Eric Nuzum, the podcastguru // Fábio Pires
On the first day of Radiodays Europe 2021, Eric Nuzum, co-founder of Magnificent Noise, went on stage to teach a Masterclass on podcasting. How to pitch, transitioning to podcasting, finding your listener and audience-building were some topics covered by the podcastguru.
According to Nuzum, there are 2.6 million podcasts available in 100 languages. Nowadays, 1,000 podcasts are being created every day – so, why would someone choose to listen to yours? Creativity and originality are crucial to occupying a space in this industry that no one else could.
In this highly-interactive workshop, Nuzum encouraged the public to share their own experiences. Having previously asked the attendants to come prepared with a podcast idea to work with, the audience was paired into small groups to firstly pitch their ideas and then to improve them with the feedback and knowledge shared in the masterclass.
“Know your story, know your audience and answer why you are telling this story.”
Setting your podcast up for success requires knowing how to pitch and grabbing the public’s attention is key – even more so than having a good design. This can lead to partnerships and networking relationships, selling advertising, grant funding and press coverage.
When creating a podcast, you must consider what your connection to the story is. “Know your story, know your audience and answer why you are telling this story”, the podcastguru states. It’s important to reflect on how you can be the one the public remembers.
Hiwote Getaneh from Magnificent Noise also came on stage to talk about the frustration behind this creative process. Even when the podcast doesn’t go well in the beginning, “it’s normal to take a while to be good”.
“Radio is consistent, that’s what makes them succeed. But not podcasts.”
So, what makes a podcast successful? Focusing on the characters, having an engaging host with an unique voice and finding what kind of emotional experience you want to create are key to developing a successful project.
Written by: Mariana Serrano and Rita Silva.
