Is Podcasting Still Worth It in 2025?

Is it worth starting a podcast in 2025? Dave Jackson dives into this question, addressing common concerns about the podcasting landscape and whether it remains a viable medium. He emphasizes that despite the increase in podcasts and competition, the audience for podcasts continues to grow yearly. Drawing an analogy to college football, he illustrates that passion and the desire to share a message are key motivators for many podcasters, regardless of the competitive environment. Jackson also highlights that monetization is not the only goal; many creators start podcasts simply to express their creativity and connect with others. For those considering podcasting, he stresses the importance of understanding your "why" and "who" to build a meaningful and engaged audience.Making it in the NFLThe odds of a football player making it to the NFL are extremely low. Only about 1.6% of college football players make it to the NFL2. For high school players, the chances are even slimmer, with only about 0.00075% (or roughly 1 in 133,333) of high school football players eventually making it to the NFL6.To break it down further:About 7.3% of high school players go on to play college football.Of those college players, only 1.2% get drafted to the NFL.Even for highly-rated recruits, the odds are challenging:Five-star recruits have about a 50% chance of being drafted.A 5-star recruit has a 39% chance of "sticking" in the league.These statistics highlight the extreme competitiveness and selectivity of professional football, emphasizing that making it to the NFL is a rare achievement that requires exceptional skill, dedication, and often a bit of luckTakeaways: Podcasting continues to grow every year, with millions of listeners in the U.S. alone. Just because podcasting seems crowded, it doesn't mean there isn't room for new voices. People often start podcasts not to make money but to share their passions and creativity. Understanding your audience is crucial—monetizing a podcast means monetizing your audience. Even successful podcasters initially started because they enjoyed discussing their topics and connecting with others. The competitive landscape of podcasting is much less daunting compared to platforms like YouTube. Mentioned in this episode:Podcasting in Six Weeks - Free CourseWe are bringing back Podcasting in Six Weeks and this time we are running an experiment and that is IT's FREE. Meeting weekly and go step by step and launch your podcast (it's designed for someone who does have a podcast, but wants one). Go to www.schoolofpodcasting.com/sixweeksPodcasting in Six WeeksReady To Grow Your Podcast?Starting August 19th (So sign up now) a cohort class at the School of Podcasting will lead members through the process and steps of growing your audience. You will receive feedback, and action steps to take to make your show in downloads, reach, and influence. Use the coupon code listener to save when you sign upSchool of PodcastingThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy