Joe Rogan got 2,000,000,0000 podcast downloads last year and Spotify tossed him $200 million.
But how the heck did he get so popular?
Here's why π§΅
But how the heck did he get so popular?
Here's why π§΅
1) The Everyman
Joe Rogan is sneaky smart.
But you would never know.
He comes off as a curious college frat bro that enjoys reading political philosophy on Tuesday nights.
His guests like Elon or Neil deGrasse Tyson are always smarter.
But that's the point.
Joe Rogan is sneaky smart.
But you would never know.
He comes off as a curious college frat bro that enjoys reading political philosophy on Tuesday nights.
His guests like Elon or Neil deGrasse Tyson are always smarter.
But that's the point.
Joe Rogan is the perfect proxy for the average guy or gal.
And if you want to build the biggest podcast on the planet, don't you want 8 billion potential listeners?
Rogan with podcasting is similar to @paulg's famous phrase in startups:
"Build something you yourself want".
And if you want to build the biggest podcast on the planet, don't you want 8 billion potential listeners?
Rogan with podcasting is similar to @paulg's famous phrase in startups:
"Build something you yourself want".
Alright, what do I mean?
For startups, if you yourself are the customer, you understand the problem and what to build to solve it.
You don't guess what the customer wants.
For podcasts, Rogan doesn't need to guess what the average guy or gal from Missouri wants.
For startups, if you yourself are the customer, you understand the problem and what to build to solve it.
You don't guess what the customer wants.
For podcasts, Rogan doesn't need to guess what the average guy or gal from Missouri wants.
He already knows.
Because he IS them.
Joe appeals to everyone which makes his market of potential listeners massive.
Because he IS them.
Joe appeals to everyone which makes his market of potential listeners massive.
2) An Early Adopter
Have you ever spent 5,331 hours doing anything?
Me neither.
Rogan has recorded 2,050 podcast episodes averaging 2.5 hours since 2009.
WTF.
As you may expect, if you do something for 5,000+ hours you can't be bad.
Have you ever spent 5,331 hours doing anything?
Me neither.
Rogan has recorded 2,050 podcast episodes averaging 2.5 hours since 2009.
WTF.
As you may expect, if you do something for 5,000+ hours you can't be bad.
But if my advice was "hey just go record for 5,331 hours and you'll be crazy famous and worth $200 million", I would unfollow myself right now.
Of course consistency and longevity is important.
But Rogan's secret sauce is the early adoption of audio...
Of course consistency and longevity is important.
But Rogan's secret sauce is the early adoption of audio...
β’ If you were first on Twitter, it was easier to gain followers
β’ If you were first on YouTube, it was easier to gain subscribers
β’ If you were the first to build iPhone apps, it was easier to get downloads
You get the point.
In 2009, only ~60,000 podcasts existed.
β’ If you were first on YouTube, it was easier to gain subscribers
β’ If you were the first to build iPhone apps, it was easier to get downloads
You get the point.
In 2009, only ~60,000 podcasts existed.
Today, 2.4 million do.
And even crazier, 2/3rds of all podcasts never publish more than 3 episodes.
So the 2nd flavor to his secret sauce:
He adopted audio early then showed up every day for a decade.
And even crazier, 2/3rds of all podcasts never publish more than 3 episodes.
So the 2nd flavor to his secret sauce:
He adopted audio early then showed up every day for a decade.
3) Burn the Script
Lastly, The Joe Rogan Experience has no script.
No big intro with a fancy guest bio followed by Joe steering the conversation towards tactical nuggets of wisdom.
Instead he starts by asking, "hey man how's it going?"
Or something similar.
Lastly, The Joe Rogan Experience has no script.
No big intro with a fancy guest bio followed by Joe steering the conversation towards tactical nuggets of wisdom.
Instead he starts by asking, "hey man how's it going?"
Or something similar.
It's the most anti-climactic start of a show I've ever seen.
And this is where the magic happens.
Right away, Joe delivers this message without ever saying it:
And this is where the magic happens.
Right away, Joe delivers this message without ever saying it:
"Look, this is just a convo with a curious buddy. There's no script. And I can promise an open mind and a endless curiosity about you."
The key to this approach?
The key to this approach?
Create comfort.
Ya see, most guests are nervous that 10+ million people are listening.
So Joe puts them at ease like a warm cup of oat milk to end the night.
And this is how you end up with the richest man on the planet (aka Elon) smoking weed with you.
Ya see, most guests are nervous that 10+ million people are listening.
So Joe puts them at ease like a warm cup of oat milk to end the night.
And this is how you end up with the richest man on the planet (aka Elon) smoking weed with you.
This doesn't mean don't prepare for the pod.
But the serendipity of no rigid script...
β’ Puts the guest at ease
β’ Let's you follow your curiosity
β’ Makes a listener feel in the room
But the serendipity of no rigid script...
β’ Puts the guest at ease
β’ Let's you follow your curiosity
β’ Makes a listener feel in the room
And that's addictingly entertaining.
Because most people just want some entertainment, some laughs, and some learnings.
And that my friends is how you end up building the worldβs biggest audio empire.
Because most people just want some entertainment, some laughs, and some learnings.
And that my friends is how you end up building the worldβs biggest audio empire.
To recap:
1) Building for yourself as an average guy gives you 8 billion potential listeners
2) Adopt a trend early and show up consistently
3) Burn the script to maximize serendipity
1) Building for yourself as an average guy gives you 8 billion potential listeners
2) Adopt a trend early and show up consistently
3) Burn the script to maximize serendipity
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I write long-form newsletter pieces about Rogan, Kanye and the concepts that frame the world.
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I write long-form newsletter pieces about Rogan, Kanye and the concepts that frame the world.
Get these deep dives straight to your inbox for free every Thursday, subscribe here:
chris-hladczuk.ck.page
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