Daring To Podcast: How Ladies Make Their Voice Heard

So, you want to launch a podcast? You are not the only one. More people are listening to them than ever before, and that creates plenty of opportunity for new players on the market.

A research revealed podcasting awareness has exploded in recent years. In 2006, only 22% of consumers knew what a podcast was, but by 2019 over 64% of consumers were aware of podcasting. By 2022, it’s estimated that podcast listening will grow to 132 million people in the United States.

In particular, according to a study by Edison Research and Triton Digital, females aged between 55-64 and over 65 have been listening to more podcasts than males in the same age groups in 2019. This is likely due to more content being published for a female audience. No wonder why there is a growing number of baby boomers and Gen Xers eager to join the fray and challenge themselves launching their own programs with the aim of changing the narrative of midlife.

A new trend that made even the editor of The Sunday Times Style, Lorraine Candy, 51, together with Trish Halpin, 52, award-winning editor of Marie Claire UK, launch in December 2019 the podcast ‘Postcards From Midlife‘.

We keep being told we’ve come to the end of our use, that we’re irrelevant and that we’d probably be happier gardening, with a squishy pillow to protect our knees – Lorraine Candy says while introducing her podcast-. Or, worse still, if we don’t submit to this traditional narrative we are doing something exceptional ‘for our age’. Postcards from Midlife is an upbeat and useful look at every aspect of this stage of life, which I’ve found to be as big a learning curve as adolescence. For some women, it really is a midlife crisis, and we don’t know what to expect. On Postcards from Midlife, we tackle everything from hormones, sex, relationships, fashion, beauty and mental health through to the conundrum of parenting teenagers — it is, after all, a perfect storm of bad timing.

How To Start Podcasting

If you would like to start a podcast, make sure you know the basics about how to interview someone and how to record, edit, and publish an audio file. You could take a podcast class or hire a podcast coach or mentor, but the good news is that many podcasters are self-taught.

If someone had told me a year ago that I would be the host of a podcast, I would have thought them insane – Colleen Rosenblum co-founder, together with Bridgett Garratt, of the podcast ‘Hot Flashes and Cool Topics‘ revealed to CrunchyTales-. I have a B.S. in Communications from college but no practical experience with editing, advertising or content creation for a show.  Truth be told, why not me? Podcasting is a storytelling medium and I have many stories to share. My co-host Bridgett and I discovered that the demographic of women in midlife and beyond are largely ignored in the media and we believe that is a big mistake. Middle-aged women are experienced, thoughtful, consumer conscious individuals who have strength in numbers.

Colleen and Bridgett are aware of the large number of possible competitors in the field, but they also know they can count on a solid partnership and on a genuine and deep connection with their audience who loves their sassy style.

There are many great podcasts out there but we could not find one that was as multidimensional as we wanted so we started one. We researched, we practised and most importantly, we pressed record. Hot Flashes & Cool Topics is now on all podcast platforms and social media. With our audience growing very quickly, we realise that we are telling stories women in midlife and beyond want to hear. In the podcast world, your topics attract listeners and your voice, personality and content keep them listening. Finally, looks, age and gender are not qualifying factors for success.

If you still hesitate to launch your podcast it might be worth doing a bit of research. Both Spotify and Google have programs designed to increase the representation of marginalized voices. Each of the programs includes training, access to podcasting experts and the chance to get money to take your idea from concept to reality. Another source might come from the WNYC’s annual festival for women in podcasting. Their goal is to raise the number of podcasts hosted by women from approximately 20% to 50% or more. This is accomplished through workshops, networking and access to top professionals.

Alexandra Adey, head of podcasts partnerships in Britain for Spotify, said media companies have a responsibility to boost diverse voices.

The media in general, and podcasting, is still a white and male-dominated environment-  said Adey in an interview during a Spotify podcast Bootcamp in London-. It’s really important for us to make sure we’re amplifying the voices of people who wouldn’t necessarily have their voices amplified. And to get new and fresh talent into the podcasting industry.

Find your own niche

Most of all, instead of investing in pricey equipment, make sure to find your own niche and voice. In the end, ‘Content is still the king‘ and you have to find something people want to learn about that doesn’t exist. Podcast listeners typically look to podcasts for expert advice. Having chances to interview top professionals, for instance, could be a way to increase your podcast popularity.

The importance of opening the dialogue on top of mind topics for women at midlife is my mission – Amy Schimdt, motivational speaker, author of the upcoming book ‘Cannonball!!‘ and founder of ‘Fearlessly Facing Fifty™’ says to CrunchyTales -. I have a three-pronged approach to my podcast. I interview women that have taken on the challenges of midlife and have an inspiring story to share. I interview experts who share their knowledge and insight on topics that are at times, considered taboo, and never talked about. I also interview celebrities, and they share their journey as they navigate mid-life and beyond. The end goal is simply to inspire women to take action. To just start. To begin again. Not to struggle with their identity and lose their confidence, which happens to so many women at midlife and beyond.

Don’t Let Fear Get in the Way

Even Amy Schmidt didn’t know how to start but the strong commitment to her mission – helping middle-aged women to uncover their hidden confidence, that may have been pushed to the side for a while– made her very driven and then successful.

I didn’t know the first thing about making a podcast, what equipment to use, or how to edit – Amy states-. I also didn’t anticipate how successful it would be just five months after starting, and that it would receive thousands of downloads. The introductory episode of Fearlessly Facing Fifty™, a weekly podcast for women at midlife and beyond, dropped in October 2019. I can remember, sitting in my office, taking a deep inhale, and then I pushed the record button. I put fear aside, not waiting for it to be perfect, or the timing to be just right. I went for it. And what an amazing journey it has been so far.

When ready to launch your podcast, think it as a way to serve your community instead of making it a reflection of yourself. Think about a podcast name and the type of audience you want to reach. Then start to develop your editorial plan, step by step, enjoying your journey.

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