Podcasting

How it works

You publish audio episodes on a subject, distributed through podcast apps. Growth is slow because there is no recommendation algorithm doing the distribution for you, but the listeners you do get are unusually loyal — people who give you forty minutes of attention a week trust you in a way social followers do not.

How to start

1. 01

   Pick a format you can produce weekly for two years

   Interview shows are easier to sustain than solo shows but require booking guests. Solo shows are faster to make but harder to keep interesting. Choose honestly.

2. 02

   Fix the audio before anything else

   Listeners forgive weak content far more readily than bad sound. A $100 microphone in a soft-furnished room beats an expensive setup in a bare one.

3. 03

   Solve distribution deliberately

   Podcast apps do not promote you. Growth comes from guest audiences, clips on video platforms, cross-appearances on other shows and an email list.

4. 04

   Use the show to open doors

   An interview request is the most effective cold outreach that exists. Many podcasts are worth more for the relationships they create than the audience.

5. 05

   Monetise through your own offering first

   Sponsorship needs scale most shows never reach. Selling your own service or product to a small, trusting audience earns far more, far sooner.

Honest trade-offs

Risks and failure modes

• Publishing for a year to an audience of dozens, which is the normal experience
• Dependence on guest availability, which can stall the schedule
• Sponsor concentration in a small show, where one departure removes most revenue

Common questions