You’re a paper-towel-roll-taped-to-a-microphone away from starting your voice-recording-based empire.
The problem is… Do you know what you’re getting into? South Africa (and the world) is entering… Something weird. Video and audio content is being absorbed in every way humanly possible. Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and of course, TikTok.
Highly visual drivers of traffic, sending millions of viewers into virtual tizzies, as their eyes are dashed with different contexts with a swipe of a finger. We are being trained, to digest, purely what the algorithm is giving us, based on our mini-decisions online. But this generates a new wave of people. The more selective kind… The ones sick and tired of being directed into directions that aren’t theirs to choose. Maybe they liked audiobooks to start with…
These people want to enjoy something while their hands are busy with something. Or maybe, they like hearing someone’s voice, while going hikes. Either way, 10-second entertainment is simply not for them and long-form is growing on them.
Enter – The podcast.
Mark Manson (Author of the Subtle Art Of Not Giving a F*ck and Founder of the Subtle Art School) has described reading an author’s book as : “Sitting down for a coffee with them in their brain, and unpackaging their mind”
Well – a podcast is like the direct equivalent of this. Incorporating their personality, voice, intuitive responses to create:
The show!
We all know of a kind of podcast, perhaps comparable to a radio show, where they have interesting guests and ask interesting questions.
Some podcasts have goals, e.g., a group of screenwriters come up with a credible, usable FULL SCRIPT by the end of an hour-long podcast, for a laugh. Others (comedians) discuss ideas in the world and take them far and wide, entertaining a massive audience.
If you’re a business, here’s two reasons why starting a podcast will help you:
If You Have A Purpose, It’s A Great Megaphone Towards The Market.
Some businesses have a distinct purpose in this world. They know what they want to achieve, and they know WHY they want to do it too. Imagine if you could tap into an audience of people who listen to you for 20 minutes on average – and know they are thoughtfully considering the ideas you’re putting forward?
A podcast taps into a different market. A market that’ll digest what you have to say in a different way, inspiring a deep sense of investment from your newly-found listener audience…
You Already Have A Brand Personality And Want To Expand On That
Some businesses already have a great personality online. Why not listen to what the team has to say about their industry, while doing something else? It’s great for customers to have access to the otherwise normally unseen owners of the company – especially when we’re looking for more authentic businesses to trust.
Podcasts are something you can listen to in the background – compared to videos (which require your eyeballs to look at them.) If you can create a relaxed podcasting environment, you might reveal a side of your company’s personality that people will find themselves invited towards. Giving you the opportunity to help them understand your industry a little better…
Pro Tip To Getting Started… Note Your Fears…
If a billion-rand business lesson happens in a boardroom, and no one is there to record it, did it really happen?
You’re recording a video for YouTube right now… Have a seat. Pour yourself a coffee. Glance over your subject points and note where you’d like to emphasize on something. Lights, camera, aaaaaand…. Action!
The idea is nauseating, right?
Ask any business owner to start a YouTube channel with the goal to get millions on millions of views, right off the bat, and they will probably throw up out of sheer fear.
- “What do I say?”
- “How do I look?”
- “Who will listen to me?”
It’s too big of a leap!
Certain things have to take place organically. Exploring what you’re clear or an expert on, to then shifting your weight into what you’re foggiest on.
Authors who have worked hard to articulate their ideas in writing, might find their next organic skill shapes up when they’re being interviewed and have to motivate these ideas by speaking. And from here, perhaps their next skill may become shooting their own videos, or even… podcasting.
The point is…
If you don’t like being in front of the camera – podcasting is the step you can take before filming yourself – to get comfortable with the sound of your own voice. And from there, grow your presenting skills…
