Why Conservatives Should Dabble Into Podcasting in 2019

I took the plunge into podcasting this year. Believe it or not, I’m relieved I did.

I must confess: I downplayed the medium and its emergence onto the scene. I thought, who has time to listen to podcasts? I certainly don’t! I certainly wasn’t listening to many this time last year. I had briefly co-hosted a podcast with my sister, but we pulled the plug on it after the third episode. Our work schedules got the better of us and we had different goals. That’s okay—we still collaborate here and there. I put podcasting on the back-burner until District of Conservation was born in late summer 2018.

Since I work from home, I now have plenty of opportunities to listen to podcasts while chugging away at client work. I’ve enjoyed listening to live or podcast episodes of The Dana Show by NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch. (She’s super smart and a hoot.) Although I’ve lived, eaten, and breathed conservative politics most of my young adult life, I don’t mostly consume political podcasts. I enjoy listening to podcasts hosted by conservative people on conservative topics and conservative hosts who don’t dedicate their podcasts to politics.

Here are some of my favorite podcasts, political and not-political:

• TRIGGERED by Townhall editors Matt Vespa and Storm Paglia ( for funny takes on politics from a conservative edge)
• Ericka Andersen Sylvester’s female-centered WORTH YOUR TIME;
• Fly angler/bowhunter April Vokey’s ANCHORED podcast;
• RESTLESS NATIVE by GoWild co-founder, Brad Luttrell;

Why the rise of podcasts? They are easy to consume and can be curated easily to listeners’ liking. As of December 2018, there are 630,000 podcasts out there in existence. As of April 2018, there were over 50 billion downloads of podcasts on Apple iTunes. Millennials aged 18-34 consume podcasts the most. The average podcast episode is 45 minutes, while the typical podcast ad is 90 seconds long.

Podcast Insights also has a good graphic on 2018 podcast stats:

 

Credit: podcastinsights.com

Here’s a quick takeaway from the graphic:

• 44% of the U.S. population listened to a podcast this year
• Most people consume podcasts at home versus consuming podcasts while driving
• Podcast listeners report to be “loyal, affluent, and educated.”

 

Here’s why conservatives should host more political programming and/or produce non-political content through podcasts:

We lagged behind on social media for a long time and can’t do the same for podcasts. 

Remember when Democrats mastered the social media in 2008 and conservatives lagged behind for an election cycle? Well, they are almost blowing us out of the water in podcasting too. This time around, conservatives are paying more attention to this emerging platform and jumping on board.

The left certainly occupies this space well. I’ve got to admit that. However, it would be nice if Pod Save America isn’t the only sought-after political podcast out there.

One conservative figure who does this well is conservative author and “Daily Wire” Editor-in-Chief Ben Shapiro, who has one of the top rated podcasts now. His podcast, The Ben Shapiro Show, currently sits at the #33 spot on Apple Podcasts in the U.S. of All Podcasts and the #11 spot for Apple Podcasts in the U.S. in News & Politics according to Chartable, as of this writing. In August 2017, it was the second most popular podcast in America. Shapiro knows his stuff, has a massive audience, and brings on interesting guests. It isn’t a surprise to see him succeed in podcasting.

To learn who in center-right politics is mastering podcasts, go here. Townhall’s list of 20 best conservative podcasts is on-point too. Ricochet launched a podcast network to accommodate more conservative-leaning podcasts.

Whether it’s a political conservative podcast or a podcast hosted by conservatives, our ideas win if we get our content out there.

Radio out, podcasts in? Trends seem to suggest so. 

Talk radio won’t go anywhere soon, but it can phase out in the future—much like the folding of print newspapers with the advent of the Internet.

Digital Trends forecasts the advent of radio’s demise since Generation Z—those born after 1995—aren’t listening to AM/FM radio in droves.

Some conservative radio talk show hosts are either ditching radio altogether for podcasts (Fox News host Laura Ingraham) or having an accompanying podcast which collects and airs radio shows that aired earlier in the day.

Want to start a podcast? It’s easier than you think!

Not sure how to start a podcast? What equipment you should use? Where you should distribute your podcast? I’ll help guide you.

Many people scramble over equipment. Some encouraged me to go all-out and invest in all the high-tech equipment, but with my freelancing business, still in its infancy, I have to be careful how I spend on gear. I found more affordable alternatives that produce maximum quality.

What you’ll need:

• A laptop to record and edit podcasts (solo or guests)
• Garageband (iOS) or similar recording service (free); You can use Anchor.fm to record guests remotely or Skype
• 1-2 Microphones
• 1-2 pairs of headphones

 

Here’s my to-go gear for District of Conservation.

Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB Cardioid Dynamic USB/XLR Microphone

 

Both Brad Luttrell (Restless Native) and Sam Ayres (Living Country in the City) recommended this mic to me. The sound quality is second-to-none, it’s reliable, picks up sound well, and it’s going to price you out of your budget.

Amazon Price: $66.95 (plus shipping and handling)

 

 

This is for guests. I’ve recorded podcast episodes outside my home studio and recognized the need to get a second mic. You can buy two Audio Technica’s, but this is good for guests when you’re recording on your laptop. I just bought it from Best Buy and don’t let the price fool you: it’s got robust sound quality with with a pop filter.

Best Buy: $59.99 (before tax or S&H)

GarageBand

 

You can record and edit your podcast episodes in GarageBand, if you’re an iOS user. (There are options available for PC users too.) This is free and easy to use. You can even record with two mics (as listed above).

 

If you’re a conservative and want to have maximum distribution and reach, I recommend hiring author and podcast host Remso W. Martinez, who is a frequent collaborator of mine. He can assess and audit your podcast in its current standing. Here’s what he did when establishing his first podcast:

• 3-5 month of promotional advertising to create an audience and interest.
• Develop minisode promotional content to give people a flavor of the show.
• Create a list of potential/committed guests.
• Create recording dates with each guest.
• Create the show schedule for when each episode airs.
• Have enough sponsors prior to airing so that I could cover initial costs to break even.
• Establish a good analytics tool so that I can monitor listeners/downloads to gauge progress.
• Re-evaluate at the mid point and end of the season to understand how to make the next one better.

 

You can learn more about hiring him and sign up for his Champion Pundit Academy.

 

Final Thoughts

Podcasting is a good venue for conservatives because they can reach Millennials, which make up 25% of the U.S. population, who consume podcasts the most.

Podcasting can be profitable, as advertisers are channeling their efforts to this medium more versus traditional marketing avenues.

Podcasting, without a doubt, IS the future of long-form communication and dialogue.

 

Convinced to start one? Ready to launch? You can do this:

1. Request to join the Conservative Podcasters Facebook Group
2. If in DC Metro area, attend a future Conservative Podcasting Happy Hour hosted by Heritage Foundation -or- start your own regional conservative podcast networking group
3. Take a Conservative Podcast School training at Leadership Institute—my old stomping grounds.

 

Good luck! If you haven’t already, subscribe and follow District of Conservation at these participating podcast portals: