Engagement, involvement, interaction…
That’s what I was thinking this morning. After a few days in the Welsh hills, as far away from modern technology as cavemen, it was all I could do to treasure human interactions the way we were, are, engineered to.
On this beautiful, crisp September (yes – already!) morning I’m really learning to feel what people want from this internet thing. It’s an accessory to what we do offline, for sure, but we still have a lot to do in making it a necessary, beyond-worthwhile part of our lives.
For us podcasters, it’s a way to talk to people with whom we wouldn’t ordinarily be connected. Someone in Nicaragua wants to learn about the subtle intricacies of pirhouetteing (trust me to pick a word I can’t spell with confidence) from a ballerina. You just launched a mobile app that can help a young farmer in Wales know the precise moment he should be rotating his crops.
Only if you want to
There are hundreds of thousands of more mainstream examples of how podcasting have brought people’s lives closer together, for the good of each and every one. Communities are created on the foundation of common goals, objectives, visions. If you have something to say, someone will want to listen.
Engagement, involvement, interaction…
But it takes you wanting to get involved in people’s lives. It goes beyond commerce. It’s inextricably linked to building new opportunities for people to learn, understand, grow.
And equally importantly, it takes you to open your ears. Podcasting is always sharing what we’ve learned, but it’s a lesson in learning for ourselves. We need to communicate, not speak. Communicate between, not to. Your ultimate goal is to open up lines of communication and feedback so that your communities of listeners can have their say, too. That, my gorgeous friends, is when the magic happens and you get all that you wished for.
Involving people in your podcasts is the holy grail. Perhaps the podcaster with the most to gain is the host flying solo – for your listeners are your extended family, your mastermind group, your key to future success.
As I’ve said before, podcasting isn’t for everyone. It takes equal parts passion and tenacity. But if you want to be useful, and you want to grow, take heed of engagement, involvement and interaction – they could be the three most important words you’ll hear on your podcasting journey.
