Prologue
AC/DC and Podcasting
Angus Young of AC/DC once famously said:
"I'm sick to death of people saying we've made 11 albums that sound exactly the same. In fact, we've made 12 albums that sound exactly the same."
AC/DC can get away with this because they are very good at what they do. And unlike podcasters, they're only releasing new material every few years. In 51 years, they've released 18 albums.
Some podcasters release 18 episodes in a month. So doing something that's "exactly the same" can be a risk.
We all get in ruts. Next week, I've got something for you to help you break out of any podcasting ruts you have. It's going to make you feel more empowered and confident.
Stay tuned ... Until then, this issue of Big Podcast Insider has something inspiring from a book author with lessons you can apply to your podcast and also news about why podcasts are even more respected today than they were just a few months ago.
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Podcast Marketing
How I Sold 50,000 Copies of My Self-Published Book
This is a 13-minute video with a lot of great marketing lessons for podcasters, so I'm going to sum it up for you.
BIG TAKEAWAYS
- What you release can have a significant impact on your life, both financially and personally.
- He didn't have a "big launch" because few people knew him. Things were slow during the first few months, but he kept at it and build momentum using what he had.
- When he got positive feedback from readers, he would engage with them via social media.
- Collaborations with influencers (like podcasters) allowed him to "borrow" existing audiences and significantly boosted sales.
THE NUMBERS
- Approximately 10,000 books sold in 2022 and nearly 35,000 in 2023.
- 61% of sales came through Amazon (Similar to the majority of podcast downloads coming from Apple Podcasts or Spotify)
- 24% of sales have been the audiobook version, which is our big opportunity as podcasters
REASONS TO STAY INDEPENDENT
- While traditional publishers have access to broader markets, self-published authors maintain greater control over their pricing and royalties. (Same for indie podcasters vs. those on networks)
- Despite traditional publishers offering significant money up front, he made more money (and had more control) overall
Similar things are happening with podcasters and right now is a VERY pivotal point for how we look at podcasts. See the next item for details ...
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Podcasting News
Podcasts Get Political
Call Her Daddy has been interesting to watch, not only from a business perspective, but because it's changed with its audience.
Perhaps even more interesting is that podcasts like Call Her Daddy are playing an important role in the current Presidential election ...
Why?
This election is tight, statistically tied in current polling, with most people already decided about who they're voting for and not going to change their minds. This means that, for a candidate to break that tie and pull ahead, it's going to mean getting "non-voters" to vote.
Call Her Daddy is the most-listened to podcast by women, many of whom are young and unlikely to vote, so it makes sense that a presidential candidate that appeals to women, Kamala Harris, would go on Call Her Daddy as a guest.
Donald Trump is doing something similar, targeting males on podcasts like This Past Weekend.
Both of these podcasts have huge audiences, but because online media is easy to share, the message can spread beyond existing listeners. And these "new audience" seeing these messages is very similar to the current audience, since we hang out with (and share things with) people who are very similar to us.
RELATED: Should your podcast "get political?" It's a risk ... People pick sides and we're very "tribal" right now. My First Rule of Podcasting is to "fly your flag," so don't keep quiet on issues that are important to you, but also pick your battles and be skillful in your approach.
Podcast Humor
Why Am I So Tired? - Part 2
Producing a podcast can feel like an endless cycle, especially if you're doing a daily release.
Despite the fatigue, you get back to work, knowing there's always more content to create, more edits to make, and another deadline looming ...
I've been in the "content creation" business since the 90s, long before it was known as "content creation." And I've learned two things during this time ...
- There are always some people who will consume everything you do as soon as you release it and immediately be ready for more.
- Most people value your longevity over immediate output, so if you need to take a break or even just slow down a bit, they'll understand.
Take care of yourself.
RELATED: This also makes podcasters tired.
Podcaster Spotlight
This Guy is Doing Video Right
He's not a podcaster, but this guy has been making a name for himself with short videos and even shorter jokes.
It's a good plan ... Start short, get longer.
If you want to break into video and take advantage of the discovery opportunities available on YouTube and TikTok, "short" is the way to go.
Get in, then get out.
The more people see you and get familiar with your content, the longer they'll stick around to watch you.
The results for Andy? This "long" video has over 2,500,000 views ...
Classifieds
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The Wrap Up
When you're ready, here's how I can help you even more ...
If you want the shortcut to building a podcast people care about, here’s how Big Podcast can help you …
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- Big Podcast Extra – Short emails to help you build an audience, attract clients, and make money via podcasting
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