Elaine Richards, 37signals' COO, and Kimberly Rhodes discuss producing the REWORK podcast, expanding to video, and selecting resonating topics. They review podcast stats, reveal popular themes like 'how we work,' and share behind-the-scenes insights into episode creation and evolution.
Podcast hosts need strong organizational skills for scheduling, recording, editing, and promotion.
Balancing editing for relevance while maintaining authenticity is crucial for evergreen podcast content.
Deep dives
Experience in Podcasting and Being a Good Host
Having previous experience in podcasting from the event industry, the host discusses the key aspects of being a good podcast host. This includes the importance of organization behind the scenes, such as scheduling guests, recording, editing, and social media promotion. Additionally, being a good listener and asking spontaneous follow-up questions based on the conversation are highlighted as essential skills to engage guests effectively.
Organizational Skills and Balancing Editing in Podcast Production
The host outlines the significance of organizational skills in podcast production, emphasizing the need for meticulous planning and the ability to adapt to different scenarios. Notably, the balance between editing content for relevance, especially removing date-specific references to maintain evergreen content, is discussed. The host acknowledges the challenge of managing post-production tasks while striving to keep the podcast authentic and natural.
Live Shows and Audience Engagement in Podcasting
Exploring the transition to live podcast shows, the episode delves into the interactive aspect of engaging with the audience. The value of audience interaction in providing energy and spontaneity to the podcast is highlighted. The host shares insights on the technical challenges, occasional interruptions, and genuine reactions to surprise announcements during recordings, showcasing a behind-the-scenes perspective of the podcast production process.
Elaine Richards, 37signals' Chief Operating Officer, shakes things up by flipping the script on host, Kimberly Rhodes. They discuss the behind-the-scenes work of producing the REWORK podcast and selecting topics that resonate with the audience. They even dive into Kimberly's background in podcasting and how the podcast has changed over time.
Key Takeaways:
01:41 - It all started for Kimberly with an event industry podcast
05:19 - The process of creating and reviewing the final product
10:41 - Expanding episodes from audio-only to adding video
12:00 - Creating the video set
14:01 - Broadening podcast content beyond the REWORK essays
19:15 - Not all episode ideas make it to air
20:58 - Evaluating the podcast stats
22:22 - The most popular REWORK Podcast themes and episodes