As we find ourselves at the end of yet another semester that went by so fast, it’s an opportune moment to pause and reflect on the journey of our digital artifact. While it may not have soared to the heights of success we initially envisaged, it remains an invaluable experience that has left a profound mark on our academic and creative pursuits. It’s intriguing to note that this endeavour, which is evidently lacking any recorded episodes, has still been a worthwhile adventure.
Our idea, christened as the ‘Klopps and Robbers Pod,’ was born from a shared passion for the Liverpool football team. This podcast, envisioned as a platform to dissect the triumphs, tribulations, and the never-ending excitement surrounding Liverpool, was not solely a product of my own making. It was a collaborative effort, crafted with the creative synergy of my fellow student, Cruz, who shared an equal love for the subject matter. It was the perfect match for such a project.
What makes our project even more intriguing is the context in which it was nurtured. It found its rightful place within the overarching framework of Mavro Productions, a media company that I had embarked upon as an entrepreneurial endeavour. This company, under the umbrella of which ‘Klopps and Robbers Pod’ was nurtured, became a laboratory of sorts for us to experiment, innovate, and learn from our mistakes. It served as a vivid testament to the spirit of entrepreneurship and the exploratory nature of academia, where we weren’t just passive learners but active creators.
One critical aspect that, in hindsight, could have significantly enhanced our venture was the establishment of a fixed recording day. In the dynamic world of podcasting, consistency is key, and unfortunately, this is an area where we encountered substantial challenges. Regrettably, both our demanding academic commitments and personal responsibilities made it a tiring task to find a reliable and consistent time for recording. Our schedules often resembled tricky jigsaw puzzles, with every piece representing a pressing engagement, making it challenging to align them in a way that would allow for a regular recording routine.
Even when, through sheer perseverance, we did manage to temporarily align our schedules for recording sessions, the fickle nature of technology conspired to create a frustrating roadblock. Technical glitches, the eternal nemesis of podcasters and content creators, frequently thwarted our progress. From microphone malfunctions to erratic internet connections, these unforeseen issues became a recurring theme in our recording process. These setbacks demotivated us and, at times, even derailed our initial enthusiasm to record a podcast.
Similarly, the unpredictable spectre of erratic internet connections added yet another layer of complexity to our endeavour. The digital realm, while promising a boundless platform for creativity and expression, sometimes proved capricious in delivering the stability we needed. Whether it was the drop of a critical call or the lag in our real-time communication, these internet-related issues frequently disrupted the flow of our conversations and recording sessions.
This experience has undoubtedly provided me with a wealth of invaluable lessons and skills that, in hindsight, I now recognise could have been effectively applied to elevate the overall quality of the ‘Klopps and Robbers Pod’ and potentially allowed for at least one episode to be recorded. As I engage in retrospect and reflect upon this venture, it becomes increasingly apparent that valuable insights were gained along the way, insights that had the potential to transform and enhance the podcast in numerous ways.
One of the key lessons that stands out prominently is the significance of meticulous planning and project management. In the whirlwind of our schedules and technical challenges, it became evident that a well-structured plan, with defined roles and responsibilities, could have streamlined our operations and ensured a smoother production process. This, in turn, could have given us the much-needed consistency that is vital for podcast success.
Additionally, our journey exposed us to the complexities of audio technology and the necessity of having a robust technical setup. Understanding the nuances of microphones, sound editing software, and troubleshooting common technical issues would have greatly reduced the roadblocks we encountered. These insights, had we acquired them earlier, could have saved us countless hours of frustration and allowed for more productive recording sessions, and ultimately work on the goal which was to record the first podcast episode.
Moreover, the world of podcasting is a multifaceted endeavour, extending far beyond the creation of compelling content. It’s not solely about the content itself, but also the art of nurturing a community and executing effective marketing strategies, to keep the audience constantly engaged and to keep coming back to the podcast. Through the lens of our ‘Klopps and Robbers Pod’ project, we began to comprehend the multifaceted nature of this medium and recognize the profound significance of audience engagement and strategic promotion in achieving podcasting success.
Our journey enlightened the critical role that audience engagement plays in the podcasting world. We discovered that, beyond the compelling narratives and insightful discussions, fostering a sense of community around our podcast was very important. Building a loyal and engaged listener base is not merely a by-product of excellent content but a strategic method that demands consistent interaction and connection with the audience.
Upon reflection, the lessons learned regarding audience engagement and strategic promotion, had they been embedded in our approach from the very beginning, could have altered the trajectory of our podcasting adventure. They could have provided the momentum to push through obstacles, ultimately leading us to overcome the limitations that held back the ‘Klopps and Robbers Pod.’ This experience emphasises the dynamic nature of podcasting as a realm where content, community, and promotion are naturally linked and corroborated together, and their collaboration can determine the success of a project.
One noteworthy lesson was the importance of aligning our podcast with the criteria that L Forster defines for a successful podcast. Not only should the episodes have been well-structured and meticulously planned out, but they should have also featured engaging and dynamic hosts. Both Cruz and I initially set out with ambitious plans to delve deep into various aspects of the football team, including discussions about the team’s performance, games, new signings, and a pre-season analysis. However, as the weeks rolled on and games were played, the need to continually generate fresh, captivating content became apparent. Regrettably, many of these promising ideas remained unrealised, presenting us with a missed opportunity for enhancing the depth and variety of our podcast.
Interestingly, the lessons gleaned from the ‘Klopps and Robbers Pod’ found their true fruition in my parallel podcast endeavour, ‘Thrylos Global.’ Here, I not only applied the principles we had learned but also introduced fresh hosts to the mix, from Greece and Canada to expand the audience and fanbase. The result was nothing short of remarkable, with record-breaking listener numbers and meticulously crafted episodes. These elements not only ensured an engaging podcast but also made the recording process a truly enjoyable experience for all involved.
One can’t help but ponder the missed opportunities that this success of ‘Thrylos Global’ presents. These insights and strategies should unquestionably have been harnessed for the benefit of the ‘Klopps and Robbers Pod,’ at the very least, to draw in a more substantial audience. The allure of the game and the football enthusiasts who could have been a part of our listener base were within reach, had we taken full advantage of the knowledge we had gained from our previous project.
As the weeks passed, it became increasingly apparent that progress on the ‘Klopps and Robbers Pod’ was at a standstill, and a stark disparity in workload had emerged between the two podcast hosts. In the face of this situation, my primary focus shifted, and the ‘Thrylos Global’ podcast took centre stage as the unofficial core of the Digital Artefact project. It was in the embrace of this shift that I witnessed an encouraging surge of success.
With the ‘Thrylos Global’ podcast, we incorporated four dynamic hosts, with two new hosts, each hailing from different time zones and countries, Australia, Canada, and Greece. Remarkably, this diverse team managed to synchronize their schedules and consistently produce captivating episodes. In stark contrast, the ‘Klopps and Robbers Pod’ struggled in this regard, failing to maintain a similar rhythm and regularity with both of us hosts living within ten minutes of each other.
In the words of J. Hendricks, a podcast is like a face-to-face relationship with the performers. This intimacy, a variety of successful podcasts, was achieved during the recordings of ‘Thrylos Global.’ It was precisely the kind of connection we had intended to cultivate in the ‘Klopps and Robbers Pod.’ However, due to the lack of content production, this aspiration remained unfulfilled, leaving a void in the audience’s engagement and experience, and a project remained empty.
Our podcast journey was blocked by persistent technical hurdles that proved to be inevitable stumbling blocks. Despite our meticulous scripting and thorough preparation, these challenges emerged as relentless adversaries, putting our creative process in jeopardy. The disruption was not merely a minor inconvenience; it extended to the very core of our project, seeding seeds of doubt, and disheartening us as we attempted to reschedule recording sessions.
To delve deeper into the technical challenges we encountered, one glaring issue revolved around Cruz’s inability to effectively screen record and the absence of adequate recording equipment to seamlessly integrate with our YouTube live stream, in contrast to me who had a system already to go. Our ambitions extended to providing our audience with a multimedia experience, combining audio content on platforms like Spotify with a synchronised YouTube visual presentation, powered by StreamYard, a tool which has been used by the ‘Thrylos Global’ podcast since its inception. This idea of both Spotify and video was intended so that even if the audience missed the live stream, there was something to fall back on with the Spotify recording. However, the absence of necessary recording equipment and an adequate screen recording setup posed substantial obstacles to the operation of recording the first episode.
One of the key lessons that stands out prominently is the significance of meticulous planning and project management. In the whirlwind of our schedules and technical challenges, it became evident that a well-structured plan, with defined roles and responsibilities, could have streamlined our operations and ensured a smoother production process. This, in turn, could have given us the much-needed consistency that is vital for podcast success.
The success of ‘Thrylos Global’ under the Mavro Productions umbrella serves as a testament to the viability of our chosen niche, football podcasts. With a deeper understanding of market dynamics, competitive analysis, and audience preferences, we might have honed our content strategy to better align with what our audience was seeking, and ultimately add this success to the ‘Klopps and Robbers Pod’ podcast.
In conclusion, the ‘Klopps and Robbers Pod’ may not have delivered the anticipated episodes, but it has developed us with experiences, knowledge, and skills that will undoubtedly influence our future endeavours. It’s a testament to the power of learning by doing and the unpredictable yet fascinating journey of creating something from scratch. As we close the chapter on this semester, we carry forward the wisdom of our unique journey, ready to apply it to future projects and challenges, with renewed determination and spirit.
Bibliography
J, A, Hendricks, 2020, Radio’s Second Century: Past, Present, and Future Perspectives.
L, Forster, 2022, What Makes a Good Podcast? 11 Expert Tips for Success, Matchmaker, accessed 25th October 2023, https://amplify.matchmaker.fm/what-makes-a-good-podcast/.
Mavro Productions 