Podcast Pontifications

The romantic notion of the struggling artist runs deep in indie podcasting. But while every indie podcaster struggles to get their production to the world, not all struggle to make ends meet.

Today a topic that just about everyone considers sensitive. Independent podcasters even more so. And that topic is…money. Money earned by your indie podcast. And money spent on your indie podcast.

Let me rip off the bandaid right away and say this: Indie podcasting doesn't mean poor podcasters.

Being poor as an indie podcaster is not a requirement. It’s not a badge of honor. Nor is it a mark of shame. It may be your current state. But it’s not the state of every indie podcaster.

Most indie podcasters fail to earn any revenue—at all—from their shows. But many other independent podcasters earn enough revenue from their shows to live very comfortable lives. And between those two extremes are countless other indie podcasters, some making a little, some making a lot. 

Most indie podcasters rely on free services to power their podcasts. But many other independent podcasters spend tens of thousands of dollars (or more) on their productions. And between those two extremes are countless other indie podcasters, some spending a little, some spending a lot.  

Don’t judge the totality of indie podcasting by your pocketbook. Not every service is aimed at the totality of indie podcasting. Or even the state you and your indie podcast occupy today.

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Boostagram Corner

Thanks to Mark Steadman for the virtual coffees. Links in the next section.

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Links:

• Getting more than 10K downloads per episode? Talk to Gumball.fm! 

• Mark Steadman - https://twitter.com/amarksteadman

• PodcodeTV - https://twitter.com/PodcodeTV

• Give value for value for the show! - https://podcastpontifications.com/value-4-value

• Now booking sponsorships for 2022! - https://podcastpontifications.com/sponsor

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A written-to-be-read article and a full transcript of the audio of this episode can be found at https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/indie-podcasting-does-not-mean-poor-podcasters.

Visit https://twitter.com/evoterra for more podcasting insights from Evo Terra as they come.

Return the value-for-value of the podcasting wisdom of this episode and more at https://PodcastPontifications.com/support

And if you need a professional in your podcasting corner, please visit https://Simpler.Media to see how Simpler Media Productions can help you reach your business objectives with podcasting.

Allie Press assists with the production and transcription of the show. Learn more about Allie at http://alliepress.net.

Podcast Pontifications four times a week to provide ideas and ask questions every working podcaster should be thinking about. Subscribe/follow today at https://PodcastPontifications.com.

Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

Your podcast is unique. Just like every other podcast. Or just like every other podcast tries to be. The truth is figuring out your show’s unique point of view is hard. Asking these four questions can help.

My friend and community-building powerhouse Pam Slim uses these questions when workshopping with her business consulting customers. I find them to be excellent questions that podcasters can also use to help nail down what it is that makes their show special. 

So here they are, with an example for each:

1. What is missing from the conversation? 

Bryan Barletta realized no podcast about podcasting was covering podcast ad tech, so he started Sounds Profitable to do just that! And the niche is better for it.

2. Whose important perspective is not being shared? 

Greg Jorgensen realized that shows about Thailand and Bangkok were all focused on travel and of limited value to the hundreds of thousands of expats who call Bangkok home. So he created The Bangkok Podcast to serve that audience.

3. What obvious truths are being ignored? 

Someone needs to make a movie/TV podcast that exposes the crappy, B-grade moves and shows that Netflix foists upon us, often with incredible hype and possible algorithm manipulation to try to convince us the shows are worth watching. Shows that aren’t necessarily bad, but certainly are not good. I’ll follow that show.

4. What critical steps are not being covered? 

The podcasts about podcasting space is dominated by how-to shows aimed at beginning podcasters. We need shows for the mid-level podcaster on the verge of turning pro and making their full-time living as a podcaster. 

Digging deep into any of these questions will be a big help as you nail down your show's unique point of view. Ideally, you'll dig into all of them and come up with some interesting answers for each and every one.

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Boostagram Corner

Thanks to the anonymous person for the Paypal contribution. No links because… well, anonymous!

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Links:

• Getting more than 10K downloads per episode? Talk to Gumball.fm! 

• Pam Slim is super smart - https://pamelaslim.com/

• Bryan Barletta - http://twitter.com/bryanbarletta

• Sounds Profitable - https://soundsprofitable.com/

• Greg Jorgensen - http://twitter.com/bkkgreg

• The Bangkok Podcast - https://www.bangkokpodcast.com/

• Give value for value for the show! - https://podcastpontifications.com/value-4-value

• Now booking sponsorships for 2022! - https://podcastpontifications.com/sponsor

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A written-to-be-read article and a full transcript of the audio of this episode can be found at https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/4-questions-to-uncover-your-podcasts-unique-point-of-view.

Visit https://twitter.com/evoterra for more podcasting insights from Evo Terra as they come.

Return the value-for-value of the podcasting wisdom of this episode and more at https://PodcastPontifications.com/support

And if you need a professional in your podcasting corner, please visit https://Simpler.Media to see how Simpler Media Productions can help you reach your business objectives with podcasting.

Allie Press assists with the production and transcription of the show. Learn more about Allie at http://alliepress.net.

Podcast Pontifications four times a week to provide ideas and ask questions every working podcaster should be thinking about. Subscribe/follow today at https://PodcastPontifications.com.

Photo by Nadine Shaabana on Unsplash

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

Consistency is often key in podcasting, and your show’s format is part of that. But your format is simply a tool that helps you better tell the story to your audience. Sometimes, a different tool may get better results.

Today's missive is for podcasters who adhere to a format. I’m one of them demonstrated on over 500 episodes thus far, my short form, single topic, monologue episodes.

But here's a reality check my chosen format, like your chosen format, is just a construct.

Chat cast. Headline rundown. Poem of the day. Narrative deep dive. These are all simply constructs.

Extremely helpful constructs that better craft the information presented in your episode, sure.

But what's more important? The information/story you're imparting/telling or the format you’ve chosen to tell it in?

If you said “the format”, then I’m afraid we can’t be friends. Or you need to buy me several beers as you attempt to convince me of your position.

Your audience is not here because you interview guests on your podcasts. They’re here for the information.

Your audience isn’t here because you do a solo show. They’re here for the insight and inspiration.

Your audience isn’t here because you include exactly three short headlines in your daily news roundup. They’re here to be caught up.

So sometimes, on occasion, and when it is really, really warranted, it's OK to temporarily eschew the construct if a different format better serves or compliments the story you’re telling with your overall podcast.

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Boostagram Corner

Thanks to Rich, Regina, Oscar, and Dane. Links in the next section.

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Links:

• Getting more than 10K downloads per episode? Talk to Gumball.fm! 

• Regina Revazoa - https://www.linkedin.com/in/regina-revazova/

• Open Conversation - https://www.openconversation.com

• Oscar Merry - https://twitter.com/MerryOscar

• Fountain podcast listening app - https://www.fountain.fm

• Dane Cardiel - https://twitter.com/danecardiel

• New Podcast Apps - http://newpodcastapps.com

• Give value for value for the show! - https://podcastpontifications.com/value-4-value

• Now booking sponsorships for 2022! - https://podcastpontifications.com/sponsor

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A written-to-be-read article and a full transcript of the audio of this episode can be found at https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/breaking-your-podcasts-format-isnt-always-a-bad-thing.

Visit https://twitter.com/evoterra for more podcasting insights from Evo Terra as they come.

Return the value-for-value of the podcasting wisdom of this episode and more at https://PodcastPontifications.com/support

And if you need a professional in your podcasting corner, please visit https://Simpler.Media to see how Simpler Media Productions can help you reach your business objectives with podcasting.

Allie Press assists with the production and transcription of the show. Learn more about Allie at http://alliepress.net.

Podcast Pontifications four times a week to provide ideas and ask questions every working podcaster should be thinking about. Subscribe/follow today at https://PodcastPontifications.com.

Photo by Anne Nygård on Unsplash

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

Why do you podcast? Yes, plenty of selfish reasons are important if only to keep you podcasting. But does it go deeper than that? I asked the community and was blown away by the responses I received.

Garret Godfrey says his show, Good Patron, explores “...how we can better support the bands & musicians we love.”

Dr. Carrie Gillon says her show, Vocal Fries, exists ”...to highlight the fact that judging language is judging humans in racist, sexist, classist ways, and more.”

Susan Ni Chriodain says: “Over 80% of people are disengaged in the workplace. In Life Beyond the Numbers, conversations are about how to have a more fulfilling work-life.”

Travel podcaster Amanda Kendle says that her podcast, The Thoughtful Travel Podcast, “...connects to my whole kind of life/career purpose, which is sharing the value of travel as a tool both for personal growth and to make the world a better place.”

Martha Lawton of Squanderlust says her show’s purpose is: “To help people overcome fear and shame around how they have managed their money, so they can face where they are now and change it for the better.”

Neil Hedley of The Snooze Button says his show is “... an effort to save people from the hucksters who would capitalize on ignorance by pushing ridiculous solutions that don’t actually help people.”

Gary Arndt sums up the purpose behind Everything Everywhere Daily with: “I'm trying to combat ignorance. Too many people just don't know much about the world around them. How it works and how it came to be.”

And Andrew Clews says the Motoring Podcast wasn’t started for a goal, but that: “As we’ve gone on, we have found ourselves fighting misinformation/lack of understanding…”

Again, there’s no requirement to do that. Podcasting just for fun can certainly be quite fun. But if building something bigger with a true community around it, it’s probably worth your time to figure out the bigger mission your podcast plugs into.

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Boostagram Corner

Thanks to James Cridland for the Satoshis! Links in the next section.

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Links:

• Getting more than 10K downloads per episode? Talk to Gumball.fm! 

• Pam Slim - https://pamelaslim.com

• She Podcasts LIVE - https://www.shepodcasts.com/live/

• The Tweet that started it all: https://twitter.com/evoterra/status/1452845830721785858

• Garrett Godfrey - https://twitter.com/musciguy

• Good Patron - https://utrmedia.org/podcasts/good-patron-podcast

• Dr. Carrie Gillon - https://twitter.com/carrie_gee

• Vocal Fries - https://vocalfriespod.com

• Susan Ni Chriodain - https://twitter.com/S_Ni_C

• Life Beyond the Numbers - https://www.beyond-thenumbers.com

• Amanda Kendle - https://twitter.com/amandakendle 

• The Thoughtful Travel Podcast - http://www.notaballerina.com/podcast

• Martha Lawton - https://twitter.com/marthalawton

• Squanderlust - https://www.squanderlustpod.com/

• Neil Hedley - https://twitter.com/GetYourSnoozeOn

• The Snooze Button - https://thesnoozebutton.com/

• Gary Arndt - https://twitter.com/EverywhereTrip

• Everything Everywhere Daily - https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast

•  Andrew Clews -https://twitter.com/Clew_less

• Motoring Podcast - https://www.motoringpodcast.com

• James Cridland - https://twitter.com/JamesCridland

• Podland - ​​https://www.podland.news/

• Podnews - https://podnews.net/

• Join the Advancing Podcasting community - http://advancingpodcasting.xyz

• New Podcast Apps - http://newpodcastapps.com

• Give value for value for the show! - https://podcastpontifications.com/value-4-value

• Now booking sponsorships for 2022! - https://podcastpontifications.com/sponsor

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A written-to-be-read article and a full transcript of the audio of this episode can be found at https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/podcasting-with-a-purpose-even-if-its-your-own.

Visit https://twitter.com/evoterra for more podcasting insights from Evo Terra as they come.

Return the value-for-value of the podcasting wisdom of this episode and more at https://PodcastPontifications.com/support

And if you need a professional in your podcasting corner, please visit https://Simpler.Media to see how Simpler Media Productions can help you reach your business objectives with podcasting.

Allie Press assists with the production and transcription of the show. Learn more about Allie at http://alliepress.net.

Podcast Pontifications four times a week to provide ideas and ask questions every working podcaster should be thinking about. Subscribe/follow today at https://PodcastPontifications.com.

Photo by Artem Kniaz on Unsplash

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

In the beginning, there were audio podcasts. And then about 13 seconds later there were also video podcasts. But the bifurcation of audio podcasts and video podcasts was relatively short-lived, thanks to Google’s acquisition and promoting the hell out of YouTube. 

Since that time, several entrepreneurs have tried to bring video back to podcasting with varying degrees of success, though none deserving of the adjective “breakout”. 

But now, forces are converging and video podcasting again could become a thing. Again? Here’s why:

Earlier this month, YouTube announced they were looking for an executive to oversee podcasting on their platform. Today, many podcasters are (often crudely) already making video versions of their podcasts and distributing them on YouTube.

Just last week, Spotify and Anchor announced they'd soon be hosting audio and video versions of select podcasts in the Spotify app. 

Right now, developers in the Podcasting  2.0 movement are developing a way to distribute more than one media file per episode. Like a video and an audio version, doing what Spotify is doing but in a non-propriety manner.

And with those moves is Descript, getting us closer to a world where we edit media holistically, rather than editing audio and video separately. 

Oh, what a time to be alive. While you’re making your holiday gift guides, you may want to have a serious think on how your show fits in a world where audio and video are both valid options for your listeners.

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Boostagram Corner

Thanks to Garret Godfree and John Kostuch for the coffee. Virtual and physical. Links in the next section.

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Links:

• Getting more than 10K downloads per episode? Talk to Gumball.fm! 

• Happy Tree Friends - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Tree_Friends

• Ask A Ninja - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ask_a_Ninja

• YouTube seeks podcast boss - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-05/youtube-looks-to-hire-its-first-executive-focused-on-podcasts

• Spotify wants video podcasts - https://blog.anchor.fm/updates/video

• Value-for-value for this show - https://podcastpontifications.com/value-4-value

• Descript all-in-one platform (affiliate) - https://www.descript.com/?lmref=xjgbqw

• Garrett Godfrey - https://twitter.com/musciguy

• Good Patron - https://utrmedia.org/podcasts/good-patron-podcast

• Centre Steer - https://twitter.com/centresteer

• New Podcast Apps - http://newpodcastapps.com

• Now booking sponsorships for 2022! - https://podcastpontifications.com/sponsor

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A written-to-be-read article and a full transcript of the audio of this episode can be found at https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/theyre-making-video-podcasts-a-thing-again-again-and-it-might-just-work-this-time.

Visit https://twitter.com/evoterra for more podcasting insights from Evo Terra as they come.

Return the value-for-value of the podcasting wisdom of this episode and more at https://PodcastPontifications.com/support

And if you need a professional in your podcasting corner, please visit https://Simpler.Media to see how Simpler Media Productions can help you reach your business objectives with podcasting.

Allie Press assists with the production and transcription of the show. Learn more about Allie at http://alliepress.net.

Podcast Pontifications four times a week to provide ideas and ask questions every working podcaster should be thinking about. Subscribe/follow today at https://PodcastPontifications.com.

Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

Far too many podcasters cede control of the narrative of their episodes to their subject. Here’s how to take that power back, make better episodes, and wind up with even more content to share.

Lots of podcasters struggle with content creation, especially as deadlines approach. When an episode has to get published, less-than-strategic approaches show themselves in an interview that feels forced or an angle on a topic that seems out of place and quite different in a not-good way to the audience.

At the root of these problems of bad fit lies the same problem: the podcaster allowed the subject of the episode to dictate the narrative of the episode. 

But you can do a better job than that. A podcaster’s superpower over other media formats is this: Once you know—deeply—what your audience wants, you can shape almost any subject into a narrative that your audience wants to hear.

Done right, those crappy, unresearched guest pitches turn into a content fountain! All you have to do is figure out which stories you can pull out guests that your audience wants to hear. You do this by controlling the narrative. Don’t just turn the mic over to your guest and let them run the show. That’s your job!

This same approach goes well beyond sorting through unsolicited guest pitches. Because you know your audience and are in charge of the narrative of your episodes, you can build an episode out of almost every trending topic. Content ideas galore! 

You're the podcaster. You’re in control of the narrative. You’re in control of your listeners’ experiences. Never forget that.

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Boostagram Corner

Thanks to Casey Broda for a nice episode review. Links in the next section.

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Links:

• Getting more than 10K downloads per episode? Talk to Gumball.fm! 

• Tom Webster - http://twitter.com/webby2001

• Edison Research - https://www.edisonresearch.com

• Danny van Leeuwen - https://twitter.com/HealthHats

• Health Hats - https://health-hats.com

• Bill Risser - https://twitter.com/billrisser

• The Real Estate Sessions - https://therealestatesessions.com/

• Keith Bacon - https://twitter.com/madewithbacon

• All Ways West Seattle - https://www.allwayspodcast.com

• Casey Broda - https://twitter.com/CaseyBroda

• Her review on Podchaser - https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/podcast-pontifications-740003/episodes/authentic-podcasting-is-the-be-100070794/reviews/73991

• Value-for-value for this show - https://podcastpontifications.com/value-4-value

• Now booking sponsorships for 2022! - https://podcastpontifications.com/sponsor

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A written-to-be-read article and a full transcript of the audio of this episode can be found at https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/making-your-podcast-better-by-controlling-the-narrative.

Visit https://twitter.com/evoterra for more podcasting insights from Evo Terra as they come.

Return the value-for-value of the podcasting wisdom of this episode and more at https://PodcastPontifications.com/support

And if you need a professional in your podcasting corner, please visit https://Simpler.Media to see how Simpler Media Productions can help you reach your business objectives with podcasting.

Allie Press assists with the production and transcription of the show. Learn more about Allie at http://alliepress.net.

Podcast Pontifications four times a week to provide ideas and ask questions every working podcaster should be thinking about. Subscribe/follow today at https://PodcastPontifications.com.

Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

“Just the facts, ma’am,” said no podcast listener ever. Yet, the podcasting directories are filled with niched-down podcasters proclaiming their expertise. Is that what your audience truly wants?

Ask yourself: Are you an expert, or are you a guide?

A better way to ask that question might be; does your audience want you to be an expert, or do they want you to be a guide? 

Yes, there are plenty of examples of podcasts where the audience does in fact want to hear expertise from an expert. 

But how often is that? Even for a tightly-niched-down podcast, a good portion of the audience probably wants the podcast host to use their expertise to guide them through the episode. 

Here’s a quick litmus test: If you start to answer a question on your podcast and you either say or think the words “Well… it depends” before you give your answer; then it’s a near-certainty that the next words you say will be in the voice of a guide, not an expert. 

Guides recognize there's no one right way to present their ideas on their podcast. 

Guides recognize they don't have all the answers and therefore can’t share all the answers on their podcast. 

Guides recognize the role that serendipity and circumstance play in the lives of their podcast listeners. Lives that might look quite different from their own. 

So reflect back on the last few episodes of your show. Is your audience relying on you to tell them what to do? Or are they relying on you and your expertise to guide them?

I try very hard to do the latter. But as with all things in life, YMMV.

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Links:

• Getting more than 10K downloads per episode? Talk to Gumball.fm! 

• Monkey River - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey_River

• Howler monkeys - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guatemalan_black_howler

• Value-for-value for this show - https://podcastpontifications.com/value-4-value

• Now booking sponsorships for 2022! - https://podcastpontifications.com/sponsor

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A written-to-be-read article and a full transcript of the audio of this episode can be found at https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/you-can-be-an-expert-on-your-podcast-without-being-a-jerk-about-it.

Visit https://twitter.com/evoterra for more podcasting insights from Evo Terra as they come.

Return the value-for-value of the podcasting wisdom of this episode and more at https://PodcastPontifications.com/support

And if you need a professional in your podcasting corner, please visit https://Simpler.Media to see how Simpler Media Productions can help you reach your business objectives with podcasting.

Allie Press assists with the production and transcription of the show. Learn more about Allie at http://alliepress.net.

Podcast Pontifications four times a week to provide ideas and ask questions every working podcaster should be thinking about. Subscribe/follow today at https://PodcastPontifications.com.

Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

Most successful podcasters don’t make most of their income from their podcast. So why do successful people, from celebs to business leaders, keep investing in their own podcasts? Legitimacy and access.

For every successful podcaster I know who makes most, if not all, of their income directly from their podcast, I know a hundred more successful podcasters who see very little direct income from their podcast.

Yet each and every one of the successful podcasters I know credits their podcast as being instrumental to their ongoing success.

Let's not forget the tangible benefits running a successful podcast brings to your podcast. Tangible benefits that are oftentimes better and more lucrative for you in the long term.

A well-produced podcast is significantly better than a one-sheet at communicating your goals. 

A well-produced podcast can be better than a headshot at conveying your talents. 

A well-produced podcast showcases that thing you do much better than a 6-minute explainer video.

And even though I’m an author, I think that a well-produced podcast is much better than a book at demonstrating your knowledge in a particular area.

One of the biggest powers of a well-produced podcast is the outsized legitimacy it provides. That legitimacy opens up doors to you that other people who do not have an established, respected, and well-produced podcast may find difficult to get through. 

Those tangible benefits are often much more valuable to you and to your total income possibilities than any small ad campaign, affiliate deal, or whatever bundled service offering you were pitched just this week. 

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Boostagram Corner

Thanks to Suzy Buttress for the virtual coffee! Links in the next section.

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Links:

• Getting more than 10K downloads per episode? Talk to Gumball.fm! 

• Suzy Buttress - https://www.instagram.com/suzybee_2

• The Casual Birder podcast - https://casualbirder.com

• Value-for-value for this show - https://podcastpontifications.com/value-4-value

• Now booking sponsorships for 2022! - https://podcastpontifications.com/sponsor

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A written-to-be-read article and a full transcript of the audio of this episode can be found at https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/moving-past-the-full-time-podcast-income-fallacy.

Visit https://twitter.com/evoterra for more podcasting insights from Evo Terra as they come.

Return the value-for-value of the podcasting wisdom of this episode and more at https://PodcastPontifications.com/support

And if you need a professional in your podcasting corner, please visit https://Simpler.Media to see how Simpler Media Productions can help you reach your business objectives with podcasting.

Allie Press assists with the production and transcription of the show. Learn more about Allie at http://alliepress.net.

Podcast Pontifications four times a week to provide ideas and ask questions every working podcaster should be thinking about. Subscribe/follow today at https://PodcastPontifications.com.

Photo by Marc Najera on Unsplash

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

Worrying about growth, new tech, and other podcasting distractions can cause you to forget that your audience is your audience, not a nameless pool you have to fight for week after week. Lean into them.

I'm not a big fan of the word authentic. It’s become overused and often used incorrectly. But there’s one place where I’ve no issue with hearing the word, and that’s when talking about your authentic self. 

I’m incapable of being anything other than my authentic self for more than a dozen minutes. But that may not be you. Regardless of how much you can let your authentic self shine through during your waking hours, I hope you are able to be your authentic self on your podcast. 

While listening to a conversation Cameron Esposito was having with Jessica Kupferman at She Podcasts LIVE over the weekend, I jotted this note:

Your audience is your audience. It's okay to talk about things that only your audience cares about. The masses don't matter. 

Now, I think that's an incredibly grounded perspective for any podcaster to take and reflect on from time to time. Your audience is your audience. Those five words can work as a re-centering mantra when you need it. Saying them out loud can, when needed, help you reconnect with your show, which in turn will help you reconnect with your audience. Again, when you need to.

It's very easy to get caught up in the desire to grow your podcast. And yes, I think that growing a show is important. To some degree, growth is at least somewhat important to most podcasters. How important is debatable, obviously. But if your quest to grow your show drives you too far away from the content your authentic self cares about, then you may see the opposite of growth.

To thine own self be true. That's why your audience is listening to your podcast in the first place. 

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Boostagram Corner

Thanks to Doug Berger for the virtual coffee! Links in the next section.

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Links:

• Getting more than 10K downloads per episode? Talk to Gumball.fm! 

• Cameron Esposito - https://www.cameronesposito.com

• She Podcast LIVE - https://www.shepodcasts.com/live

• Suzy Buttress - https://www.instagram.com/suzybee_2

• The Casual Birder podcast - https://casualbirder.com

• Doug Berger - https://www.dougberger.net

• Glass City Humanist - https://glasscityhumanist.show/

• Secular Left - https://www.secularleft.us/

• Value-for-value for this show - https://podcastpontifications.com/value-4-value

• Now booking sponsorships for 2022! - https://podcastpontifications.com/sponsor

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A written-to-be-read article and a full transcript of the audio of this episode can be found at https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/authentic-podcasting-is-the-best-self-care.

Visit https://twitter.com/evoterra for more podcasting insights from Evo Terra as they come.

Return the value-for-value of the podcasting wisdom of this episode and more at https://PodcastPontifications.com/support

And if you need a professional in your podcasting corner, please visit https://Simpler.Media to see how Simpler Media Productions can help you reach your business objectives with podcasting.

Allie Press assists with the production and transcription of the show. Learn more about Allie at http://alliepress.net.

Podcast Pontifications four times a week to provide ideas and ask questions every working podcaster should be thinking about. Subscribe/follow today at https://PodcastPontifications.com.

Photo by Sydney Rae on Unsplash

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

Conflicting advice plagues podcasters. Be yourself, but also follow this exact format, or you won’t have a successful show. Resolving that conflict isn’t easy. But it starts by trusting your talents. 

Society whispers at us all the time... no one likes a showoff. 

At the risk of offending my late grandmother who was the physical embodiment of that notion, that doesn't really cut it in podcasting. 

Today, I'm going to ask a challenging question for you to ponder over the weekend: Are you showcasing your talents on your podcast?

I'm constantly surprised how often this isn't the case, with podcasters credulously following a format or playbook that was developed by someone else, ostensibly to be more successful more quickly. 

Let me turn my question into a statement: Don't be afraid to showcase your talents as you podcast. 

Unless you are the Übermensch, you are better at some skills over others. Maybe is a natural talent. Or maybe you trained hard to become good. Lean into it! 

I suck at interviewing because I’m not a good listener. But I’m a good researcher, so I can come up with weird questions that make for interesting answers, in the rare instance when I do an interview. 

So what’s your skill? And how can you lean into it? Do you have an infectious laugh? Let it out! Are you a talented musician? Think about scoring your episodes. 

Showcasing your own talents is a much more likely pathway to success than following some arbitrary plan or format that someone else gave you. Especially if thousands of other people are following that same “proven” playbook. There's nothing special about that. 

But there is something special about your show. And that's you. So showcase that!

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Links:

• Getting more than 10K downloads per episode? Talk to Gumball.fm! 

• She Podcast LIVE - https://www.shepodcasts.com/live/

• Value-for-value for this show - https://podcastpontifications.com/value-4-value

• Now booking sponsorships for 2022! - https://podcastpontifications.com/sponsor

-----

A written-to-be-read article and a full transcript of the audio of this episode can be found at https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/dont-be-afraid-to-showcase-your-podcasting-talents.

Visit https://twitter.com/evoterra for more podcasting insights from Evo Terra as they come.

Return the value-for-value of the podcasting wisdom of this episode and more at https://PodcastPontifications.com/support

And if you need a professional in your podcasting corner, please visit https://Simpler.Media to see how Simpler Media Productions can help you reach your business objectives with podcasting.

Allie Press assists with the production and transcription of the show. Learn more about Allie at http://alliepress.net.

Podcast Pontifications four times a week to provide ideas and ask questions every working podcaster should be thinking about. Subscribe/follow today at https://PodcastPontifications.com.

Photo by Peggy Anke on Unsplash

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.