In the past few weeks there have been a hanful of talking points thrown out there into the world saying how podcasting isn’t going to stick. They say that podcasting is a gimmick, a trend, and will soon be more over than platform shoes and MC Hammer pants. Since I’m in the world of podcasting, I guess you could say I thought I’d share a few of my own ideas on it.
Right now podcasting is in the same phase that blogging was in a few years ago. When blogging first hit the world, everybody had to have one. Heck, some people had two or three! Since then, things have cooled off some. There are still new blogs, but not as many as before. The folks that were good at captivating an audience went on and gained the attention. Others found out it wasn’t for them, and moved on.
I think that is the state the podcasting will reach eventually. Right now everybody and their grandmother is making a podcast because it is the cool thing to do. Some are good, some are bad. The feeling that I have though is that as long as you have an audience for what your putting out there, then keep putting it out there.
Taking myself as an example, I have the market cornered when it comes to a Web hosting podcast. I do my best to put out a good show every week, and I have gained a little fan following as well. As long as people want to listen, I’m always going to be willing to talk and help. Now, would you ever hear about a Web hosting radio show on your local FM station? Probably not. I have a very specific audience with Web hosts and Web hosting clients and I don’t expect Pete down the street to listen to me if he has no intrest in either in being either a Web host or a Web hosting client.
Podcasters should find a gimmick that works for them and stick with it. If you put out a show that is about “technology” then you are entering a market with hundreds of other people doing the same thing you are. At that point you have to find something that seperates you from the rest. You need to find something that makes you special.
So do I think podcasting is a trend? Not so much. I think eventually things will cool down, good folks will become established and others will try to rise to the top. The ability for common folks to showcase what they have to offer to the world is a very exciting thing.
