Not All Content Is Created Equal

I have been in a blogging bubble.  For more than a decade.  I have been happily typing away creating content without a thought as to expressing myself in other ways.  Although I am fairly nimble with social media, I never considered creating in any other space.  And my consumption patterns have mimicked this bias.  I read blogs.  Only recently have I started to consume podcasts.  I certainly never watch You Tube or Facebook live.  Yet, strangely enough, I now am a podcaster.  Above all else, I have realized that not all content is created equal.  The skill sets required and the product produced are very different.

So which is better?  I am not sure yet.  I have now recorded five podcasts and have another ten scheduled for the next few weeks.  While I can already see the benefits of this new medium, I also struggle with some unexpected issues.

Let’s take a closer look.

Podcasting Is  A Team Sport

For me at least it is.  We create panel discussions with each podcast having a minimum of five people involved.  Unlike blogging, the stress of content creation is not only my responsibility.  Not only do I have a cohost, but a whole panel of people who have to show up and say something intelligent.  This takes a lot of pressure of my shoulders.

But it isn’t stress free.  The flow of the episode, the arc of the conversation, has to be both carefully crafted but also leave room for unexpected turns.  There is a skill set associated with being the crafter and guider of the conversation.  While I enjoy this role and am getting better at it, it definitely keeps me on my toes.

Not all content is created equal.  With podcasting there are a lot more logistics.  If I want to write a blog post, I sit down at my computer and type away.  Organizing five or six people across time zones for a group discussion is much harder.  There is a great deal more work required to create each parcel of content.

Channeling Brilliance

Blogging, in its purest form, is conjuring up a fountain of brilliance from your innermost profound thoughts.  It is  a highly personal journey that delves into you own beliefs and hopefully ends in a well thought out, concise, resuscitation of ideas.

Being a podcast host is a completely different creature.  Your brilliance, by necessity, needs to be least apparent of all.  If done correctly, your goal is to minimize yourself and maximize the voice on the other side of each question.

While your thoughts and opinions are important, they are not really the point of the episode.  Not all content is created equally, and your role as a facilitator is the proof.

Frequency

I blog everyday.  in fact it is what I have become known for.  There is a certain expectation to come to my site and see a new post each morning.  This is possible with short form blogging.  Tiring, but certainly possible.  I couldn’t see myself being able to do the same with podcasting.

There are just too many details, too many moving parts.  It seems like dropping 1-2 podcasts a week is the maximum.  Not all content is created equal.  The breadth and frequency of material varies across platforms.

Final Thoughts

I am a blogger.  I am becoming a podcaster.  Both activities are enjoyable and full of unique challenges.  I am learning that not all content is created equal.  And not all content is created equally.

For now my plan is to do both simultaneously.  to use the blog to generate ideas for the podcast and vice versa.  Will my writing frequency decrease?  Will the quality of one venture suffer from the virility of the other?

Only time will tell.