Aarthi, co-host of The Good Time Show, brings her insightful perspective on the evolving world of podcasting. She shares how the pandemic transformed their journey into creating genuine connections through audio. They discuss the delicate balance between entertainment and information, the importance of authenticity, and how building a community can propel success. Additionally, Aarthi reveals the impact of analytics on growth and the role of technology, including AI, in enhancing creativity while maintaining a personal touch.
Authenticity and genuine curiosity are essential in creating a warm and approachable podcast that resonates with the audience.
The evolution of social media and the rise of decentralized platforms are impacting the creator economy in terms of recommendation algorithms and collective ownership.
Tailoring podcast content to different platforms is crucial for optimizing discoverability and appealing to diverse audiences.
Deep dives
Starting The Good Time Show as a Virtual Dinner Party
The Good Time Show began as a virtual dinner party hosted by Sreem and Arthi in December 2020, as a way to connect with friends and have conversations about building companies and startups. It started on Clubhouse and grew rapidly, attracting big-name guests like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Calvin Harris, and Naomi Osaka. The show evolved from informative sessions to more entertaining conversations, infused with the hosts' authenticity and curiosity about their guests' stories and experiences.
Balancing Authenticity and Metrics in Podcasting
The hosts emphasize the importance of balancing authenticity and metrics in podcasting. They acknowledge the need for metrics and distribution strategies to make a podcast successful and retain an audience, while also stressing the significance of authenticity and building a connection with listeners. They believe that genuine curiosity and a human touch are essential in creating a warm and approachable podcast that resonates with the audience. They aim to provide value to their listeners while continuously iterating and experimenting with different formats and engagement strategies.
The Evolving Landscape of Social Media and the Creator Economy
The hosts discuss the evolution of social media and its impact on the creator economy. They highlight the shift towards AI-driven recommendation algorithms and the growing interaction between public and private spaces for content consumption and engagement. They also mention the rise of decentralized platforms and the increasing emphasis on collective ownership in the crypto space. In terms of the creator middle class, they acknowledge the challenges in audio's lack of discoverability and measurement tools, but believe that with better metrics, discoverability, and monetization options, it is possible to build a thriving creator middle class in the audio industry.
Importance of audience retention and engagement
One of the main measures of success for a podcast is audience retention and engagement. The hosts discuss how they track metrics such as the average number of minutes listened and the overall retention rate of new subscribers. They emphasize the importance of knowing when something is working based on audience interaction, such as receiving emails or feedback from listeners. They also acknowledge the challenge of calibrating expectations and the need to adapt when something doesn't resonate with the audience.
Adapting content and creating a native experience for platforms
The hosts highlight the value of adapting podcast content to various platforms. They discuss the importance of tailoring the content to each platform's requirements and user preferences. This includes creating engaging visuals for YouTube, using concise and impactful soundbites for Instagram and TikTok, and repurposing audio into written content for platforms like Twitter and substack. They emphasize the need to be native to each platform to optimize discoverability and appeal to different audiences.
It’s both easier and harder than ever to build a successful podcast. In this episode, we chat with Sriram and Aarthi from the Good Time Show, who ventured into the world of audio peak pandemic and have since interviewed the likes of Elon Musk, Calvin Harris, and Naomi Osaka.
We get their perspective on how to succeed in this competitive landscape, differentiation and the sliding scale of entertainment and information, the difference between an audience and a community, podcast analytics and how they’re changing, and even what Sriram has learned from his frontrow experience at Twitter recently.
Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
