FIRESIDE Q&A How podcasting can take social media storytelling ‘to infinity and beyond’ Eric Johnson Producer of Recode Decode with Kara Swisher Vox Media Rebecca Reed Host Off the Assembly Line Podcast 1. Let’s start out by introducing yourself—and telling us about your favorite podcast episode or interview. What made it great? Eric Johnson: My name is Eric Johnson and I'm the producer of Recode Decode with Kara Swisher, which is part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. My favorite episode of the show is the interview Kara conducted with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg — an in-depth, probing discussion about how the company was doing after the Cambridge Analytica scandal and the extent of its power. In particular, I really liked the way Kara pressed Zuckerberg to explain how he felt about the possibility that his company's software was enabling genocide in Myanmar; his inability to respond emotionally to the tragedy was revealing, and because this was a podcast and not a TV interview she was able to patiently keep asking the question, rather than moving on to the next topic. Rebecca Reed: My name is Rebecca Reed and I’m an Education Consultant and Host of the Off the Assembly Line podcast. Off the Assembly Line is your weekly dose of possibility-sparking conversation with the educators and entrepreneurs bringing the future to education. My favorite episode was an interview with Julia Freeland Fisher, author of Who You Know. We talked about the power of student social capital, and the little known role it plays in the so-called “achievement gap” (or disparity in test scores from one school/district to the next). I loved this episode because I felt like I learned as much as my listeners. The content of our conversation was so urgent and simple, while being almost entirely unknown in mainstream education that it felt a little like discovering that gold has been in your backyard for the last 10 years. And Julia herself was so knowledgeable and brilliant, but made her knowledge very accessible and interesting for listeners. 2. WHat’s tHe business case for podcasts, and How can PR, marketing and social media pros know if creating one is rigHt for tHeir organizations? Eric Johnson: Podcasts are not yet at the massive scale of YouTube or social media, but they are growing fast and surveys have shown that listeners become strongly attached to their favorites. Plus, a study conducted by Edison Research last year found that almost half of weekly podcast listeners (in other words, people who listen to at least one show per week — an estimated 62 million people in the US) were listening to more podcasts in 2019 than they were in 2018. PR, marketing and social media pros should consider two factors here: One, is our message clear and compelling enough that the audience we're trying to reach will choose to spend some of their podcasting time with us?; and two, do we have the time, resources, and talent to release a consistent show that will provide ongoing value to people in a way that our other communications do not? If the answer to either is no, then they shouldn't start a podcast ... yet. Rebecca Reed: For the most part, the value of podcasts should be considered beyond the direct revenue it will drive (because for most, the podcast itself will not drive revenue). For most the business case for podcasts exists in all of the intangible benefits it provides (especially for small companies or individual business owners). It’s a way to provide additional value to your customers and clients, cultivating customer loyalty and the potential for organic (word of mouth) growth. Podcasts provide an opportunity to develop a more robust brand identity than other channels because it is supremely human (and it should be). And because of these two things, podcasts provide a great opportunity for added synergies as you strengthen your client/customer base, provide an opportunity to grow that base through new listeners, and provide a natural channel to promote other aspects of your business (as long as it is an authentic value add for listeners). 3. What are the tools and resources you need to get started with podcasts? How about keeping tHem up? Eric Johnson: Breaking this down into components, there are three big things you need to get a podcast started: A way to record the show; a way to edit it; and a way to upload and host the show on the internet. For folks on a limited budget, there's a wide array of apps and free or cheap online tools for all of those functions, but professionals tend to have high-end microphones set up in studio- like environments; pro editing software such as ProTools or Adobe Audition; and a hosting platform that provides detailed analytics about how many people are listening to your show, and where they come from. An optional but recommended fourth element is an apparatus for getting the published podcast out into the world and in front of as many people as possible — so, social media posts, email newsletters, marketing campaigns, etc. Rebecca Reed: Depending on your goals, starting up a quality podcast can be relatively inexpensive. When I was starting up, I leaned on several veteran podcasters to provide a clear path forward: • Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income provided the most helpful all-in-one resource I’ve found. • Howard Gray has a great post on recommended gear and equipment. • Tim Ferris provides a similar breakdown. My recommendation is to start lean, decide if the majority of content is going to be recorded online (via Skype or Zoom) or in-person, and focus on a good microphone and recording space (home is great!). 4. What advice would you give for tHose of us who don’t have big budgets, or are short on time and team members? Eric Johnson: Start small and don't over-commit to a deadline. Record and edit a dry run of the podcast that won't go out to the public, and get as much feedback on it as you can from friends, colleagues, business partners, etc. Incorporate that feedback, try again, and only set a deadline for the show's launch once you're confident you have a handle on the whole process, from recording to distribution. And if you're confused about anything and don't have a person focused on this project in- house, take advantage of online tutorials. There's a wealth of helpful information buried in YouTube videos, blog posts, and even other podcasts. There are no guarantees in media, but there is no shame in asking for help — your work will only get stronger. Rebecca Reed: I would say get very specific about the “why” behind your podcast. Who is this for and what is it for? That will help you begin to allocate your resources well. I would also say that you absolutely do not have to have a big budget to produce a solid podcast. Between equipment, software, and hosting, I launched my podcast for under $150. Now, I’ve been able to keep my costs low in part because I do everything from A-Z (including podcast cover art), but you can certainly outsource editing and other production aspects for relatively low costs – especially if you are short on time. The other thing I would say is to pour as much time as you can into prep for the episode interview. It becomes much cheaper and easier to outsource editing when sound quality, episode content, and conversation flow have been worked out on the front end. Yes, there is a lot you can “fix in post” – but it can be a painstaking and expensive process. 5. How can podcasts support your otHer PR, marketing and social media efforts? Eric Johnson: The answer to this will depend on what audience you're trying to reach with those efforts. Are you trying to communicate to the public at large? A specific niche? Your own firm? Podcasts can be aimed at any or all of these audiences, but it helps to clearly define who you're trying to reach and what you'd like them to get out of the podcast before you throw yourself into the project. Rebecca Reed: I’m sure the other guests gave great answers here, but I will just add that podcasts give you the opportunity to add generous value to your customer base, which generally makes them want to engage with you and gives them a reason to. It also builds trust, which is invaluable to brand identity and marketing efforts across the board. Practically speaking, the content that you produce in even one 30 minute episode, can be repurposed for blog posts, quotes, sound bites, mini- episodes, and more. 6. How did you come up with the idea and theme of your podcast, and how do you come up with ideas, interviews and stories for your episodes? What advice would you give us on settling on topics and stories? Eric Johnson: I joined Recode Decode a few months after it launched, so can't take credit for its launch, but it was conceived as a year-round spin-off of Recode's annual conference for business leaders, Code (and its predecessor, the "D" conference from All Things Digital). At the conference, Kara Swisher and others from Recode and Vox Media interview CEOs, politicians, celebrities and the like about big ideas, power, technology, and more. Recode Decode is a lot like that, except the interviews are longer and we release three of them every week.