It is not just a cliche – community really is the core that is helping podcasters reach new heights
Each year, we attend The Podcast Show in London. We don’t have a stand, we don’t tend to speak on many panels and we don’t base ourselves in just one place and that is for one good reason – we want to meet you where you are. We are there to speak to all of our clients, our potential new creators and to learn from conversations happening around us and this strategy has served us well year after year.
This year, we asked everyone we spoke to (and there were a lot of you!), ‘what are you aiming to get out of the show this year?’ and the answer was always the same – ‘we are just here to chat!’ This might be unusual for many industries, but one that is primarily built on interesting conversations, this isn’t surprising.
Podcasting is very much driven by the community that surrounds it.
The industry is maturing, and in many ways, all of us who are part of it are defining what it means to be part of this podcasting world too. There are many ways the community that has built the industry is also serving to uplift different podcasts too.
One of the most prominent is podcast outreach. Our Project Manager Patrick and our PR Lead Giulia were particularly on the lookout to thank all of the collaborators that have helped us organise swaps and guesting across different shows. Safe to say, they were very busy! Podcasting is uniquely placed to give out promotion to its ‘competitors’ because we are all there doing the exact same thing – growing the podcasting pie. Swaps and guesting benefits both parties, and it is not often such a mutually beneficial relationship can exist in such a competitive space.
Another way community is really evident at events like The Podcast Show are the panels. Whether you were attending or hosting a panel, it was guaranteed to be full of friendly faces. Everyone outwardly supports each other and the industry is keen to learn how others are working on podcasts that could improve theirs, too. We were often swapping notes post talks with others about what the key takeaways were from each conversation so that no one missed out on any big updates from platforms like YouTube or tips about monetisation from other creators.
And last but perhaps more important, the way podcasting professionals have been able to connect not just with their listeners but with each other, is truly impressive. Last year at the show, we were introduced to a brand and this year we were sharing a beer as the show was closing discussing all the three projects we have managed to collaborate on since – that truly felt like a full circle moment.
All that is to say – thank you to everyone who makes the podcasting industry such a huge joy to be part of. We are lucky to have your trust in helping you build communities surrounding your podcasts, and are so excited about the future of all that audio (and video) shows have to offer!