The Podcasters Podcast Producing Meghan Markle's Podcast & Working for Spotify with Courtney Reimer
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Join Ash and Kane as they speak to Courtney Reimer, who formerly headed up the Meghan Markle Spotify podcast project and worked for audible. Courtney shares behind-the-scenes insights into producing shows with A-list celebrities like Meghan and working for major platforms like Spotify, revealing the strategies and processes they use. She opens up about the challenges of pleasing high-profile talent and making content both royal-family-proof and profitable. Listen in as they discuss Courtney’s thoughts and opinions on podcasting including what the future of podcasting may look like.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Spotify originally aimed to attract listeners through splashy, expensive deals with celebrity talent like Meghan and the Obamas, not to directly make money.
- Producing glossy, highly researched shows like Meghan's required extensive legal vetting and staff like fact-checkers.
- Spotify eventually shifted priorities from accumulating listeners to profitability, necessitating recent layoffs.
- Independent podcasts and creators may rely more on fan funding models like Patreon to stay viable long-term.
- We'll likely see fewer resource-intensive journalistic podcasts and more informal conversational shows.
- Video formats will continue growing in popularity compared to audio-only.
- Short-form video clips effectively promote podcast discovery and listenership.
- Cross-promotion via guest swapping is an effective free marketing tactic.
- Paying production teams fairly gets better results than overstaffing on personnel.
- Mobility and multitasking are advantages audio-only podcasting still maintains.
BEST MOMENTS
"Spotify wrote a blank check to announce to the world...that this is where you can come get exclusively some of the world's best podcasts."
"I think they overpaid. We paid Hollywood money for audio content and...the math does not add up."
"When you're a parent, you're just sort of like, what is going on with my child? Hearing them say, oh my god, my kid did this too - there's a sense of peace."
"Do you still want to be in audio? I still love audio. I don't want to give up on it. It just needs to recalibrate its business model."
"Is journalism dying on the vine?...I would say 5 years from now, there will be fewer journalistic podcasts."
"I alone cannot support a Pulitzer prize level journalistically reported podcast."
"I prefer to listen and watch. I actually understand people who sit and just watch. I guess it's like TV."
VALUABLE RESOURCES
https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneyreimer/
EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT
Podcast Production - The Cost of the Wrong Choice
How to Launch a Number 1 Podcast - Part 1
ABOUT THE HOSTS
Kane Baron & Ashley Morris run the UK's first and largest Podcast Agency, Progressive Media.
They specialise in planning, launching, and Growing Podcasts that Generate Leads, Revenue and Business opportunities as well as helping Experts and Entrepreneurs improve Credibility and Positioning within their niche to Scale their Personal Brand and Business.
Kane and Ashley manage over 100 Podcasters every week Including Rob Moore, Kevin Clifton and Dapper Laughs. They have supported hundreds of Podcasts in generating tens of Millions in combined Revenue.
Progressive Media have provided Production, Marketing and Consultancy services to help creators Launch, Scale & Monetise their Podcast for over 7 years.
CONNECT & CONTACT
Email: podcast@progressiveproperty.co.uk