Does Your Podcast Alienate Your Listeners?
With the way things are today, there’s no excuse for creating content that only considers one (historically dominant) group.
From pop culture to social media, we’ve spent decades inundated with entertainment made for white, cisgender, able-bodied, and heterosexual folks.
Today, the world demands — and deserves — much more from content creators of all kinds, and your branded podcast should absolutely reflect that.
Below are some tips for building an inclusive podcast that will accurately reflect your brand’s conscience and values.
Amplify vital voices
Your podcast may just be the only opportunity you have to feature guests within your branded content — and we urge you to make the absolute most of it.
No matter your niche, you should be looking to elevate voices that have been historically ignored and undervalued.
This means choosing guests that…
Are black, indigenous, or people of color
Are LGBTQIA2S+
Have disabilities
And represent more than one gender
This isn’t just the morally responsible thing to do, it’s a measure everyone involved will benefit from.
Featuring diverse guests will…
Expand your circle of inclusion
Open the minds of many of your listeners
And expose your team to invaluable perspectives they might otherwise fail to consider
In other words, it’s a win-win-win. Need we say more?
Engage your listeners
If you want to foster inclusivity with your branded podcast, it’s also a great idea to engage your listeners.
Great podcasts are all about building community and relationships — and nobody wants a relationship where they’re always being spoken to.
When you foster a lively dialogue within your show, and through the social media activity that surrounds it, you invite your listeners to get involved.
This doesn’t just create a more open, collaborative environment, it welcomes a wide array of views, and sparks meaningful conversation around topics your team values.
Make room for conflicting opinions
While an open and inclusive dialogue is crucial within your community of listeners, it’s equally important to foster equitable conversations during your show.
Depending on the nature of your podcast, it may be appropriate to feature multiple guests — with entirely different backgrounds — at the same time, or within the same episode.
It is too easy to fall into the trap of sharing only a white, straight, or able-bodied perspective, simply because this is the status quo.
No matter how conscientious those folks may be, you should absolutely aim to share the stories and opinions of folks with different lived experiences.
When done responsibly, this should benefit your guests, your listeners, and your show — but remember, some opinions don’t call for a platform.
As far as we’re concerned, sexism, racism, ableism, homophobia, and transphobia should always be a definitive “no.”
Choose a suitable host
No matter the series you aim to create, you should be choosing a host that will prioritize integrity, sensitivity, and inclusion as they guide listeners through each episode.
They should be aware of the many -isms that plague our world, and should have the emotional intelligence and perspective needed to uphold the values and integrity of your show.
If you choose to feature guests from all walks of life — which you should, no matter the nature of your podcast — your host will also need some moderation skills.
This person should be able to…
Speak appropriately about sensitive subjects
Intervene in the event that a guest is being steamrolled
And stop talking when it’s the most appropriate thing to do
A qualified production agency should be able to help you find the perfect host, and train them for this important role.
Create accessible content
Finally, we have mentioned this before, but it’s important to consider accessibility when making your branded show.
There are a lot of steps to account for, but here are a few examples…
Publishing a transcript
Creating visual assets that account for color blindness
And making your playback speed adjustable
If you’re ready to dive deeper into accessible podcasting, don’t forget to check out this post.
Get professional help
If you consider your brand one with a social conscience, you should be sure you’re working with an agency that’s on the same page.
A qualified podcast production team should be able to help you create a show that’s diverse, inclusive, and accessible.
If they do share your values, that will probably be crystal clear — from their branding, to their content, to that very first discovery call.
And remember, podcasting should be an extraordinary joy and tremendous learning opportunity for everything involved. Let’s just keep it responsible.
Written by Roger Nairn, JarAudio.com. To learn more about podcast promotion and community development, check out our Ultimate Guide to Audience Growth.