Jonathan from Halfwits & Failed Crits asks, "My question is about podcast networks. When should you start one, join one, or should you avoid them?"
TL;DR
Many of today's most popular podcasts are a part of podcast networks. These networks pool together groups of shows for better access to sponsors, faster growth, and better exposure. They can be an excellent option for independent podcasters, but there are a couple of things to be aware of before signing on the dotted line.
Pro #1: Easier access to sponsors. The truth is, unless you're getting upwards of 50,000 downloads per episode, you're not going to get much interest from sponsors. But when you bundle your show together along with a dozen others, now you can negotiate based on your collective downloads across the entire network.
Pro #2: You may grow faster. One of the fastest ways to grow your podcast audience is by being a guest on other podcasts. Being a part of a podcast network means you'll be able to consistently land guest spots on multiple podcasts, exposing their listeners to your podcast and vice versa.
Con #1: You will lose some creative control. When you join a podcast network, they will likely have the last word on what you can and can't discuss. If you cover explicit content or care about which sponsors you promote to your listeners, make sure you'll be a good fit for what the network is already doing.
Con #2: You may lose ownership of your podcast. In addition to switching to your network's preferred podcast hosting platform, you may have to sign away the rights to your podcast to join the network. That means if you decide to leave the network at some point in the future, you can't take your podcast with you. Make sure to read the fine print.
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My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
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