The Echo of Community: Elsie Escobar & Rob Walch on Feedback and Longevity in Podcasting

IN THIS EPISODE: Lucas Dickey interviews long-time podcasting veterans Rob Walch and Elsie Escobar about their 17-year collaboration on 'The Feed', exploring their podcasting experiences, content creation strategies, and the evolution of their industry involvement.

TOPICS: Feedback, Production, Community, Podcasting, Customers

SUMMARY:
This episode features Rob Walch and Elsie Escobar, two long-time podcasting veterans who have been co-hosting 'The Feed' for Libsyn for over 17 years. Both Walch and Escobar share their extensive backgrounds in podcasting, with Escobar noting she entered podcasting in 2006 as a creative outlet without any initial technological knowledge, while Walch has been a full-time podcaster since April 2005.

The episode delves into their podcast production process for 'The Feed', which heavily relies on listener feedback and an ongoing list of topics. They emphasize the importance of maintaining a dedicated email address for podcast communication, with Escobar recommending a specific email address as the primary method for gathering listener input, including written and audio feedback.

Throughout the conversation, they discuss the evolution of their podcasting journey, highlighting how their workload and professional commitments have changed over the years. They maintain their podcast through collaborative research, gathering articles and listener questions, and have developed a workflow that allows them to consistently produce content even with increasingly busy schedules.

KEY QUOTE:
• "For the podcasting space specifically, you really have to think less about where you really like to be, but where your audience is going to be." - Elsie E.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• Successful podcasting requires understanding and engaging with your audience where they naturally congregate, not just where you prefer to be
• Podcast content can be heavily driven by listener feedback, with shows like 'The Feed' sourcing over half their episode content from audience questions and interactions
• Email remains a critical communication channel for podcast audience engagement, with a dedicated podcast email address recommended as a best practice for creators
• Podcast production approaches can vary widely, with some hosts like Rob Walch requiring scripted preparation while others like Elsie Escobar are more comfortable with spontaneous discussion
• The podcasting landscape has become increasingly complex and time-consuming for long-time creators, with more professional responsibilities and scheduling challenges
• Building a podcast community is often about enthusiasm, networking, and being open to learning from other podcasters and audience members

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