S1E12 - Ologies’ Alie Ward on reaching 50 Million Downloads by treating scientists like rock stars

In this episode, we have Alie Ward as a guest! Alie is a science journalist and host of Ologies, a  smart, fun science podcast filled with bizarre stories and science knowledge from many different fields (or -ologies!).

She is also the Daytime Emmy Award-winning science correspondent for CBS’s "The Henry Ford's Innovation Nation with Mo Rocca,” and host of “Did I Mention Invention?” on the CW.

Reaching 50 million downloads on Ologies, we reached out to talk about:

• Building a  science podcast with the audience, and how they get involved
• Turning scientists into rockstars and tackling anti-science sentiment
• Misconceptions about scientists and the adventures they have
• Why Alie recommends starting a paid membership from the beginning
• Smart ways to involve the audience so they go from passive listeners to fully invested (and paying) subscribers!

Enjoy!

Timestamps

• 2:16 Describing Ologies to the high school teacher
• 3:57 Starting Ologies independent from networks
• 5:17 Ology's listening stats
• 6:19 Ology listeners choose to have fun and do some lifelong learning
• 6:46 "There is science in everything"
• 7:52 How Alie Ward sustains the show through paid membership and ads
• 9:47 Choosing where the money goes, and the art of giving back
• 11:06 Who are the listeners? Alie Ward describes the Ologites
• 13:05 Turning scientists into rockstars and the battle against anti-science sentiment
• 16:02 Scientists have adventures, and the academic ivory tower
• 17:01 Building the podcast with the audience: How Alie Ward started Ologies
• 19:07 You don't have to build your show alone
• 21:30 People who will support you will support you from the start
• 23:11 What are you giving to your supporters for $5 a month?
• 24:02 What Alie would do differently with paid memberships
• 25:41 What's next for Ologies

Join us in the FREE Supercast premium feed and you get to hear Alie talk about:

• The power of establishing a strong relationship with the listener from the very beginning
• The fear of throwing all of ourselves into our passions
• Taking risks, and getting permission as a creator

Sign up here: premium.supercast.com

Links

• Ologies Website
• Twitter
• Ologies Instagram