So hard to believe it\u2019s already September?!<\/span><\/p>\n This past couple weeks we\u2019ve been doing a lot of reflection on the purpose of Podcast Magazine. Who are we? Who do we serve? How can we better engage with our readers? How do we grow our following? How do we bring on the right kind of partners and sponsors to share with our readers? You know, all the typical things business owners ought to be asking themselves periodically \u2013 at least annually, in my opinion.<\/span><\/p>\n It dawned on me that depending upon how and when you discovered us you may not be aware that we launched Podcast Magazine in February 2020 \u2013 under 100 days from idea to issue. We followed the first issue with an official launch party at our bi-annual New Media Summit\u2122 live event in March 2020. Who knew that hours after the launch party our lives, and the world as we knew it, would be shut down\u2013 and forever changed. Live events, a major source of our bread and butter, would no longer be happening for what turned out to be <\/span>much<\/span><\/i> longer than we ever anticipated.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We\u2019ve risen to the challenges over the last couple years. Podcasting most definitely saw a rise in popularity as the number of shows launched increased. That made the timing even more perfect for Podcast Magazine!<\/span><\/p>\n Why Podcast Magazine?<\/b><\/p>\n Our mission was (is!) clear in that we wanted to: 1) Support the growth of podcasting; 2) Be in service to you \u2013 the podcast fan \u2013 by introducing you to the shows, and the hosts who created them, with our in-depth <\/span>Beyond The Microphone<\/span><\/i> interviews; and, 3) Give podcast fans access to as many shows as possible. We wanted a way to tell you all about the shows you\u2019re not seeing atop the charts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We wanted a way for smaller yet very awesome shows to overcome the ascending spiral of the charts\u2026 You know, the popular shows backed by big platforms get all the exposure so they continue to grow in popularity because they are the vast majority of the shows that you hear about. We set out to change that by introducing you to the shows you may not have ever heard of, but ought to be listening to.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n How To Get The Most Out of Podcast Magazine<\/b><\/p>\n With all the reflecting I\u2019ve been doing, and with all the new subscribers we\u2019ve brought on, I figured why not share what we\u2019re all about and how you can get the most out of Podcast Magazine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n First and foremost \u2013 if you\u2019re not already\u2013 Read it! (okay, that seems super obvious, I know) I\u2019m suggesting that you don\u2019t just skip to your favorite category. Read it cover to cover. Truth is, many shows span multiple categories but there can only be <\/span>one<\/span><\/i> primary category for any particular show.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Our team of talented writers, whom we refer to as our Category Directors, each cover one of the 19 different Apple Podcasts <\/span>primary<\/span><\/i> categories. So even though you might be a Comedy fan, you\u2019d be surprised at the number of comedy podcasts you\u2019ll actually find under say True Crime. If you only look at the Comedy section you\u2019ll never discover other amazing shows that you would really enjoy listening to. The same holds true for our Under The Radar independent reviews.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Plus, many of our interviews include shows that the podcast hosts are listening to, so there\u2019s even more discovery possibilities that extend beyond what you may find on the pages of a single category.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Then, in each issue, we have our Off the Charts picks (different shows every month!) as well as our ever-popular <\/span>Hot 50\u2122 <\/b>chart, which is the <\/span>only<\/span><\/i> chart determined by fan votes. Even though there are some regulars appearing on the Hot 50 chart, there is always a group of newcomers.\u00a0 If you have podcasts, you want to recommend others check out, show them a little love by casting a vote at <\/span>https:\/\/PodcastMagazine.com\/hot50<\/span><\/a>. You can vote for up to three [different] shows each time, once a day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Did you know?<\/b><\/p>\n Each month we bring attention to 100 or more podcasts. Amazing, I know!<\/span><\/p>\n In each digital issue you have the ability to click right through to any of the shows. Those live links also include our Category Directors who are listed in the front of each issue as well as with each article. Same is true for each of our sponsors and advertisers. All can be reached at the click of a button!<\/span><\/p>\n As a lifestyle publication it might be easiest to think of us as the Sports Illustrated or Rolling Stone of the podcast industry. While you may see advertisements and sweepstakes prizes that are targeted toward the podcasters, we\u2019re not focused on that entirely. There is a crossover since podcasters are typically podcast fans, though the reality is that not all podcasters listen to shows other than their own. There are other publications and newsletters dedicated solely to the podcasters. We limit that content to keep Podcast Magazine focused on you \u2013 the podcast fan! It\u2019s what makes Podcast Magazine a one-of-a-kind publication.<\/span><\/p>\n With that in mind, we also feature cool every day stuff in our Gadgets, Gizmos, and Gear each month. And this year, our Annual Gift Guide will be bigger and better than ever \u2013 keep watch for that happening in November. We also have a fun new sweepstakes we\u2019re introducing in September (Hint: It\u2019s not equipment!)<\/span><\/p>\n