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The 5 best podcasts for event organisers

The 5 best podcasts for event organisers

Do you listen to podcasts?

If so, you’re not alone: 23% of UK adults listened a podcast in the last month.

Whether the podcast wave has swept right past you, or you’re an avid true crime fan, prepare to get excited. Event-centric podcasts are a free, easy to find, easy to download resource that could transform your next event or conference.

If you’re new to podcasts…

Girl working on a laptop with headphones on

How do I listen to podcasts?

To listen to podcasts on the go, you’ll need an app for your mobile phone.

Apple and Android both have their own podcast apps – Podcast and Google Podcast respectively – but there’s a huge range of options available. On iOS, Overcast offers a simple sleek interface for free. Android users might try Podcast Addict, which has a sleep timer and Chromecast support, or Podcast Republic for a single app to manage playlists, live radio streaming, audiobooks all in one.  Once you’ve chosen your app, use it to subscribe to a podcast feed, and download or stream episodes.

You don’t need to use your phone, however. If you’d rather listen at work, you can stream any podcast on your desktop. Either visit the podcast’s own website and stream episodes directly, or head for a podcast directory like iTunes or popular German directory FYYD to search by topic.

Best of all, many podcasts also provide a full transcript of their content, making them accessible for those with hearing loss too.

When can I listen to podcasts?

If you’re a commuter, podcasts are a great way to make that time valuable. Fit in an episode on the treadmill at the gym, or while you’re doing the weekly shop.

Alternatively, slot it into your working day: while you’re doing a dull job like waiting for the photocopier, or during a lunchtime walk to help you get away from your desk.

The Top 5 podcasts for conferences and events

GathergeeksAndre Wells Gathergeeks

The Gathergeeks podcast from BizBash is a must for event professionals.

Covering every aspect of live events, the podcast offers round-table interviews with North American experts in their field. Try A Primer on Planning Major Events to give your next major conference some sizzle, with insight from the production company behind US Presidential inaugurations. Or get the basics in place, with Heather Mason’s 10 New Rules for Event Success.

Hosts David Adler and Beth Kormanik keep the conversation brisk and tight, and most episodes are between 40 minutes and an hour in length.

TED Talks Business

 

It’s no surprise to see the TED brand on this list. TED Talks have become a bitesize staple for any proactive thinker who wants to keep learning new skills.

While TED Talks Business is available in the familiar video platform, these talks are also available as podcasts. Topics range from goal setting to diversity and inclusion, business success stories to self-motivation, and the short format – most episodes are 10 minutes long – makes the content easy to digest.

From the archive: Go Green: how to make your event eco-friendly

Behind the Clipboard

Behind the Clipboard podcast

This Australian podcast is new, so it doesn’t have a vast archive to dip into – but it’s already offering a solid range of great advice.

Your three hosts, Krystle, Tam and Mel run their own events management company, with over ten years’ experience in the business. Their approach is accessible and upbeat, and episodes come in at a comfy 25 minutes.

Check out Food glorious food for practical catering advice, or The Truth about Run Sheets! to learn why it’s more than just a list of timings.

#EventIcons

People dressed up as characters going up an escalator

Endless Entertainment’s #EventIcons podcast brings quality guests from across the North American industry to share their professional insight.

Expect big names from the industry, from brands like Hubspot and LinkedIn to the minds behind events like SXSW and New York Comic Con (pictured) – all before a live studio audience. You’ll get a good hour of high-level, practical and current advice from every weekly episode.

For a catch up on key trends for the year, try Event Design Trends 2019 or  Top Event Tech Trends 2019. Or just get down to the nitty-gritty with Make Your Event Wi-Fi Not Suck.

LSE IQ

While it’s not event-specific, this always informative series is a great example of a university seizing the opportunities offered by podcasting.

The podcast exploits the wealth of academic expertise available to answer key social science questions: from Can activism really change the world? to How do you win an argument?

The LSE public lectures & events series is also well worth a listen, covering global politics and history, the social sciences, culture and economics from a rigorous academic perspective. Just bear in mind these are recordings, so don’t have the same crisp quality you expect from a traditional studio podcast, and episodes usually last around 90 minutes.

If you’re organising an academic conference, these podcasts can be an effective way to support breaks between sessions, with relevant content that stimulates discussion and adds value.

Read more: Best swag ideas for conferences and events

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