The unique relationship between a podcast and its audience
Every podcast should aspire to have a unique relationship with its audience. The goal is to build a conversation that only you can have with a community that buys into the story you're telling.
The vast majority of the podcasts I’ve launched, developed or run have focus on a positive and inclusive rapport with the listeners. Encouraging them to share, participate and celebrate. However, I’ve come to learn that there are other ways to build parasocial relationships. The dark side of podcast audience development.
I have an extreme example in the UK based comedy show I produce called the Demon Seed. It’s hosted by comedy royalty, the unstoppable Mike Bubbins and legendary Eggsy (aka John Rutledge). Both have their own audiences and projects, but this podcast feels like a twisted social experiment. We turn up each week with no prep and a boastful attitude to our disregard for quality and the enjoyment of those unfortunate enough to listen. It's puerile, nonsensical and inaccessible. We mock the listeners for wasting their precious time with us, reminding them that there is no ‘content’.
Yet 18 months and almost 100 episodes since launch, and we just topped 250k downloads.
Our audience tells us how bad we are, warn each other not to listen and discuss the shame they feel in listening to every episode. They’ve formed a support group to discuss how bad the show is and they know they should stop listening but can’t. When we promote the show, we tell people not to waste their time, staying away is our call to action.
It’s the anti-podcast. Purposefully breaking all the rules.
The only lesson I can glean from this whole experience is that you can have fun with your audience. Be playful, communicative and in our case, kind of playfully sadistic.
I'm not going to put a link here or suggest you take a listen. It is so bad, don't waste one second of your life. Shame on you if you look it up on your podcast app, you should know better.
I have warned you. Don't do it!!!!!