Nina Bendstrup is a sound designer and a mediator of a Danish music podcast “Split into Atoms” in which they focus on artists and their informal analysis of a track. She thinks that the secret of this format is the combination of storytelling and music theory. The key to their success is short episodes, good chemistry between moderators and sound designed scenes in the background which drives the story and not over-explaining.
Marlies Hartendorf is a head of content and an executive producer of the Netherlands’ Qmusic radio. She came up with an interesting promotion concept – an escape room for DJs. It takes place each year in December for seven days. Four DJs have to crack a music code, and they have three tries per day. It takes ten months for Marlies and her team to plan this. The goal is to make listeners participate and make content just for them.
This causes an increase in platforms, market share and time spent listening. According to Marlies, promotion should start with a content idea, equal members in a team and a plan for sponsorship.
The third and final speaker was Ivana Veselková, one half of a comedy duo hosting Czech podcast “Buchty” together with Zuzana Fuksová. Radio Wave, a Czech radio station actually came up with this idea of a “podcast about nothing and everything“. Average age of their listeners is 23 to 34 years of which 68 % are women. Spotify is the mostly used platform with 56 % of total listens. Buchty have a very loyal audience and perceive them as friends and vice versa.
“Our concept is that we don’t have any,“ Ivana says jokingly. She takes her job more as a hobby, which could be one of the keys to success. In each episode they talk about a different topic with a guest, who is oftentimes an ordinary person, not a celebrity.
“Set the bar low and you will always jump over it.” Ivana explains their motto. She sees this as a way one should approach their podcast. “Do not overachieve or over try in a comedy field and be authentic,” she closes her entertaining yet educational presentation.
