Igniting a Podcast Motion: An Interview with Dan Franks

Dan Franks began listening to podcasts the identical manner many people do — whereas caught in visitors. On the time, he was an accountant, and it helped him escape these early days of monotonous duties at work. It was 2009. A number of years later, Franks and one in all his co-workers determined to host their podcast.

“I used to be first a fan listener then turned co-host,” says Franks. “We listened to the identical exhibits and had the identical pursuits. One factor led to a different, and we determined to begin one ourselves,” he says of his financial-focused podcast for small companies.

Regardless of being analytical from his CPA background, Franks noticed his artistic aspect develop.

“I’m an enormous believer that the one option to get good at one thing is to begin out unhealthy at one thing. Until you’re one of many fortunate ones that’s born with a pure present,” he says.

As soon as they began recording and modifying their podcast, nevertheless, Franks rapidly realized that it was something however simple. “One of the simplest ways to study classes is to undergo the arduous occasions. Each podcast has gone via it, like forgetting to hit document. You make that mistake as soon as, you study from it, and hopefully, you don’t make it once more.”

These classes needs to be shared, he thought. He noticed a chance to create a hub for podcasters to collaborate, community, and supply a way of group in an business that may rapidly really feel lonely.

“My mates and I have been individually going to totally different conferences, gatherings, and meetups the place that they had a couple of classes for podcasters, however they weren’t podcasting-only occasions. We have been all sitting across the desk speaking and mentioned, ‘wouldn’t it’s cool if there was one thing like this, an enormous gathering only for podcasters,’” he says.

The Podcast Motion convention, held in Orlando this 12 months, has grown to greater than 3,000 attendees since its inception in 2013. Now in its sixth 12 months, the occasion will host folks from greater than 30 nations and all 50 states.

The journey from the preliminary thought to carry podcasters collectively to founding one of many largest podcasting conferences was an extended one. However, fortunate for Franks he had a group behind him serving to him to make it doable. Final 12 months, he give up his decade-long accounting profession to go full-time on the convention.

In 2014, the inaugural Podcast Motion came about in Dallas, TX — all funded by over 200 folks on Kickstarter. Almost 600 indie podcasters confirmed as much as community and share data in regards to the rising business.

“Once we first got here up with the thought, it was purely supposed to be a creator occasion. We have been unbiased podcasters ourselves. We didn’t have a community of staff members.” That sense of group and camaraderie is what Franks attributes for getting Podcast Motion off the bottom. “We had the sensation that we weren’t the one ones that thought it might be a cool factor. We knew early on that it was one thing that the business did want,” he says.

The convention’s development was natural, however it additionally mirrored the business itself. Attendees’ demographics began diversifying as properly — what began as an indie solely podcasts occasion began attracting extra public radio, broadcast industrial radio, and companies 12 months over 12 months.

“Six years in the past, lots of people in radio didn’t care about podcasts. They knew they existed, however had no real interest in them. Quick ahead to now, we continuously hear about radio teams investing in podcasts,” Franks says.

“It’s simply an evolution of what’s occurring within the house, after which these new folks are actually coming to the convention. I feel the extra listeners come round, the higher it’s going to be for everybody concerned no matter what these earnings streams are.”

It’s true — a new Edison Analysis report discovered that greater than one-third of the inhabitants had listened to podcasts within the final month, that’s 90 million month-to-month listeners, and that development in listeners hasn’t slowed down.

Not solely are listeners on the rise, promoting income in podcasting surpassed $500 million in 2018. I truth, media giants like The New York Occasions, The Washington Publish, and ABC Information have additionally joined in on the development, introducing their very own news-focused podcasts.

Franks believes that range in measurement and business is what makes Podcast Motion stand out as a media convention. For instance, a buttoned-up govt as soon as come as much as Franks to share that they only had an awesome dialog with somebody about their gardening podcast.

“That’s what makes our occasion very distinctive in comparison with every other media conferences — it’s an enormous melting pot of all of those totally different teams. There are totally different instructional parts, however on the finish of the day, the networking occasions, keynote, and events are open to everybody,” Frank says.

Whereas his monetary podcast solely lasted two years earlier than he shifted his focus to the convention, it gave Franks the expertise he wanted to hone his manufacturing and modifying expertise. Surprisingly, Franks additionally had the chance to coach himself on the ins and outs of manufacturing and leisure throughout his 20’s whereas he traveled the world as an expert wrestler. When reserving audio system and placing collectively the convention, all of that data got here in useful.

Many individuals in media converse of the low barrier of entry as a adverse characteristic of podcasting, nevertheless, Franks sees it as a constructive. “Podcasting has drawn creators to it as a result of I feel it’s somewhat simpler and fewer intimidating than beginning a Youtube present. You’re not being seen, simply heard. That worry of self-consciousness could be a little decrease for podcasting than different artistic mediums.”

He additionally believes that podcasting is not only for artistic folks. As a self-proclaimed analytical particular person, he sees the worth of being each. He explains that whereas analytical folks could do extra analysis on the very best internet hosting platform or finest gear to make use of, artistic folks could soar proper in.

“Generally saying let’s simply push document and see what occurs just isn’t essentially a foul factor,” he says. “Fail ahead. For those who’re one of many fortunate few which are left and proper mind, it is likely to be the very best of each worlds.”

Subjects don’t have to be quirky both. There’s an enormous house in podcasting for small enterprise homeowners to complement their enterprise blogs with podcast audio to draw extra shoppers. Franks did it himself throughout his accounting days. “It’s a great way to construct authority,” he says.

“You don’t have the artistic want, however you’ve got another motivators — constructing your organization or model. Podcasting is a manner lots of people are efficiently doing that,” he says.The flexibility of podcasting as an business is “why it has grown the way in which it has.” For instance, the crossover between expressing your self and establishing your self as an skilled in your discipline — whether or not you’re discussing the Actual Housewives or budgeting.

Because the business grows exponentially, the hole between audiences is rising wider. Accessibility needs to be high of thoughts for these involved in being inclusive and serving the wants of all podcast listeners.

For instance, a transcript of the audio could make your content material accessible to those that are listening to impaired or use display screen readers. It could possibly additionally welcome these whose first language just isn’t English however are involved in what it’s important to say. You can too remodel your audio into a visible or video product.

Franks sees this as a content material technique too — “I’m an enormous proponent of repurposing content material, creating one piece of content material after which getting it into as many various types as doable in case you’re making a podcast as the unique product, actually [create] transcripts.”

“This isn’t solely serving to accessibility and people who could have a handicap, however serving to you develop your present and your viewers, which is tremendous essential,” he says.

On the core of the Podcast Motion are the unbiased podcasters the convention was began by and for. Podcasting could be a lonely job, and infrequently frustrations mount in case you can’t focus on the problems you’ve got with development or constant content material with others who get it. That’s why the staff behind Podcast Motion created a Fb group (almost 25,000 robust) for podcasters all over the world to satisfy one another and focus on ongoing ache factors within the business.

“We attempt to encourage everybody to get in there and meet one another on-line. Being part of these conversations with different podcasters, it helps you’re feeling much less alone,” he says.

He suggests creators attain out to different podcasters of their area of interest. He additionally suggests studying from them by asking about their trajectory, what they’ve discovered about rising their viewers, what content material points they’ve handled, and the way they’ve change into profitable.

“That’s the largest factor, discovering that group. Whether or not it’s on Fb or Twitter, discover these on-line communities. Regardless that you document the podcast sitting in your workplace or attic or basement, by your self speaking to a pc display screen, you’re actually not alone,” Franks says.

Regardless that you document the podcast sitting in your workplace or attic or basement, by your self speaking to a pc display screen, you’re actually not alone,” Franks says.

It’s not solely essential to construct that group with different podcasters, however along with your listeners as properly. For those who’re attempting to begin your podcast, he says that your fandom is probably the most essential piece of the puzzle, regardless of the dimensions.

“When it comes all the way down to it, it has nothing to do with the dimensions of your viewers. Nevertheless it has the whole lot to do with the fervour, the assist and the fandom that you simply construct amongst your listeners,” Franks says.

Franks hasn’t forgotten the hustle so many podcasters are coping with. For Franks, his daughter has helped him optimize his workflow and change into efficient, getting his work achieved in between nap occasions and bedtimes. Prioritizing his work and easy methods to spend his time between creating and household is how he makes an attempt to seek out stability.

That very same prioritizing is one thing he sees in these podcasters that document at evening or on the weekends. “There’s lots of people which are on Patreon and are eager about moving into podcasting. Most individuals are doing podcasting for enjoyable, throughout no matter downtime they’ve. That’s tremendous relatable.”

“You’re changing that downtime with the pursuit of that artistic freedom,” he says.

Earlier this 12 months, Spotify acquired podcast firm Gimlet Media in a $200 million deal — one of many many excessive profile offers within the business.

Franks sees these kinds of acquisitions occurring extra continuously as extra radio networks, on-line music platforms, and important funding funds assist develop the business.However with extra distinguished gamers getting into the sport, Franks says that he continues to listen to unbiased creators specific worry that they’ll stop to exist as a result of they’re not related to one of many massive company teams.

He stays optimistic in regards to the development because the podcast business continues to be in its early days since roughly half of Individuals have by no means listened to a podcast. There’s room to develop, he says.“The way in which I take a look at all of that stuff is that’s simply rising house extra. There’s nonetheless a lot of those who have by no means listened to a podcast. I don’t see [large companies entering the space] doing something when it comes to being dangerous to what podcasting is correct now.

“I feel it has an enormous upside when it comes to exposing new folks to podcasts. It’s making it simpler by decreasing the barrier of entry for listeners. There’s massive development forward.”