It’s easy to see the allure podcasting offers independent creative content creators. The medium enables powerful storytelling in a way that is compelling and captivating to the audience. Podcast hosts speak directly to their listeners and connect on an intimate level that other mediums fail to foster.
Like any nascent vehicle capable of holding a large scale audience, podcasting’s popularity has drawn the attention of ‘big business.’ What was once a playground for independent creators sharing their audio gems with the world, capitalism has taken its course and changed the once primarily independent podcast scene. Today, giant media juggernauts and networks are funding, producing, and marketing many of the shows at the top of the charts. What chance does the one-person or independent show have to be a success in a commercialized environment?
Independent podcasting won’t fade into the background anytime soon because creators recognize the need for better production and high-quality content. Many indie podcasts welcome the competition from the top because it pushes them to be better podcasters. Evo Terra, a podcasting pioneer in the game from the beginning, shares his view regarding indie podcasters competing with commercialized podcasts:
“Sturgeon’s law states that ninety percent of everything is crap. And it applies to podcasting just like it does to everything else in life, from blogging to photography. To do it well, you need to put in the time, energy, and effort. So quite naturally, audiences will gravitate towards things that sound great and are compelling. And they’re going to shy away from content creators who aren’t focused on the craft of podcasting.”
For aspiring independent podcasters, Sturgeon’s law should be seen as a motivator. If 90% is crap, why not put in the time and effort to be part of the 10% that gets you noticed? If you’re looking for success, it’s vital to be creating high-quality, well-produced audio content that provides real value to your listeners.
Of course, audience growth and technical mechanics are both critical. Your focus needs to be on the quality of your content, that makes podcasts a novel medium.
With today’s technology, anyone can start a podcast. Not everyone can tell a story well; how you tell a story is what makes it captivating and memorable, and that requires the right storytelling skill. Know how to tell a story that keeps the listeners’ attention. Attention spans drop drastically after listening for two minutes – craft your stories in short increments that build momentum, switch up the rhythm, and leave the listener wanting to hear more.
Your storytelling skillset includes the team you surround yourself with to elevate your production quality. You don’t have to go at it alone. Indie podcasters tend to think of their shows as an island. But that doesn’t apply to other mediums. Roll the post-credits on a movie to witness the hundreds to thousands of people’s efforts it takes to put together one film. Even authors need to pull in editors, copywriters, artists, publishers, and marketing to get their books into the consumer’s hands.
Podcasting is the same! If you have a team that you can delegate production, scripting, editing, sound engineering, and marketing, just think of how much time and energy that frees you up to focus on storytelling!
Podcast Taxi has helped many independent podcasters elevate the production quality of their podcasts. We make your indie show look and sound like the ‘big guys’ because our team of expert producers, writers, and engineers handle all of the hard work for you, so you can focus on telling your story. If you want to take your indie show to the next level, reach out to us for a complimentary discovery call.