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You're listening to the Talkative Toastmaster podcast. I'm your host, melanie Surplus. In this podcast, we explore how Toastmasters can help you to polish your public speaking skills, communicate with confidence and amplify your authenticity. You'll hear from my fellow Toastmasters and I how this global organization has impacted our lives for the better and how it could impact yours. Now let's get talkative. Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to episode 34.

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This week I'm going to do something a little different and dive into a multi-part series about podcasting. Since launching this podcast in January, I've spoken with a heap of Toastmasters about this Level 4 elective project and so many have said to me yeah, I've seen the Creator Podcast elective. It looks interesting, but I wouldn't know where to start. And I didn't really know where to start either. So, 33 episodes in, I thought I would share just that the journey of how to begin and, more importantly, why I think Toastmasters should begin. I'm going to share why I think podcasting is perfect for Toastmasters and anyone else, for that matter, who wants another outlet to practice and refine their speaking skills. We're going to look at the personal and professional benefits to be gained. We'll review the actual elective project and then we'll look at some actual practical steps about how you could go about getting started with a podcast. Whether you're interested in creating the one hour's worth of published content for the elective project or are aiming to create a full body of work, I hope to get you inspired to just start, rather than procrastinating about it for years like I did. Before we begin, though, I'd just like to reiterate a message about the Talkative Toastmaster podcast that I shared back in episode 32. If you're not yet a Toastmaster or are relatively new to Toastmasters, the first 30 episodes of this podcast will give you a deep dive into the benefits of joining Toastmasters, what you can expect from visiting a club, what's actually going to happen at the meetings and what each of the speaking roles that you may see on a club agenda involve. In those first 30 episodes as well, you'll also learn about how club meetings can help you to develop confidence in both prepared and impromptu speeches, and what opportunities are available to help you to develop additional skills, such as going down the speech contest path or taking on leadership roles. My many guests have illustrated these points with inspirational stories of their own Toastmasters journey, so definitely check out those episodes too.

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Going forward, this podcast will focus less on introductory topics and more on the opportunities beyond a Toastmasters club. As I gain more exposure to the organisation through my current role as Area 26 Director in District 69, I look forward to exploring topics around leadership and perhaps some of the more advanced skills in which we can gain experience, like podcasting. Of course, I'm going to continue to interview other Toastmasters and share their inspiring stories. That is absolutely one of my favorite parts of this podcast. Now, with all that being said, let's look at the wonderful world of podcasting and why Toastmasters might like to consider this medium as another way of challenging yourselves and improving your communication skills. I'm going to talk through a brief history of podcasting, some key stats that I found fascinating, and then look at some of the personal and professional benefits you could expect to gain by starting your own podcast.

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Podcasting has transformed from a niche hobby to a mainstream medium, shaping how we consume audio content and share stories, information and expertise. It's a really easily accessible and versatile form of media, and podcasts can and do cater to very diverse interests, making them a popular choice for millions of listeners worldwide. Just this week, in fact, I learned from Graham Cairns, my fellow Leading Edge Advanced Toastmaster buddy and my guest on episode 15, where the term podcast actually came from. I'd never really thought about it, but it was fascinating when Graham pointed it out to me that the term podcast combines iPod, which was Apple's original portable media player, and broadcast. Further research showed that the term was coined in 2004 by journalist Ben Hammersley in an article for the Guardian. 2004 by journalist Ben Hammersley in an article for the Guardian.

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Although this term emerged in the early 2000s, the roots of podcasting date back to the 1980s and 90s with audio blogging and internet radio. But podcasting really began to take shape with the advent of broadband internet and portable digital audio playback devices, most notably our phones. But in 2004, former MTV video jockey Adam Curry and software developer Dave Weiner created a program known as iPodder, which enabled the automatic download of audio files into an iPod. This innovation marked the birth of podcasting as we know it today. Then the launch of Apple iTunes 4.9 in 2005, which included native support for podcasts, was a pivotal moment for the medium, bringing podcasts to an even wider audience and simplifying the process of subscribing and downloading episodes. I reckon I started to listening to podcasts at about this time, while I was doing a lot of international travel and had bought my first iPod Gives you a bit of an idea of how old I am, so it feels like I've been consuming podcasts forever and procrastinating about starting one for just as long. In the last 20 years, though, the podcasting landscape has evolved dramatically, with the introduction of smartphones and dedicated podcast apps, making this content even more accessible than ever.

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Let's now look at some key stats about podcasting and the industry that we play in. Podcasting's growth over the last decade has been nothing short of phenomenal. Here are some key stats that highlight the current state and trajectory of podcasting. According to podcastpageio, as of January 2024, there were somewhere between 3.2 and 4.3 million podcasts globally, 2 million of which are considered active. Now, the numbers really vary, and this is true for all podcast stats, so I guess consider them with not a grain of salt, but understanding that different companies have different metrics and things. Needless to say, there's a lot of podcasts out there, and this number is growing. According to Edison Research, more than 80 million people in the US are listening on a weekly basis to a podcast, and they estimate this will continue to grow.

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A firm called Statista reports that Australians are also avid podcast listeners, with 43% of respondents to a survey about the adoption of audio media in Australia, claiming that they listen to podcasts, and you can only imagine the numbers blowing out on a global scale, as podcasting is really available everywhere. In terms of the demographics, who are the podcast listeners? The majority of podcast listeners fall within the 18 to 34 age range, representing a tech-savvy and highly engaged demographic. This is also reflected in the Australian statistics, with 18 to 24-year-olds accounting for more than half of the adults in this age bracket, and so I find that quite interesting, because a lot of that demographic were very young when podcasting first began, but they've adopted it very quickly, since, on average, podcast listeners in the US consume about eight episodes of podcasts per week, while Aussies listen to about four to five episodes. I know, for me, I have a bunch of podcasts on rotation, and I would definitely say it's more in the five to ten range per week for me.

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Now, if we look at the monetization and market value of this podcasting industry, research firm Grandview Research says that the global podcasting market was valued at approximately 18.5 billion US dollars, or about 27.6 billion Australian dollars, in 2022, and is projected to reach 130.6 billion US dollars, or 195 billion Australian dollars, by 2030. I find that staggering, and and the advertising revenue from podcasts in the US alone was estimated to reach over 1 billion US dollars, or 1.5 billion Australian dollars, in 2021, and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 19%. It's fair to say there is a lot of money and interest in podcasting, and this is only going to increase. In terms of the content and genres being produced, comedy, news and true crime are amongst the most popular podcast genres. Educational content also ranks highly, with many listeners tuning into podcasts for personal and professional development. I know that's mostly why I choose to listen to podcasts. Now I've thrown out a lot of stats here, but the point I want to make is that podcasting is still a much smaller market than video content, and one, I believe, that is going to continue to grow in popularity.

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The flexibility of listening to podcasts while doing other activities simultaneously is driving market growth. I don't know about you, but I consume hours of podcasts on my commute to work or my afternoon walks, and I find this a really productive way to spend my drive time or my walking time. Furthermore, podcasting is widely used now in teaching and educational learning, as it offers an effortless delivery of audio learning resources. The widespread adoption of mobile phones and other devices is also driving the consumption of podcasts across apps like Spotify, apple Podcasts, amazon Music, iheart Radio and a range of specialist podcast platforms like Podcast Addict, podchaser, pocket Casts, deezer and many more. It might feel like the market is very crowded or that it's too late to start a podcast. It's definitely not, and if you're publishing solid content on a consistent basis, you will be able to find an audience. If people from Australia, the US, uk, ireland, germany and even Zimbabwe can find my little old podcast about the very niche subject of Toastmasters, I have confidence that they'll be able to find you if you start a podcast.

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So what are some of the personal and professional development benefits of starting a podcast? Firstly, let's run through five key areas of personal development benefits that you may experience if you start one. There's enhanced communication skills. Hosting a podcast requires clear and engaging communication. Regularly speaking on a public platform helps to hone these skills, making you more articulate and confident in verbal expression. Hilary Saxton, my guest in episode 33, talked about how she had noticed a dramatic improvement in her speaking skills by the regular practice of creating content for her two podcasts Bounce Back Better and the Property Mastermind podcast.

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Then we also have creativity and storytelling. Podcasting allows creators to explore different formats and storytelling techniques. This creative process can really improve your ability to craft compelling narratives and present information in an engaging way. I hope I'm doing this for you right now. Now my friends Graham Cairns and Annette Marshall from Leading Edge Advanced Toastmasters did a fantastic job of storytelling in their History Tarts podcast, and I'd recommend you go and check that out, because they tell some great stories of the stories of history that were never taught to us.

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The third benefit is networking and relationships. Interview-based podcasts provide an excellent opportunity to connect with a diverse range of people, including industry experts, thought leaders and influencers. These connections can lead to valuable personal and professional relationships. Now I've personally experienced this, and running this podcast in an organization I love has given me a really solid excuse to contact people, or an excuse for them to contact me and get to know them a whole lot better. I have met so many great people through doing this podcast. They've volunteered their time, they've come on the show, and I feel like I'm making some great friends in the process, while getting to know these amazing people even more Again. In episode 33, hilary Saxton talked about her challenge with Gary Vaynerchuk about inviting him to appear on her podcast, and if you want to hear that story, go back and listen to episode 33. But just even the idea of having a podcast gave her the confidence to approach arguably one of the best marketers in the world and invite him on her podcast.

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Also, there's the idea of research and knowledge acquisition, and when you're preparing for podcasts, it often involves in-depth research on various topics, and this continuous learning process broadens your own knowledge base and ensures that you stay informed about the latest trends and developments in your field of interest. I've found that in the last nine or so months of creating content for this podcast that I have learned so much about Toastmasters, which is an organization I love, but probably wouldn't have delved as much into the various aspects or questions of people in the way I have to get the answers that I want, and it has really helped me to get on board with the Pathways Project, find out what changes are coming through and just learn more about the organization, which has been really invaluable. So if you could think about how this might translate to a body of work that you want to create or an area that you want to position yourself as an expert in, there are really substantial benefits to be gained through the process of research. And finally, there's the area of confidence and personal growth. When you're putting yourself out there through a podcast, it can be daunting initially. However, by doing it each week or however often you decide to run a podcast episode, overcoming this challenge actually starts to build confidence and fosters personal growth because you know you can do it, you know you can improve, you know there's an editing process if you need to go there, and also receiving feedback from listeners can really help in your own self-improvement. So I get feedback from mostly Toastmasters actually about the podcast and things they've learned about other Toastmasters that they might know or have known for some time, and I also enjoy getting feedback from them about how I might improve, because that is the Toastmasters way. So if someone suggests something about how I could improve, I absolutely try to take that feedback on and that's what helps me to continue to improve, hopefully each episode. So that's the personal development side of things. What about the professional development opportunities of hosting your own podcast? Can a podcast actually help your career? I reckon it can if you give it some thought.

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Let's look at five areas where podcasting may make this possible. Firstly, there's the area of brand building and authority. A podcast can serve as a powerful tool for personal branding and you might hear this buzzword in certain circles. Certainly in marketing circles, which is my area, my profession the idea of personal branding is very strong. It's also very much around influencer culture and the rise of influencers. So by sharing expertise and insights regularly, a podcast host can establish themselves as an authority in their respective field, and this is going to enhance your professional reputation.

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Now I work in marketing. It's my day job, has been for many years, and this project gives me the opportunity to learn new skills and to add another potential string to my bow. It basically becomes a body of work that I can point to and say, yes, I did that, I did it on a volunteer basis and I taught myself, and it really becomes a great conversation starter, I find, and people now at work and in my circle of professional colleagues are now realizing that. Oh hey, you know Mel can do podcasting. It just becomes another skill for which I might become known and which you could become known for as well.

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Then there's the issue of content marketing and audience engagement and, you know, for businesses or community organizations like Toastmasters, or whatever area you may choose to create a podcast about, it can be a really effective content marketing strategy, because podcasts allow organizations to engage with their audience on a deeper level. When someone is listening to your podcast, you effectively have their undivided attention for however long that episode runs for, and this can really, you know, help to enhance whether it's marketing efforts or the like. Now, from a Toastmasters perspective, my objective in starting this particular podcast was to help the marketing efforts of my clubs by providing potential guests with information that I would otherwise perhaps have to tell them verbally about the organization, but I get to do this before they even set foot in the door. The way we use this content at my Mount Gravatt Toastmasters Club is embedding a couple of episodes in a couple of the welcome emails that people who are visitors to the club or have signed up to receive our newsletter will receive information either about the club or the next meeting. But in every couple of emails to them there is a link to an episode that we feel they might want to listen to, and, again, this can be a really great way of letting them know what they're in for before they even step in the door and it just helps to allay any fears or even questions that they may have. So content marketing is a really powerful output of podcasting.

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Also, hosting a podcast can open doors, potentially to new career opportunities. It can showcase your expertise and passion, potentially attracting job offers, speaking engagements and consulting opportunities. You never know who is listening to your podcast and where it may take you. I've had a number of requests from international speakers and authors who have contacted me and asked to be guests on the show, and this is a strategy that keynote speakers and authors use to promote their books. But they're contacting me and it's just an interesting way of opening doors that you would have no idea may become open to you.

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And number four, there's skill development. So producing a podcast involves quite a number of skills, including audio editing, marketing, project management, social media promotion. There's securing guests if you choose to do an interview style podcast, and developing these skills can be really beneficial for your professional growth and adaptability in the digital era. You know this technology is not going away, so if you can get your head around it in a nice, safe environment, a practice run, as it were, where you don't have deadlines, no one's really watching over you like they might at work. You've got a really awesome opportunity to test this stuff out before you might unleash it to the world.

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Now there's also the issue of revenue generation. A successful podcast can actually generate revenue through sponsorships, advertising, merchandise sales and listener donations. As I mentioned before in the stats, there's a huge amount of money potentially in the podcast industry and this whole monetization factor is really likely to grow, particularly as people build niche audiences and advertisers are always looking for a good, solid, engaged niche audience. Now I've chosen not to monetize this particular podcast because it's purely to promote the Toastmasters organization. But it's not to say that I wouldn't consider starting another podcast to support my side hustle and monetizing it in some way. I haven't got that far yet in terms of planning anything, but it's not beyond the realms of possibility.

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And the sixth benefit is employee engagement and internal communications. Now, this may not apply to everyone who starts a podcast, but companies can certainly use internal podcasts to improve employee engagement and communication. These podcasts, that is, the internal communications, can share company news, training materials and other important information in an accessible and engaging format. So, again, this is one of those areas where you might choose to learn the skills in the form of a Toastmasters elective project, but they then become transferable and you may be able to translate them or transfer them into your workplace. Imagine becoming the podcast expert within your company.

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If you love speaking and being a Toastmaster, I gather that you do love speaking. How cool would it be to be leading the podcast in your organization. It's just something to think about. So, in conclusion, podcasting is a dynamic and rapidly growing medium that really offers many benefits for both creators and listeners, and whether you're looking to share your passion, build your personal brand or create engaging content for an audience of your choice, starting a podcast can be a really rewarding endeavor. I can't tell you how much I've learned in this process and how much fun I've had getting this project off the ground.

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By understanding the landscape of podcasting, leveraging its growth potential and focusing on delivering valuable content, which we, as Toastmasters, do focus on you can not only improve your communication skills, but you could also embark on a successful podcasting journey that will no doubt enhance your personal and professional life. If you're thinking about what to do for your level four elective in the dynamic leadership, presentation mastery and strategic relationships paths, I can't recommend the create a podcast elective enough paths. I can't recommend the Create a Podcast elective enough. In the next parts of this podcasting series, I'm going to review the Create a Podcast project itself and then look at the steps for how you could get started on your path to creating your own podcast. Stay tuned for that.

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Thanks for listening to today's show. Head to talkativetoastmastercom, where you'll find the show notes for this and all other episodes, as well as links to some awesome Toastmasters resources. If you found value in today's content, I'd really appreciate if you could share it with friends and colleagues who may be interested or leave a review on itunes. This will help more people to find us. Until next time, remember the words of eleanor roosevelt you gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. So let's face that fear and step into the spotlight with confidence and grace. Have a great week.