5 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Still Win The Podcast Game

With millions of podcasts hitting the airwaves every year, it’s easy for entrepreneurs to believe that the market is already saturated and that it’s not worth their time or money to create their own show. However, the audience is also increasing, increasing to 464.7 million listeners worldwide by 2023. Within this, the podcast listener base in the United States has grown by 40% during last three years, with 51% of consumers saying they started listening to them within the last two years. years. There is still time to take advantage of this growth.

Ryan Gallego believes that starting a podcast as an entrepreneur will be a worthwhile investment. As the founder of video marketing company Media Pouch and fully self-contained podcast studio, Pouch6 Studios in Austin, Texas, he believes that creating success in the world of podcasts is about to become more predictable for entrepreneurs Gallego has been obsessed with recording techniques since he was a teenager, and his studios have hosted influential people like Chris Williamson, Codie Sanchez, and Dr. Peter Attia, all of whom have expanded their personal brands with podcasting. Gallego’s dream is that podcasting at the highest level of quality will soon be available everywhere for everyone, without all the production costs.

For any entrepreneur thinking about getting into podcast hosting, Gallego doesn’t just think it’s worth doing. He believes that the meteoric success of podcasts is completely predictable with the right plan, sufficient understanding of podcast creation, and optimal allocation of resources. I interviewed Gallego to find out his best tips for success.

1. Put your personality forward

“The psychology behind successful podcasts is that people don’t listen to brands, they listen to people,” explains Gallego. Entrepreneurs need to engage with people, whether it’s by reading social media updates or listening to a podcast episode about a topic they care about. “If you’re an entrepreneur, you have to share stories about yourself so that people understand who you are and relate to you.” When you start a podcast, don’t make it about your brand. Don’t turn it into a sales pitch. Make it about you and the value you bring to an audience.

While it may seem self-indulgent to have your podcast centered around you, listeners are looking for an entrepreneurial personality they can relate to. They are trying to find inspiration and idolization and you could be exactly what they are looking for. Find a format that brings out your personality, because you’re passionate about delivering valuable information that way. Whether it’s through wild founding stories, the politics of your industry, or the lessons of your journey practicing what you preach; put your inclination in all topics related to your field. Seek to have a concept in the mind of the listeners. Even if your brand is incredibly well-known, you’ll build valuable trust from people who know you personally. Be front and center instead of behind the scenes.

2. Don’t skimp on the equipment

One stumbling block that frustrates would-be podcasters is the money and time it takes to build a proper studio. Creating a podcast set with the wow factor seems almost impossible without a background in audio engineering, production experience, or interior design skills. Until you make it definitely true in the world of podcasting. In fact, the more professional a podcast is set up, the more professional the hosts will be seen by listeners. With a few tricks, you can do it at home. “You don’t even need a film camera, you can get away with yours using your iPhone,” Gallego said, adding, “Go to your iPhone’s settings, set it to 4K, select 30 frames per second and put Apple ProRes RAW on it for good measure. Then you’re golden.”

But this is more than just your camera. “Smart entrepreneurs understand the importance and financial viability of outsourcing as many tasks as possible,” Gallego said. Hiring a studio is an easy way to outsource production tasks and equipment costs, among several hassles that can come with trying to do it all yourself. Recording from home looks like it’s going to be fine, until the doorbell rings, the acoustics aren’t great, and there always seems to be something better to do. Gallego’s advice is to “Google podcast studios near you and find an option that fits your budget and timeline.” Leverage your large audience to get a good deal. If you’re not blessed with a large audience right now, “your professional setup will make that happen a lot faster.”

3. Hang out with other content creators

Gallego believes that “podcast studios will become a kind of Soho House for entrepreneurs.” He’s biased, but he’s right. Entrepreneurs make deals and collaborate on projects with people they would never have met if not for their membership in entrepreneurial networks. Meeting fellow entrepreneurs trying to start and grow their podcasts will work the same way, but with more aligned goals. “Start your show in the same room as podcasters and podcasters you consider 5-10 steps ahead of you. Connect, learn and innovate with those who are already seeing success.

“If you’re podcasting, you’re a content creator.” Identify with this title and find others who do too. Gallego wants you to brandish the label to move forward. “Ask the studio manager who else is recording on the day of your booking or find out who is using which studios in your area.” Then work the room. “Look for an excuse to show up early, shake hands, and offer ideas for collaboration. Look at walking into the studio the way you would walking into a trade show.”

4. Leverage AI to outperform production

Don’t stand there struggling to find titles. Use the tools available now to beat other programs and get to know your audience. “Ask ChatGPT for the top 5-10 trending video topics for your specific audience, in a catchy headline format.” You can go a step further with the right directions. “Ask AskChatGPT to write a 30-second intro script on a specific topic for a specific audience, so all you have to do is dial in.” Make it easy to fall in love with podcasting and your great energy will carry over into your shows.

Don’t stop at titles and introductions. Use AI tools to find awesome guests, send outreach emails and follow-ups, and recap episodes in show notes after taping. Make shareable graphics and bite-sized quotes, find follow-up topics for the same guest, and turn listener questions and comments into more content. Use AI as your own podcast assistant and be amazed at what you can produce.

5. Consider outsourcing podcast production

AI can handle content and promotion, but Gallego believes production is better outsourced. A growing podcast needs a system to consistently produce multiple forms of content, and you should “view the entire effort as content creation, not recording a podcast. However, this comes from a valuable, high-quality episode At the very least, Gallego said, you should “find someone who’s just starting out in the production space and ask them to record your content.”

If you’re in it for the long game, there’s no point in editing your own episodes, which can be difficult and time-consuming. To make sure costs don’t get out of hand, set a budget and produce a defined batch of episodes with the help of professionals. Compare the number of listeners and comments to the batch before and consider what the upgrade has added in terms of time savings, growth and perceived production value. Compare and contrast to make your plan for next steps. If you can, use that same person or company to repurpose your episode in multiple forms of content and “get skin in the game as much as you can.”

Podcasts are here to stay. Bring your personality forward, don’t skimp on equipment, connect with those a few steps ahead, leverage AI to surpass production, and find trusted partners for professional production. Stand out and stay at the forefront of the industry while making your podcast a worthwhile investment.