What Makes a Podcast Great?

Greetings PM Family,

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We recently asked on Twitter, “What are some things that make a podcast great (in your eyes)?” We share some of the responses to this question this week. We will also review some recent PodMov Daily highlights.

The Podcast Movement Twitter account has over 38,000 followers. The posts are primarily informative and entertaining. The replies to this recent post caught our attention.

Here are some of the responses to the question:

“Chemistry – that's all it's about. If the hosts have chemistry with the listeners and each other (if there's a more than one), I'm down.” – I Understood that Reference!

“Consistent content, good research, conversational tone, and relatable hosts.” – Crossing The Streams Podcast

“Good interviews, a conversation that's enjoyable to listen to, and attention to detail in audio quality. Take the time to edit out “umms” and tongue clicks. Don't let crappy audio detract from the story you're trying to tell.” – WhiskyCast

“Good conversation and the passion the hosts have for the topic. I like it when I can feel excited about something with them.” – Coie's Questions

“Organization and consistency. People enjoy their shows more when they know that they will consistently be around the same time, every time. Also, the rambling and rabbit trials should be kept to a minimum, unless that is the style of the podcast itself.” – Kith and Kin Gaming Podcast

“A soothing voice. There are plenty of podcasts with great material, but the orator's voice is not pleasant.” – Angela Hansberger
“Energy and interesting, innovative content” – Melissa Hayes

“Engaging content that makes the listeners wish they were part of the conversation” – TheeBlckEffct

“Details! I love the details! And pith! Gotta have some pith!” – Murder Shelf Book Club Podcast

“Passion. I want to care about what you're saying.” – Queer Sacramento Podcast

“We've listened to a lot of podcasts on road trips. There are tons of great ones that have completely different formats, but the one thing that ties all the best podcasts together is good planning. You can tell when the thought was put into an episode before hitting “record.” – Trip of a Lifestyle

What do you think? We would love to hear your thoughts. Please feel free to share with us by tweeting to us here!

PodMov Daily Highlights

The Joe Rogan Experience to Become a Spotify Exclusive – In a massive win for Spotify, Joe Rogan’s podcast will become an exclusive on the platform later this year. The Verge’s Ashley Carman reports that, up until now, The Joe Rogan Experience “has never been available on Spotify, let alone exclusive to any platform.” According to the Wall Street Journal, the deal is worth more than $100 million.

“Rogan’s YouTube channel will remain live, but it won’t contain full episodes,” Carman explains. “Rogan is one of the most popular YouTube podcasters, often with millions of people watching each episode, so losing his voice on the platform is a major hit to YouTube and a big gain for Spotify.”

The show will be available but not yet exclusive to the platform on September 1st. “Listeners won’t have to pay to access the episodes, but they will have to become Spotify users.” Last year Rogan cited about 190 million monthly downloads, making the WSJ figure somehow sensible in the grand scheme of engagement.

The Infinite Dial: Australia’s Expanding Podcast Landscape – Edison Research has released The Infinite Dial® Australia 2020, the fourth annual comprehensive study of the country’s digital media behavior, and its accompanying webinar. Fielded before virus-related disruptions, the survey consulted a “nationally representative” 1,014 individuals.

Among significant findings: “Awareness of podcasting in Australia surpasses what is seen in the United States, as 87% of Australians are familiar with podcasting compared to 75% of Americans.” Though 85% most often listen on portable devices, “home” is the location most Australians have consumed a podcast.

Providing another angle on the topic, Henrik Isaksson of Acast Australia and New Zealand muses on the lasting impacts the virus could leave on audio. Isaksson observes that “there’s an even greater influx of Aussie podcast content” as audience figures continue to skyrocket.

CU Denver: Lifting Women Philosophers Through Academic Podcasting – “Podcasts are democratizing information — and that’s a good thing,” writes Alicita Rodriguez of The University of Colorado Denver. Sarah Tyson, Ph.D., who teaches in the Philosophy Department, recently started CU Denver Philosophy Podcasts as a way to communicate with her colleagues.

“Part of the reason I started the philosophy department podcast was to share how philosophers think through world-historical events as they are unfolding,” Tyson said. “I think that anyone who has to deal with the everyday concerns of the pandemic has a potential edge in thinking about it.” Six episodes by faculty members cover timely topics like scapegoating and propaganda.

Rodriguez explains how Tyson, also a host of New Books in Philosophy, uses podcasting to increase the visibility of feminist thought and women in the field. The series “shows students that women can philosophize,” said Tyson. “That’s a powerful lesson that’s hard to teach merely by insisting it’s true.”

Keep on Smiling!

Thank you for the joy and enthusiasm that you put into your podcast efforts. Your listeners are informed and keep smiling because of you — your voice matters. Your show is needed now more than ever!

Keep recording & publishing,
Team PM

“Smile in the mirror. Do that every morning, and you’ll start to see a big difference in your life.” – Yoko Ono

What Makes a Podcast Great?