Lessons Learned From 10+ Years of Podcasting

Summary

In this insightful podcast transcript, the host reflects on the growth of his podcast from 3,300 downloads in its first year to over 100 million today. He emphasizes the importance of building an audience and business over three years, evolving content formats to avoid stagnation, and the necessity of standing out in a saturated market by 'Zigging when others Zag.' The host also shares his experience with SEO tools, the power of organic social media, and the importance of creating a compelling hook to attract viewers, ultimately stressing the value of consistency, innovation, and quality in content creation.

Takeaways

• 😀 Building a successful podcast takes time and dedication, with the speaker emphasizing that it's a process that requires at least three years to build an audience and a business.
• 🚀 The importance of evolving content formats is highlighted, as audiences can become accustomed to the same style, leading to a decline in engagement and growth.
• 🔄 The speaker shares their experience with changing the podcast format to react to trending topics, which has led to positive feedback and increased engagement from listeners.
• 💬 Unsolicited responses from the audience are a strong indicator of whether the content is resonating and on the right track, with negative feedback signaling the need for change.
• 🔑 The 'magic number' of three years is presented as a key period to build and establish a business or audience before significant growth occurs.
• 💡 The speaker advises to 'Zig where others are zagging,' meaning to differentiate and innovate in a space where many are doing the same thing, to stand out.
• 📈 A testimonial for the SEO tool 'HR' is shared, highlighting its features for analyzing site structure and traffic, which can be valuable for marketing strategies.
• 📊 The significance of a good hook in content creation is underscored, with the example of a simple change leading to a massive increase in views.
• 🔍 The importance of testing and leveraging organic social media performance to inform paid advertising strategies is discussed, as successful organic content can be amplified with ads.
• 🌐 The speaker mentions the emerging opportunities on platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter, advising to capitalize on new features as they are rolled out.
• 📈 The potential of programmatic conversion rate optimization and AI in tailoring custom messages for website visitors is introduced as part of innovative marketing strategies.

Q & A

What was the initial download count for the podcast 'Leveling Up' in its first year?

In the first year, the podcast 'Leveling Up' had about 3,300 downloads.

How long did it take for the podcasts to reach 100 million downloads according to the speaker?

It took approximately 10 to 11 years for the podcasts to scale to about 100 million downloads.

What is the 'magic number' the speaker refers to when building an audience or business?

The 'magic number' the speaker refers to is three years, which is the time frame he suggests it takes to build an audience or business.

What is the second lesson the speaker shares about evolving content format?

The second lesson is that one must evolve their content format over time. Specifically, the speaker mentions changing the Marketing School podcast from 5 to 10 minutes an episode to 15 to 20 minutes focusing on trending topics.

What is the significance of the 'unsolicited response rate' mentioned in the script?

The 'unsolicited response rate' is a leading indicator of whether the content is on the right track. Positive, unsolicited feedback from the audience is a sign that the content is resonating well.

What is the speaker's advice regarding negative comments on content?

The speaker suggests that negative comments are a signal to react sooner rather than later, indicating that the content format may need to be adjusted.

What is the name of the SEO tool the speaker endorses and uses at his ad agency?

The speaker endorses an SEO tool called 'HR', which is used at his ad agency, Single Grain.

What feature of HR does the speaker find particularly useful?

The speaker finds the site structure feature of HR particularly useful, as it allows him to analyze competitors' strategies and optimize their own website.

What is the third lesson the speaker shares about standing out in a sea of sameness?

The third lesson is to 'Zig where other people are zagging', meaning to do something different and innovative instead of following the crowd, especially in content creation.

What mistake did the speaker acknowledge making with his YouTube strategy?

The speaker acknowledged being too inconsistent with his YouTube strategy, which affected his growth and viewership.

What is the speaker's company called and what does it focus on?

The speaker's company is called Single Grain, and it is an ad agency focused on driving innovation.

What is the importance of having a good 'hook' according to the speaker?

According to the speaker, a good 'hook' is crucial for attracting views because it draws people in, whether it's through an interesting thumbnail, headline, or packaging.

What is the significance of the 'for you page' feature on platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter?

The 'for you page' feature is significant as it provides an opportunity for content creators to get more views by being featured on these platforms, which can lead to increased visibility and growth.

What strategy did the speaker mention for growing an Instagram following?

The speaker mentioned making all followers 'close friends' on Instagram, which would place their stories at the top of the followers' feeds, potentially increasing engagement and growth.