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Joe Rogan Podcast: Why it Works
- Andrew Neathery
- Dec 21, 2020
- 5 min read
If you had asked anyone if they had listened to the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast on December 24th, 2009 hardly anyone would have said yes. If you ask people that question now, millions would say they've seen it, and that's just on YouTube. Joe Rogan hosts one of the most popular podcasts on the air, making upwards of $75,000 per episode. Considering he released episode 1,567 today (November 19th, 2020), that’s a considerable monetary impact. But, what does Joe Rogan do to stay so popular? What has he done to keep all 1,567 episodes fresh and keep listeners coming back for more?
Here are 10 things every podcast creator should take away from Joe Rogan.
Stay Consistent- Joe Rogan did not start with the production value he does today. Since his first episode, there were some major changes over time. The visual quality was fuzzy and grainy, and the audio was muffled or muted. But, this is to be expected. Don’t expect your own podcast to take off like a rocket after one episode. Stick with it, keep creating. A famous content creator once said, “I had to make 100 comics for 100 followers.” The world rewards those who work hard and don’t back down.
Have Something Interesting To Share with the World - This may sound like a no-brainer, but this is an absolute must for creators looking to get a foot in the door. Joe Rogan has hosted an incredible assortment of guests on his show, ranging from scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson, athletic world-legend Lance Armstrong, and Tesla owner Elon Musk. Now I know what you’re thinking, “How am I going to get Elon Musk onto my show?” This goes back to point number one. You won't have huge stars asking to be on your show, but you need to start somewhere. Have your friends tell interesting stories or adventures that they have experienced or embarrassing times from high school. Give your audience something they want to listen to.
Find Your Niche- Your podcast won’t be a hit with everyone, but it will be a hit with someone. Going into the world of podcasting without knowing what you’re talking about or who you are talking to is like getting ready for a cross country road trip without a map… or a destination. There are podcasts for just about anything these days: murder mysteries, adventure tales, current events, tech info, the list is endless. Joe Rogan focuses on current events and comedy and has become great at smoothly talking about these topics. Practice what you know, get good at it, and find an audience.
Be Social Media Friendly - The attention span of the average person is getting shorter and shorter, so we all love a quick, funny, or interesting video to distract us for “just a second.” How many times have you gone onto YouTube just to spend the next portion of your life getting distracted by another recommended video? Create sample clips from your podcast and spread them around social media. Be the clip that distracts and makes people say, “Maybe one more video.” at two am. Cam Bertrand (@Camthecomedian) talks about how comedians will focus more on their two-minute clips than hour-long specials. You are more likely to watch a short clip of a comedian you didn't know than an entire two hour stand up special from a comedian you didn't know. But, after one clip, you watch another and another, and soon enough, you have watched two hours of content in two minutes segments. Joe Rogan has embraced this fully. There are hundreds of clips floating around the internet of the Joe Rogan Experience getting people interested in the rest of the episode or the next topic.
Know How Long You Want to Talk - Joe Rogan has this down to a science. Note that the Joe Rogan Experience episodes run longer than most podcasts, but it is the perfect amount of time to run an interview and let guests talk about their topics. You never want a lull in the conversation and being on top of things can get you out of an awkward situation.
Plan Your Episodes - While spur of the moment jokes or stories can be pure gold, you can’t always count on that happening. Make sure to plan out what you want to talk about with your guests and know that the two of you are on the same page. This is another factor to eliminate lulls or empty content from your podcast.
You are Not the Star of the Show - The guest or story is the main focus of the podcast. Joe Rogan does an excellent job of maintaining this throughout his show. He knows that he is not the focus, the focus is on the guests. His job is to highlight the guests and guide them through an entertaining show for the viewer.
Be the Best Host - As mentioned in the previous tip, you are here to guide the podcast to greatness. That means, if there is a lull or the guest doesn’t know what to say, it is your job to take control and bring the conversation back on track. Joe Rogan does an efficient and seemingly effortless job of guiding the conversation while not being too intrusive. Nudging the guest with a question or filling in where they might come short is nothing to worry about. Everyone has a moment where they are stuck and it is your job as the host to help them out.
Be Quotable - Likewise to being social media-friendly, be quotable. While this cannot always be controlled how you would like, having people quote you and pass along your voice is a great way to spread your work. Joe Rogan even has an entire sub-Reddit to his saying called “Roganisms.” These are the saying that people have caught on to that have taken off as things that Joe Rogan says and other people are repeating.
Be Someone Others Want To Listen to - Podcasting is not for everyone. And while that is hard to hear sometimes, it’s the truth. Be open to feedback and carefully consider criticism. There is a certain level of charisma and personality that draws people into wanting more. Someone who can make people listen and click on the next episode is hard to come by and sometimes it just takes practice to get there, which leads us back to tip one, “Be Consistent.”
You won’t be famous in one day, I can promise you that. But, you never know how far you can grow with patients and consistency. Take time and polish your work and make sure that it’s ready to go out to the world. And if you have a story to tell, a joke to be told, or a podcast to put out? Do it, you have what it takes to let the world hear what you have to say.
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