In this episode, the host interviews Dom Cooke from Colossus, a media company producing podcasts for investors and entrepreneurs. They discuss the challenges of taking a break from work, finding competent individuals, and the power of podcasting in the information age. They also explore the impact of internships on career paths.
Building a solid foundation and understanding the purpose of the podcast is crucial before delving into technical aspects.
Podcasting requires patience, perseverance, and a focus on building lasting relationships with listeners.
Creating catchy titles and artwork for podcast episodes can be challenging, but practicing and continually improving is essential.
Deep dives
The Importance of Curiosity and Long-term Commitment in Podcasting
Starting a podcast requires a genuine and insatiable curiosity about the topic and a commitment to doing it for the long haul. It's important to ask oneself why they are launching a podcast and if they see themselves doing it indefinitely. Building relationships with listeners takes time, and listeners form a connection with the host over time. Setting a solid foundation and understanding the purpose behind the podcast is crucial before delving into the technical aspects like artwork and episode titles. Additionally, getting as much practice as possible and honing one's skills before launching can improve the quality of the podcast.
The Challenges and Process of Producing a Podcast
Producing a podcast involves numerous challenges and steps. For example, in the case of business breakdowns, finding great investors who are also great communicators can be difficult. Scheduling interviews, conducting in-depth research, and recording conversations are part of the process. Editing the podcast, removing unwanted portions, and ensuring quality before sending it for compliance review add to the workload. The slow growth and difficulty in achieving virality make podcasting a long-term endeavor, where word-of-mouth marketing and forming lasting relationships with listeners are key.
Lessons Learned and Insights from Launching Podcasts
Launching a successful podcast involves asking oneself why they are doing it and having a deep curiosity about the topic. It is essential to have a long-term commitment and be willing to invest in marketing and building relationships with listeners. Having a solid foundation, including multiple episodes before launching, allows listeners to find content that resonates with them. Practice and continual improvement are vital for hosts to get better over time. Patience, perseverance, and embracing the slow growth of podcasting are crucial lessons learned from launching podcasts.
The Challenges of Coming Up with Titles and Artwork
Coming up with catchy titles for podcast episodes can be frustrating and time-consuming. The speaker talks about the difficulty of consistently creating killer titles and the challenge of making them clever or amusing. They mention that once the title is determined, creating artwork is relatively straightforward using a plug-in formula. They also highlight the pressure of working with tight deadlines in their business and the importance of double-checking the episode before it goes live to ensure it has all the necessary components.
Monetization Challenges and the Sustainability of Top Podcasts
While not claiming to be an industry expert, the speaker reflects on the limited monetization in the podcasting industry and compares it to the early days of blogs and the internet. They explain that centralizing functions like advertising, similar to what Google did with blogs, could potentially increase revenue for podcasts. They mention Spotify's attempt to aggregate listeners and advertisers, but whether they succeed or not remains uncertain. They also highlight that breaking into the top charts and disrupting popular podcasts is challenging, as established podcasters who have been in the industry for years tend to dominate due to their ongoing relationships with their audience.
