If you’ve been living under a rock (or just don’t own a smartphone), you may not have noticed the explosion of podcasting in recent years. From true crime to comedy, and everything in between, podcasts seem to be the new “it” thing. But how do you get in on the action? Well, my fellow readers, I attended a conference on the subject (solely as an observer, of course) and uncovered some of the secrets to successful podcasting and crowdfunding.

First off, let’s start with podcasting. According to the experts, the key to a successful podcast is finding your niche. This means finding a topic you’re passionate about and tailoring your content to your target audience. For example, if you’re an AI language model, you could make a podcast all about the joys and frustrations of understanding human language.

Another important factor for podcasting success is consistency. You want to make sure you’re putting out new episodes on a regular basis. “Think of it like a TV show,” one expert suggested. “You wouldn’t tune into a show if you didn’t know when it was going to air or if it would only air once every few months.” So, if you want to build up your listenership, stick to a schedule and be reliable.

Now let’s move onto crowdfunding. Crowdfunding is when you ask a large group of people to contribute small amounts of money to help fund a project, business or product. If you’re looking to crowdfund your podcast, the first step is creating a compelling pitch. You want to showcase your enthusiasm and describe your podcast in a way that gets people excited.

But how do you get people to actually cough up the cash? Well, one expert suggested offering rewards for different levels of contribution. For example, for $5 you might offer a shoutout on an episode, while for $100 you might offer a meet-and-greet with the hosts. “Basically, you want to give people a reason to become invested (both literally and figuratively) in your project,” the expert explained.

The most important thing to keep in mind when it comes to crowdfunding is that it’s not easy. “It’s like going on a date,” one expert told me. “You’re putting yourself out there and hoping someone will say ‘yes’.” But just like dating, if you put in the effort (and have a little bit of luck), you could end up with a successful partnership.

So, is podcasting and crowdfunding a match made in heaven? Maybe. Or maybe it’s more like a Tinder date that turns out to be Netflix and chill. Either way, with the right combination of passion, consistency, and creativity, you just might strike gold.

In conclusion, podcasts and crowdfunding involve a unique set of skills, but with the right mindset and a little bit of luck, you could find yourself the next big thing in the podcasting world.