Chris Krimitsos: On All You Need to Know About Podcasting

How can you start your podcast? What role does podcasting play in PR? What’s the best way to run virtual events? Podcasting pro and event-planning mastermind Chris Krimitsos shares all of his secrets on how to keep producing content during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this episode of the Social PR Secrets Podcast, host Lisa Buyer talks with Chris Krimitsos. Chris is the Chief Creative Officer and founder of Podfest Multimedia Expo. The event attracts content creators from around the world to share their expertise while learning from the best educators in the field of podcasting, YouTube, blogging, live streaming, and more. Chris is also the author of Start Ugly: A Timeless Tale About Innovation & Change. If you want to learn more about the world of podcasting and large-scale events, whether in-person or virtual, this episode is for you.

The Art and Science of Podcasting

Chris started the Florida Podcast Association in 2013. As his monthly workshops began growing, he realized podcasting was really on the rise. Out of those workshops came PodFest. The event started with 100 attendees in its first year and saw 2,000 people in attendance for the 2020 edition. About PodFest, Chris writes, “It's where the community merges their thoughts, hopes, ideas, and dreams. Whether Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced, this event sees independents and change-makers of all shapes, sizes, colors, interest groups, and locales unite!” In our episode, Chris explained he always allows PodFest to grow, and he follows where it wants to go. Talk about organic strategies!

When it comes to creating a podcast, Chris emphasizes the importance of strategy. But he also says that art and science intersect. So figuring out what your art is is also of utmost importance. “How are you functionalizing your art? Too many people copy but don’t functionalize who they are into their art,” he says. One of the critical elements of podcasts is sound design. Ask yourself: how am I designing a sound that will create an experience?

Trends in Podcasting

When asked how podcasts got so big, Chris says that creators got so corporatized by radio and TV. In turn, podcasting allowed the unleashing of what used to happen before the radio was still an art form. Podcasts also give creators the ability to reach a specific audience and do something different. The possibilities are endless. That’s why Chris’ main tip for people thinking about podcasting is Try it Out. Experiment instead of thinking about it, because that’s where you lose the most time. Just try your idea out, see how you like it, and understand that it might not be for you. If it’s not, it can be a first step towards the project that will work out.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many content creators came online, turned to podcasting to do outreach, and build a brand. Chris says that a lot of them are here to stay. He also explains that podcasters who got started a while ago could keep a stable flow of income during the pandemic because podcasts are fully run online. In terms of overall trends, Chris reveals that advertising money will be the next big game-changer. While the amount of money spent by brands to advertise on podcasts has been steadily growing over the past decade, Chris says it’s only the tip of the iceberg compared to what is about to happen. Money will allow for innovation and tools. That being said, Chris believes it will never change the unique relationship between content creators and their audience.

Running Virtual Events 101

As the pandemic reached the US, Chris and his team had to adapt. Lucky for them, they were already planning on organizing virtual events. And it shows: PodFest Global Summit broke the Guinness World Record for the largest attendance for a virtual podcasting conference in one week! But how did he do it? Here are Chris’ three tips on how to run a successful online event:

Answer these important questions first. What are you looking to service? To who? Have a clear vision for your content because a virtual event will make content the most crucial thing.
When planning your event, bring together between 5 and 100 people, explain what your event is about and give them a speaker submission form to fill out. This will allow you to secure speakers easily and start growing momentum around your project.
If you’re starting out, find a big sponsor and offer them to trade services. Instead of them paying you, settle on a separate agreement. If your event is successful, you’ve just secured a big sponsor for your next one!

Why do people judge online events differently? How can you innovate in the podcasting world? Are podcasts the new book tour? Listen to this episode to learn everything there is to know about podcasts and online events!

“Start ugly and perfectly execute along the way.” - Chris Krimitsos