Podcasters Share Their WINS and BEST ADVICE in Celebration of International Podcast Day 2023 [Ep. 117]

 
 

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Here’s what to expect from this episode:

Happy International Podcast Day! This week, we're celebrating a few days early in honor of this international celebration of the power of podcasts. I put out a call for you all to contribute to today's episode, and you delivered big time!

Today, I'm featuring new and seasoned podcasters as they share their wins and best advice for anyone considering starting a podcast. And if you're a current podcaster, listen in to celebrate other podcasters in this space, and you may even find some potential guests for your show!

I'm also sharing some really cool stats that just came out from an annual podcasting report, and I wanted to share them with you, especially considering what we're celebrating today.

We don't celebrate our wins nearly enough, big or small, and each of these podcasters put a HUGE smile on my face as they shared their wins, how they pushed through imposter syndrome, and the big impact they've made with their shows. I can't wait for you to hear them!

And remember to download my newly made-over podcast launch guide below.

Connect with the Featured Podcasters:

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  • Sara Whittaker 0:01

    Your Podcast is a powerful tool that serves your audience and your business. But how do you manage it all bring in new listeners, and convert those listeners into customers. That's what this show is all about. Welcome to podcasting for educators. I'm Sara Whittaker, classroom teacher turn podcast manager. And I'm here to help you get the most out of your show, all while making an impact on other educators. Hello, hello, and welcome to a very special episode of podcasting for educators. This week, we are celebrating International podcast day. Technically, the official day is this Saturday, September 30. So we're a little bit early, but I think we need at least a week to dedicate to this holiday. International podcasting Day is an international celebration of the power of podcasts. And that's exactly what we're going to do today. But first, I want to share just some quick recent stats that just came out, not going to go too much into them, because we would be here all day. But I will link this research in the show notes. This is called the podcasting today, client report, audience insights from Nielsen and Edison Research. And this comes out every year. And I went through it and I think that some of the information is just really cool. And I wanted to share with you especially considering what we're celebrating today. So here are just a few little tidbits pulled out of this report that I thought you might be interested in to number one being that the number of Americans listening to podcasts has increased by 45%. In the last five years alone, and weekly us podcast listeners average nine podcast in the last week, I have to go back and double check the research from last year. I want to say last year, that number was either seven or eight podcasts a week. So these stats are telling us that listenership is just continuing to rise among listeners ages 18 through 34, heavy podcasts listening time, which they define as 10 plus hours has increased by two thirds in the past year. And that's 10 plus hours a week. This next thing I thought was pretty interesting, just because of what we've been through with COVID, and all of that in the last few years and so many people working from home. But we are finally seeing a jump in listening in the car or in public transportation. Again, this used to be a really big way that people are really big place that people were listening to podcasts. And then that kind of went down when COVID started because so many people are now at home all the time. But it seems like you know, people are going back to work now they're going back to offices and things like that. And so now there has been a noticeable jump of people listening in some form of transportation again, in fact, it's now the most popular location to listen to podcasts among consumers 18 to 34, and 35 to 49. So not only is this an interesting stat just to kind of see that change, but it's also really great information for us to remember as podcasters because of how much time people have to consume episodes. So I believe the statistic is that the average commute is around like 22 minutes. So you really want to consider that when you are creating your episodes and thinking about how long you want your episodes to be. Okay, I've got one more little tidbit to share that I thought was particularly interesting for you if you are an educational podcaster. So when you create a podcast, you put yourself in a main genre or main category. And right now the most popular podcast genres are comedy news, and society and culture. Those are the top three. And then number four is true crime. And then number five is education. So looking specifically at the Education podcast genre, in May of 2019, there were an estimated 11,677,727 listeners have podcasts in the education genre. Now in 2023, it's gone up to 19,281,312 listeners of the education genre, so from over 11 million to over 19 million, which is a 65% increase of people who are listening to the education genre, which I just think is so cool, because I know that many of you who are featured in today's episode and who are listening to this right now, you are part of that huge jump in the education genre of people listening to the educational podcasts. But no matter what genre you're listed in one thing is for sure. You are all I'm making a big, big difference with your podcast. And it's time to celebrate that, I put out a call for you all to contribute to today's episode and you delivered big time, I cannot wait for you to listen to the rest of this episode, I asked you to send in voice messages, telling us who you are, what your podcast is. And then I asked you to share something that you are celebrating about your podcast, it could be a small win, it could be a big win. I think that we don't celebrate our wins nearly enough, especially with our podcasts because a lot of times we feel like it's just us. If you're a solo podcaster you are sitting there by yourself recording. And so often we don't celebrate these things, whether they're big or small. And so I really wanted to give you the opportunity to do that today. And then I asked you to share a piece of advice that you would give to somebody who might be considering a podcast, but they haven't yet taken that plunge. I listened to each and every one of these clips with a huge smile on my face. Because I am just amazed at all of you. I'm amazed that you keep up with your shows you have pushed past imposter syndrome, that may have happened at the beginning that I know a lot of you faced, you are doing big things, and you are willing to share these things with us today. So truly, thank you for that. Not that you need me to tell you that I'm proud of you. But I really am. And I hope that you're proud of yourself, listening to all of you talk about your podcasts. It's just amazing to think of how many people you're impacting with your shows. So listen in if you are considering starting a podcast, and maybe this will give you that push and that motivation that you've been looking for. And if you're a current podcaster listen in to celebrate other podcasters in this space. And maybe you'll even find some potential guests for your show. All right, I am gonna go ahead and play all of these messages. And then I will see you at the end of the episode. Hi there. My

    Kirsten Hammond 7:13

    name is Kirsten Hammond. I'm the host of the creative teacher podcast for teachers sellers. I launched this in August of 2021. And I'm also the host of the social studies teacher podcast, which was launched in June of 2023. I've enjoyed podcasts so much recording the episodes, editing it and having guests on talking about what they know. And it's just been so rewarding sharing tips and advice for educators and teacher sellers. So if I were to go back, I would do like all of it again, just because it's just been so much fun. One thing I will say is that at the beginning, it feels like nobody's listening. And it seems like it's really slow. You might have not a lot of downloads or maybe not as much listening audiences as expected. But let me tell you, it definitely picks up and you hear more and more of people who listen to it and you get messages from others. So it's fun hearing from the people who have listened and tuned in. So I will say my creative teacher podcast is over 20,000 downloads right now I have to look at the exact one. But it's just kind of fun with the social studies teacher podcast, just launching this. You know, it's kind of at the very beginning stages. So I'm excited for the journey, and how much it will grow because I know it will. So just my advice is to keep on with it will definitely pick up. Hi,

    Danna Rodebush 8:39

    I am Danna Rodebush from the upper elementary simplified podcast. And I'm celebrating the fact that I started my podcast at the beginning of the summer season. And over the summer, I was able to push out over 20 episodes and gain some really loyal listeners along the way. My advice for anyone thinking about starting a podcast is just do it. It's so much fun, and you will love it.

    Sara Styf 9:09

    Hi, my name is Sara Styf. And with my podcasting partner, Alicia Dreyer. We have the lit think podcast, where we look at pop culture through that lens of the English classroom. We just celebrated our 50th episode. And we are also getting ready to present at NCTE in Columbus, Ohio in November. One piece of advice that I would have for people who are getting ready to start podcasting is pick something that you truly love to talk about and that you know a lot about and be willing to learn the ins and outs of the tech world and also just getting to know your audience. Thanks. Hey,

    Mona 9:54

    I'm Mona of honest math chat podcast where I help K eight teach yours teaching math in ways that empower students to love and understand math. Gone are the days of hating math and hating math teaching, because we're just honestly breaking it down on honest math chat. And one thing I'm so proud of is all the messages that I'm getting from teachers lately about how they're using the strategies that are shared on the podcast, and it's working in their classroom like that makes it all worth it. And if you're thinking about starting a podcast, I think my one tip is give yourself grace to not be perfect. And just jump in and try it, and learn as you go and add things as you go. And if you give yourself grace, like you can really start to make an impact on our teacher friends, like right now. And that's what it's all about is supporting each other.

    Donita Jacobs 10:53

    My name is Donita Jacobs and I host the official triathlete podcast, something I am proud of as simply launching my show and producing more than 40 episodes. It took me nearly a year to gain the courage to start my podcast. My advice for someone who is thinking about podcasting is to just get started, like anything, it takes action and practice to improve. So take action and launch it.

    Rachel Davis 11:14

    Hey there, my name is Rachel Davis, and my podcast is school counseling simplified. Something that I am proud of and I am celebrating is that I recently hit 300,000 downloads that feels so incredible that I get to be in the ears of so many awesome school counselors. And thanks, of course, to Sarah for helping me with my podcast. One piece of advice for someone who's thinking about podcasting, but maybe you're nervous to get started, is just do it, you can always tweak it and change it and make it better along the way. So grab your mic and get started. Hey, y'all,

    Kristen Doyle 11:46

    I'm Kristen Doyle and I host the savvy teacher cellar podcast where I help TPT sellers grow your business in a sustainable way that won't burn you out. My podcast has been live a little over a year now. And the thing I am most proud of is that I have shown up consistently with a new episode every single week. If you're thinking about starting a podcast, and you're a little nervous about it, my advice is to go ahead and plan out some episode topics ahead of time. Having my episode topics planned out is one of the biggest reasons I've been able to stay consistent and get them published every single week.

    Marcia Nicole 12:24

    Hello, I'm Marcia Nicole, the host of the inspiring ECE podcast. And one of the greatest things about my podcast is connecting with educators around the world, building a fantastic community where we support and encourage one another to continue in the field that we love and hold. So dear.

    David Harris 12:48

    Hello, my name is David Harris. And I am the host of the teachers forum. It's a new podcast that will launch on September 4. One of the things that I'm most proud of and celebrating is that we're going to be a podcast that's going to amplify the voices of K through 12 educators who I think oftentimes are overlooked in the conversations around education that are going on right now. So proud to be able to offer that form for educators. And also very proud of the fact that our during the time, I'll sit down with former students. So I plan on occasion to talk to former students and the things that they're doing right now, which is something I don't think exists in the podcast world right now. One piece of advice that we give, trust the process, there's so much good advice out there and when you're doing something if you trust the process and how its laid out, it will work out for you. So that would be my advice. Thank you.

    Annamarie Krejci 13:46

    Hey everyone, my name is Annamarie Krejci from Krejci creations, and I am the host of the podcast elementary math chat. I launched my podcasts on August 1 of this year. So I am still in the beginning phases, but it has already been such a fun and rewarding experience. What makes me the most proud is when I hear from teachers who are enjoying the podcast and who have implemented some of the ideas I've suggested. That is the reason I started this podcast. So it is a great feeling to hear feedback like this. If you are thinking about starting a podcast but are nervous about getting started, the best thing you can do is to plan out as many episode topics as you can. Being prepared with ideas will give you the confidence to take that first step.

    Khristen Massic 14:27

    Good luck, either to your friend, this is Khristen Massic, the host of the secondary teacher podcast, the show that delivers strategies for multiple prep middle school and high school teachers about how to manage time plan and thrive as a secondary teacher. What I am most proud of when it comes to my podcast is my consistency. It's something that I'm celebrating going on to three years and be able to post an episode every single week and I do that differently sometimes I batched sometimes As I record the night before, but I have been consistent. If you are thinking about becoming a podcaster, I would join any of Sarah's groups, whether they're paid or free. They are the most amazing groups filled with the most amazing educator podcasters, who are just willing to help one another. Hope to see you there. Hi, my

    Lauren Tingle 15:24

    name is Lauren Tingle, and I am the host of the podcast called High School Counseling conversations where I support obviously, high school counselors. Something that I'm proud of is that this summer I was sick and pregnant and not talking about my podcast a lot. So I was encouraged to see my downloads go up over the summer and to surpass 60,000 downloads. I was also encouraged that people were just listening more over the summer, so they're going back and listening to past episodes. And it really encouraged me not to take time off during the summer when I thought maybe I'm gonna have to do that. Some pieces of advice for someone who is thinking about podcasting or getting into podcasting, do it because it will make you an expert in your field I've seen the know like and trust factor for people who have just found me skyrocket much faster when they listen to a podcast and feel like we're friends. It's so much easier to send somebody a link to a podcast episode when they asked me a question in my DMs. And instead of just reading a blog post, which I could send them that too, they get to hear my voice and hear the sentiment and the meaning behind what I'm saying. And I just think that that pays off in terms of selling resources and having them join my membership. And just continuing to follow what I'm doing with my business counselor, click. So I'd encourage you to jump on that podcasting train and start your podcast today.

    Susan Swensen 16:44

    Hi, I'm Susan with the share teaching podcast. I have a podcast for elementary teachers looking to create better systems in their classroom and become better writing instructors for their students. I am very proud of this podcast that I started during COVID of 2020. I can't believe it's been that long already time has flown. If you're on the fence, thinking about starting a podcast, just do it. It is a lot of trial and error at first. But eventually you find your feet and you just go with it. And I can't imagine a better platform to get my voice out there, get my thoughts heard and really connect with my audience in a new way. I am very excited to come up on 10,000 downloads. That is such an amazing number to me that I've reached that many people listening to my content. So don't wait another day. Get started with that podcast if you're thinking about it. Happy International podcast day.

    Megan Polk 17:43

    Hi, my name is Megan Polk and I am the host of the literacy dive podcast. Something that I'm truly proud of is that I've considered my audience for every single episode that I've put out. Whether it is from self care reminders to actionable teaching ideas, each one has been a result of something that I've been asked in my DMs. So what I've done with my podcast is actually built this library of longer responses than something that I would have just given back to you someone who wrote me a message through an email or DM, this has turned into a treasure trove for new listeners. And I'm so grateful for such an engaged audience who has helped me consider each of my episode topics. One piece of advice that I would have to anyone who's thinking about starting a podcast is to just get started and to be original, do what feels natural to connect with others. I always think outside the box and do things that are not a part of the norm. But what worked for me and I have found great success with that. So don't let someone else's methods or rhythm keep you from playing in the band.

    Lorraine Padilla 18:50

    Hey there, I'm Lorraine Padilla host of the Apple Blossom teachers podcast where upper elementary teachers continue to bloom with weekly pedagogy and pep talks. I'm really proud of my persistence. While I didn't start out as the most consistent, I'm proud that I haven't given up and I've continued to work at finding systems for successfully podcasting with little ones at home, because I know my message is important. One piece of advice is to collect a file or note on your phone with kind words or words of appreciation you've received about your podcast. These little messages or conversations really make a difference in pushing through when you feel like you're not sure anyone is listening, because speaking to your laptop screen is not the most personal. And on that note another piece of advice is to imagine your teacher bestie across from you as you record, it makes your voice so much more relaxed and conversational. And I can totally hear a difference in the episode energy when I do this.

    Rebecca Joyner 19:41

    My name is Rebecca Joyner and I am the high school science teacher turned curriculum writer behind the company. It's not rocket science and the podcast, secondary science simplified. I also now have a second podcast I do just for fun called bestie business banter, and I do it with my real life bestie Lauren tingle of counselor Click. I am proud of the way that my podcast has allowed me to serve secondary science teachers in a way that no one else is really doing right now. I'm also really proud of Lauren. And mine's just for fun podcast because it started as a dream of ours. Just to be able to interview some of our favorite mom business owners in the dream has actually come to fruition and we've nailed two of our dream guests within our first 12 episodes. My number one advice, if you're nervous to get started is just to sit down and plan out your ideas for an entire quarter. I think a lot of people are scared to start because they're afraid they'll run out of things to say. And I bet if you sat down, you'd be shocked how quickly the ideas will come. After that, I really recommend committing to doing this for one year, two of my podcasting friends convinced me to start my podcast by just making this a one year experiment. Instead of thinking of it as a lifetime commitment. It took the pressure off and it really got me going now nearly 100 episodes in and have absolutely no intention of stopping anytime soon.

    Stacia Archer-Clarke 21:02

    Hey there. My name is Stacia Archer-Clark, a full time teacher and CO entrepreneur from the beautiful Caribbean island of Barbados. I am also the hosts of two amazing teacher podcasts. The lesson plans for Kinder podcasts where I help pre K and kinder teachers get colorful and creative with their lesson plan ideas. And the simplified to manage podcast where I help full time teachers in the classroom with their teacher businesses to find simple steps, simple systems and simple strategies to help them manage while being a teacher printer. I am super proud that I was able to push past all the limiting beliefs of creating and launching a podcast. It took me a long time to do so almost about two years. But now that I finally done it, I think it was the best decision I made for my business.

    Melissa Burch 21:54

    Hi, this is Melissa from the annotated ELA podcast. And I am so excited because I am celebrating 20 episodes. I started this podcast not sure if I could keep up. But thanks to Sara Whittaker from podcasting for educators, I have gone 20 straight weeks with an episode every week. My one piece of advice if you're starting a podcast is to have a plan and stick to it. And if you can't stick to that plan, then adjust it. So it works. But just keep going and listen to everything that Sara says her advice isn't valuable.

    Sara Whittaker 22:31

    How awesome was it hearing from all of those podcasters I loved hearing all of your wins about your downloads and your consistency. And hearing from listeners about how they've applied advice from your podcast? How cool is that to see, that's just the best feeling. And you all gave amazing advice to people who might be listening who are considering starting a podcast. I hope that you feel inspired and motivated. If that is you. I think a very popular piece of advice was to jump in, you have to pull that band aid off at some point. I've said this on the show so many times. But whenever I I start working with somebody, so many times they've said yeah, I've sat on this idea for two years, three years and I just haven't gotten the confidence to jump in. And you heard those numbers that I shared in the very beginning listenership rises every single day. There is more than enough room for all of us in this space. And the best way to get out there and have people start listening to your show is to actually start your show. I loved what Mona said when she talked about how you can literally start making an impact right now. If you just say yes, you push record, and you commit to getting started. And if you are someone who has yet to get started and you are ready, I have created something just for you. I've had a free podcast launch guide for a while, but I've given it a big makeover. There's still a PDF guide. But now there's updated private podcast episodes to go with this guide. And it's just updated with all of my current recommendations and things like that. So you can grab that for free at podcasting for educators.com/launch Guide. A huge thank you again to everyone who contributed to this episode. I am celebrating you. I hope you're celebrating yourself and other podcasters out there. Keep doing your thing and I will see you here next week. Thanks so much for listening to today's episode. To keep this conversation going connect with me on Instagram at podcasting for educators. I'm always looking for an excuse to talk about podcasting. If you're looking for support and launching managing or growing your podcast, check out my online course the podcasting for educators prep school at podcasting. For educators.com/prep School I'll see you here next time

More about Podcasting for Educators:

Podcasting for Educators is the podcast for TpT authors and other online educators. It's a show that will help you get your podcast in front of those who need it most - teachers, counselors, literacy specialists, SLPs, parents, and more! Each week, Sara Whittaker and her guests will share top tips and actionable strategies that you will need in order to launch, manage, and grow your podcast. You’ll learn how to leverage your show to build long-lasting relationships with your audience and promote your TpT resources, courses, and memberships, all while providing valuable and accessible content!

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