This week, Fred Jacobs hosted a webinar in which he revealed the key takeaways from our Techsurvey12, the radio broadcasting industry’s largest survey. At one point, he asked, “Is podcasting really the next big thing?” Based on the research results, he answered, “Yes, we think it is.”
In fact, 28% of respondents reported listening to a podcast in the last month, which is up from 21% last year. With Google recently introducing a new podcast directory into Google Play Music app, making podcasts more accessible on Android phones, that number is only going to grow.
If podcasting has been on your station’s back burner, and you’re still not ready to take the plunge and dedicate resources to creating a station podcast, how can you ease into this world? Here are some suggestions…
1. Send a staff member to the Podcast Movement conference in Chicago this July.
The third annual Podcast Movement conference will take place on July 6-8th in Chicago. This is the largest gathering of podcasters in North America, with over 2,000 attendees expected. I will moderate a panel discussion with on-air personality Tom Leykis, talent coach and author Valerie Geller, Rob Greenlee (Head of Content at Spreaker), and Doug Berman (executive producer of NPR’s “Car Talk” and “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!”). My session is called, “Podcast Makeover: A Live Critique Session with Broadcasting Legends.”
The sessions are full of practical, actionable tips covering every aspect of podcasting, from the content creation to the promotion to the technical details. Find somebody on your staff who is passionate about podcasts and send them to this conference to scout out the landscape. We have a special discount rate exclusively for Jacobs Media clients — email me for details.
2. Join the Podcasters Google+ community.
There is a vibrant community of nearly 8,000 podcasters on Google+. This is a very supportive group of peers who are more than willing to answer any question you might have, from the best recording gear to interview techniques to guest-booking strategies. Join, lurk, and participate.
3. Listen to a podcast about podcasting.
If you’ve never listened to a podcast, now is the time to see what all the hype is about. If you’re an iPhone owner, it’s easiest to use the Podcasts app that comes on your device. If you’re an Android phone owner, you can either listen using Google Play Music, or download a “podcatcher” app like Pocket Casts. Browse and subscribe to a few podcasts, then download an episode and see what you like. Here are some suggestions:
- The Audacity to Podcast
- The Feed
- New Media Show
- Podcast Answer Man
- Podcast Junkies
- Podcast Group Therapy
- The Podcast Report
- The Podcasters’ Studio
- Powerpress Podcast
- School of Podcasting
…and there are plenty more where that came from.
4. Check out the Podcasters Roundtable.
Ray Ortega hosts a bi-weekly video discussion about podcasting. Each installment focus on a different aspect of podcasting. Check out to hear leaders in the podcast space share their views on a wide variety of topics.
5. Watch our webinar on podcasting.
I hosted a webinar called, “How to Launch a Podcast: An Introduction or Radio Stations” with a step-by-step process for getting your station’s first podcast off the ground. It covered everything from how to develop an engaging show concept to how to submit your podcast to iTunes.
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