The document discusses how podcasters can build communities around their shows to foster connections with listeners and potentially generate revenue. It defines communities as groups of people who share common interests and interact through conversation and sharing. Building a community can add value to podcasts and bring listeners closer. The document examines community platform options like Slack, Discord, Discourse, Reddit and Mighty Networks and provides tips for attracting early members from existing mailing lists and within other online communities. It also presents case studies of podcasts that have successfully used platforms like Patreon, Discord, forums and subreddits to engage listeners and surface questions. The goal is to empower listeners while maintaining the community for connection rather than direct promotion.

1. Building a thriving
community that rewards
you and your listeners
Connect and empower listeners to create community
spaces that govern themselves
with Mark Steadman

2. Accessibility

3. Who am I?
• Founder of podcasting
company Podiant
• Work with podcasters in the
500-5k downloads area
• Also with TV personalities,
authors and performers
One truth. One lie
• I run a Hitchhiker’s Guide to
the Galaxy fan club
• My sea shanty was played on
BBC Radio 4

4. What we’ll cover
• What communities are
• Why they’re useful to you
• What makes a community
• What tools are available
• How to bring people in
• Case studies
• Questions
• Cake

5. Community
• People who are in touch with each-other
• Conversation and sharing
• You can’t converse or share if you can’t contact people
• They share something in common
• Interest, cause, geography
• Communities are ownerless

6. Why start a community?
• Add value to your podcast
• Foster a sense of belonging
• Brings you closer to your listeners
• Potential revenue stream
• Permission-based marketing

7. The clubhouse (not that one)
• A shared space for people to interact
• Make it easy to enter
• Make it easy to interact
• The destination does not make the community
• Let’s look at some options

8. Slack
• iOS, Android, desktop, web
• IRC chat with more rich features
• Share images, videos,
fi
les, links
• Collaborate with a team
• Integrate other apps
• Separate channels with di
ff
erent permissions
• Running a community using paid features can get expensive

9. Discord
• Similar to Slack
• More community focused
• Has roots in gaming but is open to all
• Add Patreon or Memberful supporters instantly to community
• Moderation tools
• Audio chat
• Highly versatile for free

10. Discourse
• Web only
• Old-school forum with a new-school interface
• Bit of a learning curve
• Great for archiving knowledge (Q&As)
• Self-hosted (needs a techie to setup)

11. Reddit
• Discrete forums (yourpodcast.reddit.com)
• Very little setup
• Solid moderation tools
• Culture discourages spam and self-promotion
• Has a bit of a stink to it

12. Mighty Networks
• Anyone remember Ning?
• Social network in a box
• Apps for iOS and Android
• Articles, polls, comments, instant chat
• Groups, DMs, friendships
• Events, courses
• Take payment, make invite-only, or totally open

13. The people
• Start with your mailing list
• Mention it on your podcast
• Add the link in your show notes
• Link to it from your website
• Ask friends and family to join
• Find other community clubhouses

14. Case studies
Four examples from revenue-generating podcasts

15. Daily Tech News Show
• Patreon perk
• Slack group for “DTNS bosses”
• It’s where the show is prepped
• Direct access to creators

16. Relay FM
• Memberful program for network
• Discord server across all Relay shows
• Heavily moderated
• Inclusive
• Use a special keyword (like a hashtag) to ask questions

17. Automators
• Forum open to all
• Discourse site at talk.automators.fm
• People share tips on automation, scripting, smart home, etc
• They host discussions for friends’ projects
• Mentioned at the end of every episode
• Answers to questions surfaced in search engine results

18. Night Attack
• Podcast co-hosted by community expert and performer
• Subreddit for fans to share links and stories
• Faux-exclusive club called “The Diamond Club”
• Free and open to all
• Listeners can share what projects they’re working on
• Others vote on the best suggestions
• The top 3 voted-on suggestions are read out each week

19. Wrapping up
• Communities build
connection
• We are only custodians
• Free and paid tools available
• They can add value
• They can drive revenue
* I don’t have a Hitchhiker’s fan club

20. Podiant Loop
• Podcast group mentorship
• Helping people
• Know their audience
• Grow their in
fl
uence
• Keep connected
• Stay motivated
• Free open session
• Tomorrow 5pm GMT
• podiant.co/loop

21. Questions?
pcast.link/podfest