support I can get! If you didn’t enjoy the piece, listen to my show and then send me an angry DM telling me all the reasons I suck. Either way, check out the show! It’s a topical panel quiz show, with a focus of the wackier side of the cryptocurrency news.
Available on all good platforms!