Prologue
The Origin Story
People are crazy about Disney. I met a woman who did movie production for Disney at a wedding once, and she upstaged the bride with so many people coming over to her to ask questions about what that was like.
Disney is full of legends and attention to detail. For example, the highly-touched "hitching posts" are stripped and repainted each night, so they look fresh the next morning for that day's guests.
But one of the most interesting details about Disney is that everything has an origin story – every character, every movie, every ride ... everything.
You'll find it helpful to have the same level of detail for your podcast. Doing this adds depth to what you do and gets listeners connected to it.
- How did you start?
- How was each segment created?
- What's the story behind the music and audio imaging that you use?
Get clear on these stories and get good at telling them.
I've got two to share with you in the audio edition of this episode and you will find both helpful to growing your podcast.
Subscribe to Build a Big Podcast to make sure you don't miss either.
Can't wait? Get this book (or just look at the preview) and read the "Read This First" section.
In this issue of Big Podcast Insider, more ways to connect with your podcast listeners and spread your message via audio ...
Sponsor
Missinglettr
Missinglettr is an all-in-one promotion platform that turns podcasts into engaging social media posts and helps you solve distribution by finding the best influencers in your niche.
Steal This Idea
Forget the influencers. Here come the "deinfluencers"
Online trends come and go. Then they come around again. So the defluencer story shouldn't be a surprise to anybody.
Offline trends are the same way. Teenagers today are wearing many of the exact same things that I was wearing when I was that age. And probably people before me ... Vans, for example, were introduced in 1966. Since then, every generation has worn them.
Something else I've noticed is that, when one thing starts to gain traction, something the exact opposite of it will come along.
For example ... We had high-budget movies and television. Then low-budget "reality television" came along. Now we've got ultra-high-budget movies, shown on massive screens to people in "stadium seating."
How should you handle it?
Whatever you want to do, if it's not popular now, will eventually become popular. So if you're chasing trends, stop that now. Instead, go deeper with what you love, and be ready for when it comes around.
Podcast Marketing
"Bonus Content" for Podcast Listeners
As you probably know, "lead magnets" are a popular way to build a mailing list, basically encouraging people to sign up for a mailing list in exchange for some kind of bonus.
Here are some lead magnet ideas you may find helpful.
While it's a great idea for you to have a mailing list, I feel like these can be used in other ways that would be beneficial for you. For example, as encouragement to get somebody to leave a review for your podcast.
"Bonus content" that would work well for podcasters:
- Worksheets with action exercises
- Checklists with easy-to-follow tasks
- Templates to let people skip a few steps
- "Printables" (like a wall poster)
- Planners to help users achieve goals
- Prompts for self-reflection and discovery
- Cheatsheets to simplify a process
- Tools like calculators or assessments
- Software download
I'll be going through various ideas and specific examples for each of these in the audio version of his newsletter.
Want to brainstorm ideas for a "bonus" for your listeners? Reach out to me via Threads, Bluesky, or Mastodon.
Podcast Humor
Don't become complacent.
I love Audacity, so this meme was especially funny (and relatable) to me.
It's very easy to get into the habit of thinking, "This is how things are done" or "This is how we do things around here," without considering other options.
But there are always other options.
I think it's smart to change things up on occasion, trying new episode formats, new equipment, and new ways of production. I did this recently, doing something I said I'd never do – using Descript to edit.
Does it replace editing via audio? No – you still need to listen to your edits, because podcasts are consumed that way, not read.
But Descript is great for removing huge chunks of audio you don't need for your published episodes, such as pre-interview chatter and interview questions/answers that went nowhere or would otherwise slow down the tight flow you want for your episodes.
What podcasting-related "beliefs" are you holding on to? Let me know via Threads, Bluesky, or Mastodon.
The Business of Podcasting
What we’re learning from the Reddit blackout
What have we learned from the Reddit blackout?
The big one to pay attention to ... users are in control, so let them feel like they have some autonomy.
This is as valuable advice for your podcast as it is for any social media tool. Your listeners want to feel like they are part of something.
How?
PodInbox is a good place to start. This will allow users to send you audio messages that you can play on your podcast.
3 easy-to-produce segment/episode ideas using this tool:
- Q&A – listeners ask questions and you give answers
- A&Q – you ask a question (trivia or "Question of the Month") and listeners give answers
- "Man-on-the-Street" check-ins
Want more podcast episode ideas? Get 101 Podcast Episode Templates for only $.99!
Threads vs. Twitter
Twitter is out. The Twitter-knockoff by Mark Zuckerberg, Threads is in, with more then 30,000,000 people signing up within the first few hours it was online.
Another example that "users are in control."
Are you jumping in? Why or why not? Let me know via Threads! Or if you're not on Threads, Bluesky or Mastodon.
Classifieds
Swell AI
Swell AI automates writing podcast summaries, articles, social posts, and more.
- Manage multiple shows in one dashboard.
- Build custom templates for each show.
- Connects with Google Drive, Dropbox, and Zoom.
Riverside - Remote Recording Studio
Riverside records high-quality audio (and video) directly from your browser. No special equipment is needed and connecting with your guest is as simple as sending a web link!
You can try Riverside free (no credit card is needed) and, if you like it, save 15% on any paid plan by using the coupon code BIGPODCAST.
Caveday
Be more productive with Caveday, the virtual coworking solution used by creatives at Netflix, Spotify, and Amazon.
The Wrap Up
When you're ready to personally work with me ...
If you like the newsletter, you'll love Big Podcast AMP (Audio Monetization Program).
This personal coaching program has been designed to help you do three things:
- Grow your podcast audience.
- Get people talking about your podcast.
- Make more money with your podcast.
You can get details here.