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