For the past eight years, I've produced and hosted "Giving Voice to Depression," a weekly podcast sharing stories of hope and recovery from depression. It's been an incredible experience, connecting with people around the world and offering support and resources to those who need it most.
We recently hit a major milestone—the beginning of our 9th year and more than 2 ½ million downloads. It's humbling to know that our podcast has resonated with so many people and made a real difference in their lives.
But before I started this podcast to give voice to an often-hidden condition, I made a living with my voice for more than 40 years, both in news and commercial and corporate videos. In that time, I've interviewed countless people and told a wide variety of stories. So, while creating "Giving Voice to Depression" has been a unique experience, I've also drawn on my decades of experience as a storyteller and interviewer.
Here are five of the most important things I've learned from my journey as a podcaster:
When I first started making mosaics, I put my heart into each piece. But as my avocation turned into a business with large orders and short deadlines, the work became more about just getting it done than about creating something beautiful.
The same thing can happen with podcasting. It's easy to get caught up in the technical aspects of producing a weekly podcast and lose sight of why you started in the first place.
It's important to be intentional about your podcasting. What is your goal or mission? Who is your specific audience? And what are you able to create for them that will have the kind of impact do you want to make?
Answering these questions will help you stay focused on your goals and create a podcast that is meaningful and impactful.
The most important thing is to know who your intended audience is. Once you know who you're talking to, you can make all of your choices—from the questions you ask to the tone you use with your guest. If your topic is a general one, your audience will be, too. If you have a niche focus, take some time to understand what your listeners would benefit from the most.
For our depression podcast, we focus on both people living with depression (whether or not they have been diagnosed) and people who want to better support the people in their lives who are affected by it.
I have chosen to keep our 400+ episodes short (about 20 minutes each), to be respectful of the often-limited attention span of listeners who may be struggling. My guide for guest interviews is to mine information that would be helpful for my listener to hear. Sometimes that means sticking to more-relatable themes including mental-health management tools, biggest challenges and the types of support that have been most helpful, etc., instead of focusing on the very personal and unique aspects of a guest’s story.
We have the opportunity to help our listeners speed up their learning process. There are so many things that are so hard, and that if somebody had already done it, they can tell you what to watch out for and what to expect.
The people listening will feel that, and if we have intentionality going into the interviews I think they feel that too.
That understanding, intentionality and focus will differentiate your podcast from the millions of others out there. It can be both a “secret sauce” and guiding star, so that you never lose sight of who you’re making the episodes for and whose stories (your guests) are the vehicle for making those connections.
Years ago, when we hit a million downloads, we didn’t say, "Wow, look what a fabulous job we've done." We said thank you to our very first guest. We posted: “... because you were willing to share your stories, light has been shone a million times in the darkness for somebody who reached out for understanding, connection and hope and found it in your words.” And that's what we're trying to do.
Choose topics that matter: If you want to make a difference with your podcast, you need to choose topics that matter to your audience. What are they struggling with? What do they need help with? Once you know the answers to these questions, you can create content that will make a real difference in their lives.
When I start my interviews, I remind them that this is their story. I'm the messenger. They have control.
Think of how many of the people sharing their mental health and/or addiction stories with us have felt out of control—certainly of their narrative. Their families or coworkers may be telling them they just need to cheer up and be grateful for what they do have. Or they’re told that they just need to get their lazy butts out of bed. They just need to stop. Stop gambling. Stop drinking. Stop using. Stop whatever they're doing that they can’t seem to stop.
In that spirit, I let every guest know that if there's ever something they say to me, that after hearing it come out of their mouths they want to reword or ask me not to use it, that I will respect that.
I do that for three reasons: to respect them, to create a safe space, and because when you have created that space, they feel more free to say things because they know you’ve got their back.
There are a lot of things that don't matter when it comes to podcasting. Things like who gets more “mic time” in a co-hosting situation or how you look. (Have you ever been on a Zoom call and notice someone frequently fixing their hair? Did you feel listened to and respected?) .
What matters is the content. Are you creating something that will help someone? Are you making a difference in the world? Are you staying true to the goal you set for your podcast and are you keeping your audience in mind throughout the production process?
If you can answer yes to those questions, then you're on the right track.
Podcasting is an amazing way to connect with people and make a difference in the world. If you're thinking about starting a podcast, I encourage you to go for it!
Just remember to be intentional, focus on your audience, and create content that will help someone.