To Podcast or Not to Podcast?
- Mawarni Adam
- Feb 25
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 12
It was 2015, and I had just started a new role at a startup when the news broke out about an airline CEO leaving his leadership role, which he had been part of for over seven years since its inception. Not long after that, he joined the startup I was working at and we ended up working on the same team, and I was partially reporting to him within this startup's structure.
One day, I pitched the idea to him that he should continue sharing his thoughts on leadership and motivational content because he had a massive following from his time as an airline CEO, an engaged audience that he should not abandon. Like many corporate leaders who became synonymous with the brand or company they lead, he immediately said that his identity and personal brand were too closely linked to the airline. Without any affiliation to it and the elevated podium or status that the role had, he wondered if anyone would care to listen to him. I said, "Look, I want to learn how to record and edit videos for a content series, and I think you should get back out there with some thought leadership content. So, what if we give this a try? I get to learn a new skill, and you get to put out some content?" To my amazement, he said yes, and the "Positively Personal" series was born.
Together, we put out 126 podcast-like episodes in close to 4 years of collaboration - that's about 2.6 episodes per month
The series followed his personal branding journey after being an airline CEO, to rediscovering his own voice and finally founding his own startup. If you look at the playlist on his channel, you'll see the evolution of the quality of videos produced, from the rough and raw edits of yours truly in the first few episodes, to a much more refined videos as time progressed.
You see, to edit all the episodes, it required me to listen to the audio and video on repeat as many as 15-30 times, maybe even more per editing process, so you can imagine how the personal growth content series had slowly but surely seeped into my mind, both consciously and sub-consciously, and eventually rewired it for the better over the years. As we officially close the “Positively Personal” project in 2020, I did not only gain a new video production/content-making skill, but I was a positively changed person, ready to take action and pay it forward.
Rewiring my mind, the second time around
Then the pandemic happened. The following years, also known as the post-pandemic era, had been extra challenging for many, including me. The mental strength muscles and the resilience reserves that I had built and acquired from working on the "Positively Personal" series were starting to wear off. As anyone can relate when faced with a string of challenges, it can make you wonder, ponder, and self-reflect. The question that often came to my mind was, "When was the last time, you genuinely felt inspired and motivated to take action?". I kept returning to when I had real, unfiltered, and authentic conversations with business leaders and change-makers on their inspiring journey, as well as when I was listening to and editing the Positively Personal content series.
"Great!", I thought. "So, how can I replicate that feeling? How can I get back to that? How do I activate rewiring 2.0?"
And so I thought.. maybe I should start my own podcast?
You might think that this may be a bold and uber-confident consideration on my part, or you might have an eye-rolling moment! I don't blame you, the devil's advocate in me did too but I was reminded of this saying...
"You miss 100% of the shots that you don't take"
Why podcasting?
Podcast which has its roots dating back to the 1980s as "audio blogs", started gaining some popularity around 2005 in Western countries according to Voices.com's History of Podcasts article and it took decades after that, for it to gain popularity in other parts of the world.
When I was interviewing business leaders and inspiring founders for content production from 2014 to 2017, it was still far from being a mainstream platform in Asia. I recalled when one of the clients for my consulting business at the time, asked if they should embark on a podcast channel, but as soon as they realized the infancy stage of podcasting in the region and the efforts it would take to sustain it, the resounding answer was a No, and the idea was quickly abandoned as part of their marketing and communications initiatives. Perhaps, that was a wise business decision back then, but to have the same answer now when the global podcasting market has grown significantly at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.6%, it almost sounds foolish not to have a podcast.
According to Statista, the number of podcast listeners worldwide is expected to surpass 500 million by the end of 2024.
Currently, over 5 million podcasts are available, with more than 75 million episodes, as reported by Prioridata. Another insight published by Grand View Research reported that the global podcasting market size was valued at USD 18.52 billion in 2022 and is projected to expand steadily from 2023 to 2030.
It all sounds great but what else can the internet tell us about podcasting stats?
Here are some interesting statistics according to Backlinko and WPBeginner:
Worldwide podcast ad spending is estimated to hit $4.02 billion.
Video podcasts are on the rise, with 33% of US podcast listeners opting for watchable podcasts.
Over 50% of marketers use podcasts to reach their audience.
By 2027, the number of podcast listeners worldwide is forecasted to hit 651.7 million.
Pretty cool huh? But what topics do most people want to hear?
Here are the topics and messaging that are important to podcast listeners, as studied by Audio Active Group in September 2023:
Thought-provoking (makes you think/challenges you) = 45%
Motivational (makes you feel motivated and inspired) = 38%
Humorous (makes you laugh and entertains you) = 38%
Educational (educates you and helps you learn new things) = 37%
Inclusive (makes you feel seen and included) = 33%
Reassuring (makes you feel safe and good about yourself) = 30%
And where best to upload the podcast content?
According to Cumulus Media, the top 3 most popular podcast platforms for monthly consumption are as follows:
YouTube = 33%
Spotify = 24%
Apple Podcast = 12%
Late to the game, but right on time?
So, to podcast or not to podcast? I'd say yes to that question. And will there be The Mawarni Adam Show soon? I'd say not yet. I still need to pick-up the courage in the last mile of this content creation endeavour and then I'll take the shot and go live on air. But one thing is for sure: looking at the earlier global statistics, I'm excited about the possibility!
Signing off this blog with these three podcasts currently on my playlist:
~M
Sources and attributions:
About Mawarni
Mawarni Adam is a marketer and brand builder. She is a 2x business founder and has worked with individuals and companies for over 20 years, helping them shape, sharpen, and strengthen their brands through strategic branding, integrated marketing, communications, and customer experience. She is a mother to two daughters and writes about her personal experiences in topics she is passionate about such as self-growth, women's advocacy, and community development. Read her full bio here.
