PodMov Daily: Monday, January 25

Episode 357: Your Monday Mix

Using Podcast Failure to Build Something Better

Admitting podcast failure is rough. For creator and producer Daren Lake, starting over turned out to be a wise choice — creatively and professionally. Remember that commitment and drive you had at the beginning, he insists. “You still have those same qualities, and now you’ve gained something else: wisdom.”

Lake outlines four major lessons from the experience, addressing details from burnout to marketing. What made it all worth it? The focus and stability of his new podcast, Master of Some. Success is a direct result of past mistakes, he says. If an idea continues to inspire passion, it isn’t worth throwing away completely.

For those feeling unmotivated, Lake offers questions to consider. “A lot of podcasters, including myself, are scared to admit to their listeners that it's not working out,” he writes. “But when you do accept it and tell the world, most people either don't care or end up happy for you because they want you to succeed.”

In Podcasting, a ‘Safe Space’ is a Smart Strategy

Production ended in 2012, yet NPR’s Car Talk remains one of the most popular podcasts in America. According to Edison Research SVP Tom Webster, empathy has a lot to do with it: “Tom and Ray Magliozzi created a safe space for smart people to be…not very smart.” What is a judgment-free zone really worth?

The best moderators on Clubhouse create environments where listeners feel safe to share their experiences, Webster explains. Sure, loud attitudes of superiority are all over the platform. But skilled moderators (and smart podcasters) work hard to offer honey instead of vinegar. Done consistently, it earns an audience.

These spaces are more open than sheltered. There are thousands of science podcasts, Webster writes. “But a science podcast that welcomes listeners — creates a safe space for getting their voices and viewpoints on the show, even a place to be ‘wrong’? Every show would be different, because every audience is different.”

Audry: Where Podcasters Collaborate and Grow

Whether you’ve been podcasting for days or years, collaboration is the key to growing your audience. Audry is a platform where you’ll find and connect with like-minded creators. Every day, large and niche podcasters are swapping ideas and organizing cross-promotions to reach their full potential.

A fast, free sign-up is all you need to start browsing the community. Filter over 9,000 profiles by category or activity, or search directly to find potential partners. You’ll even see details like listeners per episode. Organizing a collaboration or booking a guest spot is one conversation away.

In less than a year, Audry has grown into a diverse community that listens, learns, and grows together. Ready to own your success story? Audry works with any hosting provider. Just enter your Apple Podcasts URL and explore the possibilities.

Here's what else is going on:

• Double up: On Wednesday at 2:30 pm CT, Acast will host Aclass: Asian Voices, a free online event for new and aspiring Asian podcasters. Back-to-back sessions on storytelling and production feature panelists like Margaret Cho and Freddie Wong. RSVP required, questions encouraged.

• Every voice: “It is no surprise the Deaf community gets overlooked within the podcasting world, both as listeners and creators,” writes Cole Burkhardt of Discover Pods. Burkhardt discusses representation, advocacy, solutions, and the love of podcasting with Deaf producers and creators. 

• Real talk: On Wednesday at 8:30 pm ET, Hot Docs Podcast Festival presents “Reckoning with Race: 1619 and Nice White Parents” with award-winning creators Nikole Hannah-Jones and Chana Joffe-Walt. $14.99 regular admission, or use promo code PODMOV for 25% off a Festival Pass.

• Fine print: The arrival of Spotify Podcast Ads to the UK has Premium subscribers feeling misled, writes Adam Smith of The Independent. “When asked why paying users would experience the same service as free users, Spotify said that advertising is “an integral part of the podcast industry.’”