Podcasting’s Digital Renaissance: Elevating Brands with NerdBrand’s Insights
Podcast Episode: 232
Podcasting has undergone a significant transformation over the years, evolving from a niche hobby to a robust medium that resonates deeply with audiences worldwide. In recent years, particularly after notable events, the surge in podcast popularity has drawn attention not just for entertainment but as a vital source of information and commentary. The podcasting landscape today is characterized by an array of voices, bringing forth opinions that range from entertaining anecdotes to critical discussions about serious societal issues.
One of the driving forces behind the rise of podcasting is its accessibility.
With minimal technological barriers, anyone with a microphone and internet access can create a podcast. This democratization of media encourages a diverse range of perspectives, allowing underrepresented voices to share their stories and opinions. Unlike traditional media, where access can be gated behind various barriers, podcasting has allowed for a vibrant tapestry of content, catering to nearly any interest or niche. This accessibility fosters an environment where creativity flourishes, enabling both seasoned journalists and amateurs to engage with the audience on a personal level.
Convenience also plays a significant role in the appeal of podcasts.
Unlike radio, which requires listeners to tune in at specific times, podcasts are available on-demand and can be accessed whenever it suits the listener’s schedule. This flexibility makes podcasting less about the constraints of traditional broadcasting, allowing audiences to engage with content while commuting, exercising, or even cooking. The unique format of podcasting cultivates a sense of intimacy, encouraging a deeper connection between the host and the listener. As a result, many creators have emerged who prioritize storytelling and in-depth conversations rather than quick sound bites.
However, the booming popularity of podcasts isn’t without challenges.
The potential for misinformation remains a pressing concern. Unlike established news outlets, which adhere to strict editorial standards and fact-checking protocols, the podcasting landscape is less regulated, leading to a mix of credible information and misleading content. This imbalance can disorient listeners who may find it difficult to discern fact from opinion. As the podcasting ecosystem expands, the responsibility on listeners to critically evaluate the information presented becomes essential. The rise of misinformation has spurred discussions on the need for ethical standards in podcasting to maintain integrity in the narratives that are shared.
With the number of podcasts continuously increasing, competition is becoming a significant factor for creators. Just as in the bourbon industry or any saturated market, standing out amidst the plethora of choices requires strategic thinking and an innovative approach. Podcast creators must not only focus on producing quality content but also think critically about their branding and marketing strategies, ensuring that they can penetrate a crowded landscape. For those considering entering the podcasting realm, it’s imperative to prepare for a competitive environment where creativity and consistency are vital for success.
Moreover, technology’s evolution promises to further shape the future of podcasting. As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into various sectors, its application within podcast production is gaining traction. AI tools can help streamline the editing process, analyze audience preferences, and even enhance content creation with personalized recommendations for listeners. These advancements could redefine how podcasts are produced and consumed, paving the way for interactive formats that engage audiences in new and compelling ways.
Looking ahead, the future of podcasting is undoubtedly bright but will require adaptation and innovation.
As traditional forms of entertainment converge with technological advancements, audiences will expect more diverse and interactive content that transcends the standard interview format. The key takeaway for aspiring podcasters and seasoned creators alike is the recognition that as the medium evolves, so too must creators’ approaches. Whether you’re using podcasting as a personal outlet or a business endeavor, ensuring that your content is authentic, engaging, and aligned with audience interests is crucial for establishing a lasting impact in this dynamic landscape.
Transcript
Speaker 1: 0:00
Hey everybody, welcome to this episode of the NerdBand podcast, where I’m going to talk about the internet, a wild west of words and waves. So take your pills that you need to take if you get seasick Coming up. Hey everyone, welcome back to the show. I’m going to dive deep into the fascinating world of podcasting because you know I got everybody’s attention after this election, didn’t it? What a wild year in 2025 is roaring in. It isn’t like knocking on the door like hello, let me in housekeeping. No, this thing is just like busting down the door, like the FBI coming into your place, you know, looking for something. I mean, it’s just amazing how everything’s just been kicking ahead almost. But some good, some bad We’ll get into today talking about the rise of podcasting, which it’s been on the rise for a while, but I’m sure many of you now know like, oh my God, this is an actual form of not just entertainment, but of media and news.
Speaker 1: 1:28
So you know it’s changing the landscape of the internet and so what can you do? Well, we’ve talked before on this podcast about being entertaining, about being informative, and if people find that they have listened and used their time wisely by listening to your show, they’re going to come back and they’re going to listen again and that’s really it. That’s your strategy. But if you go in there trying to make all kinds of money and get sponsors, look, it takes a really long time. Some of the YouTubers they know this. It’s one of the hardest channels to grow, and so podcasting is not much different. We only do our show on audio because I don’t think you want to see me sitting in my T-shirt and jeans doing a podcast. But at the end of the day it’s like you got a clunky MP3 player back in the day, and if you remember that, I know your age. So podcasting though it’s come a long way since then. But it basically is the Wayne’s World of public access television, if you remember Wayne’s World, and so it’s just a major force in the media. So you’ve got millions of shows now available. You can go to Spotify, apple Podcasts and Google. Just search for podcast app on your phone to download and you’ll have access to it. There’s just tons of distribution channels. If you go to nerbandagencycom slash podcast, scroll down past the four or five shows that we list that are the most recent, and you’ll see some options to sign up for a weekly newsletter to get the latest download on the episode. You can go and find a blog post about that. If you do sign up, you can go and check out past episodes, you can go and see all the channels and then, if you really love us, you can give us money. That’s an option. That’s on there.
Speaker 1: 3:07
So, moving on, what is driving the explosion of this? Well, um, that’s a very opinionated thing and I would say, uh, right now, election, uh, but for starters it’s, it’s just accessible. It is anyone with a microphone and the internet connection. You can create a show. It’s really easy to get the right equipment. It’s hard to come up with what the show’s about and what you want to talk about, what you want to say, what are you offering? And so it’s a democratization of media and it’s just led to this diverse range of voices and perspectives because of that. But it’s really convenient.
Speaker 1: 3:47
You can tune in while you’re commuting, working out, doing the dishes. It’s a companion while you’re multitasking to be playing. You know radio is, you know you got to be on time to listen to it for when that show plays or ad or whatever, whereas podcasting can is, it’s just more precise. It’s delivered to you and you can listen to it for when that show plays or ad or whatever, whereas podcasting is just more precise it’s delivered to you and you can listen to it upon demand, and that’s something that I think is greatly missed by a lot of places that want to sell podcast advertising. You can’t equate it to radio. I don’t care if you want to say your network has 4 million subscribers. How many people actually download shows versus listen to shows, versus the time that is listened to a show. So a 20 minute show, does it get two minutes? Does it get 10 minutes? Does it get all 20? Those are important metrics to consider.
Speaker 1: 4:36
So when you get into podcasting, you have to think about it. But the internet and podcasting has always had a symbiotic relationship, and so it just really wouldn’t exist without the Internet. I mean, it’s the backbone for distribution and it allows shows to reach its global audiences, and so it’s something to really consider when you think about free speech moving forward in our society. It is an important metric, it’s an important tool and expression of that, as we’re finding out. But the relationship, it goes both ways. Podcast, it can shape the Internet, but the relationship, it goes both ways. Podcast, it can shape the internet, but the internet can shape it. So, um, you have to.
Speaker 1: 5:10
It does foster an intimate connection between creators and audiences in that, uh, a lot of audiences. They’ll like to listen to the show. You may not like to hear my voice because it sounds too high pitched. You know I don’t have a radio voice and I don’t have a face for one either, so I’m just doing this because I’m brave enough to turn on the mic and do it, and 233 episodes in somebody likes me. So, anyways, there’s that. But it does encourage long-form storytelling and in-depth discussions that you just can’t thrive in a short attention span world of social media.
Speaker 1: 5:42
Talking to you TikTok. So creating new opportunities for independent creators to build sustainable careers is also a byproduct of this thing. We’ve seen how creators have been impacted by TikTok going offline for 12 hours. Imagine what would happen if podcasting was taken offline. Offline for 12 hours. Imagine what would happen if podcasting was taken offline. So it is something to think about.
Speaker 1: 6:04
If you’re out there wanting to do a podcast, have a podcast produced, want a partner in that, you know where to find us. Talk to Jacob Moeller. You can find him online anywhere. Just go to LinkedIn. Look up Jacob, look up NerdBrand, look me up, reach out to us, let us know, say, hey, I got an idea for a podcast, or I want to help discovering an idea for a podcast, and then I would like to produce it and market it and we’ll be happy to come and talk to you about that, because everything’s branding, man, everything’s an ad. It’s got to look a certain way, sound a certain way. I mean marketing will get to it, but let’s develop what it’s going to look like, what’s it going to sound like. That’s all of it. It’s inclusive, it’s holistic, as Mitch will say.
Speaker 1: 6:41
So challenges that podcasting will have in the future it’s getting really competitive. Let’s not be kidding ourselves here. The more competitive a thing becomes, the harder it is. Let’s look at the bourbon industry. Dial it back several you know several decades and the entry point was still high, but wasn’t as many brands out there, so a lot of people were out there buying. It was a great idea, it’s going great. But the more and more people got involved, the higher the point of entry became, the harder it became to penetrate into a market in order to get to market, in order to get on the shelf, and so on and so on. So we’ll go with podcasting. So if you’re not in it now, it’d be a good time. This is probably the last call, basically for everyone. Like, if you’re not going to get in it this year, don’t worry or try to think about it in the future, because it’s going to be a lot harder as time goes on.
Speaker 1: 7:32
And then you can’t avoid misinformation other than you know, misinformation, um, other than per you know podcasters they, you know they have diverse opinions and voices and spreading false information. You can’t really use podcasting for information, at least in this podcaster’s opinion, because I have opinions. I woke up this morning and took a breath. Therefore I have presuppositions. So it’s impossible for me to be non-bias about something Um, it would be very, very difficult. And I think it’s impossible for me to be non-bias about something. It would be very, very difficult. And I think it’s difficult for anyone. And you know, honestly, there’s quite enough out there spreading news and talking about politics and religion, and those are areas I don’t like getting into anyways, which is why I’ve tried to steer clear of them or hint at them when it’s overwhelming, like you know this election was. But other than that, it’s more or less so. Other people got that.
Speaker 1: 8:21
So the, the, the, the fear of misinformation, um, with regards to podcasts, I think you just have to be able to spot it if they’re just constantly drive down those lanes on their topics, um, and then you just have to kind of be discerning of yourself and what you’re listening to, um, so what about fun stuff? Uh, other challenges what would the future of this medium look like? Well, you can see more innovative formats. They’re coming. Uh, right now it’s primarily it’s just an audio file, um, but you see more and more people taking it into online video. At some point you’re going to go wait.
Speaker 1: 9:03
How is this show different than you know? Um, jay Leno, or when he was, you know, doing the Tonight Show, or Jimmy Fallon, Like, how is this? How is this any different? It’s in the same format. There’s a guy in one chair asking a guy or gal in another chair questions in interview style or having a discussion across a table. How is this any different? Well, I’ll be honest with you, it’s not other than the fact they’re wearing headphones and the microphone is visibly in front of them. Pretty much about it, and so it’s almost cyclical, like we’re coming back around to that old style of entertainment, of interview. Shows are kind of new version of reality TV, I guess. But audio is really something that is the most easy to spread and to and to use, and so I would imagine that there’s going to be more interactive podcasts and audio dramas and things like that that will come about, because you can kind of only get so far with the interview and guest thing.
Speaker 1: 10:00
Um, artificial intelligence is going to play a bigger role because it’s just something that we’re all looking at as marketers and brand developers. Here at Nerd Brand, we use artificial intelligence. How we use it is a proprietary thing, but we use it and I’ve used technology ever since it was a thing. I’m 48, so I’ve grown up with technology. I remember a dial phone and for those that don’t know what that is, my heart breaks for you. But you, you know, when you grow up with it and you’ve seen it evolve, you kind of have a really understanding and acuity to be able to go online and use something, to figure out a tool and make it work and find new ways to use it. So I’m blessed to be able to be able to do that.
Speaker 1: 10:41
Um, but uh, you know, I I think that pod, that podcasting, is just going to continue to evolve as the internet evolves. I don’t think anybody’s going to argue about that. I think it’s going to be very. It’s just how creative are you? How creative are you as a producer or how creative are you as a host or someone that wants to do one? If you’re a business, it’s still another channel that you have to weigh, like any other. Do you need to do it, can you afford to do it, does it make sense and can you be consistent with it for a year? And if you can’t do those things, then I would say that maybe this isn’t for you. It might be just a waste of money and you made a lot of noise and you had a lot of fun while doing it, but it’s, you know, kind of a hobby within your business and that’s never good. So you know it is a thing. Uh, technology is always going to evolve. We’re always going to see a new thing.
Speaker 1: 11:30
If you’ve seen a new thing and you find it interesting, hit us up on Facebook or LinkedIn preferably Facebook and leave a comment and say hey, have you guys seen this? Or if you have any other suggestions for future episodes, let me know. Jacob has been MIA, mitch has been MIA. Everybody left me alone, which is okay. They’re out there helping our clients and serving the industry, so that’s kind of what I pay them for and that’s what I want the longevity and the future of this show. I don’t know, I don’t know. Some of you will miss it if I stop doing it. Some of you will be like thank God, it’s over. However, right now you still got just me and that may change. If you want to be a guest on the show, let me know. You know how to go to get a hold of me. Go to nerdbrandagencycom. Go to the contact and say hi. You can also go to nerdbrandagencycom slash podcast and get the latest episodes, find out where you can subscribe to upcoming episodes and all the fun stuff that goes with that. That I would like for you all to do to support the show and raise awareness of it and spread the word.
Speaker 1: 12:31
Nerdbrand is a holistic branding agency. We tackle everything from logo design to websites to email marketing campaigns to campaigns in general that have all the things in it that is for the purpose of selling product, raising brand awareness or creating new product. If you got a new product and you’re like I don’t know what to name it, I don’t know what to do with it. I don’t know what it to look like. That’s where we come in. We can help you take it to market. We can even do market research, competitive analysis and let you know like hey, this is already going on over here, maybe not a good idea, maybe we go this way instead. We’re happy to do that under consulting, and so there is a myriad of things that we have talents to do, as we are been around a long time in this industry. Our elder statesman Mitch will tell you so. But other than that, I thank you all for listening and staying loyal and remember, keep your nerd brand strong.
