Podcast legacy, return on investment, and adventure on the high seas!
Advice: Make your podcast stand the test of time (and book a rib-tour!)
On Sunday, we wanted to do something fun as a family to mark the end of the school holidays.
So we booked with friends to take a rib-boat ride from Eyemouth Harbour, in the Berwickshire Marine Reserve.
It was cracking. 10/10. Would totally recommend.
The cliffs and harbours are stunning.
The waters are totally pristine, and teeming with life. We saw seals, all sorts of birds, and even a pod of porpoises (not actually dolphins, I was told, but basically dolphins).
On our way back to harbour, our skipper opened out the throttle and did some turns at speed - to satisfy our junior thrillseekers.
Then, we went for lunch to Ebbcars Cafe in St Abbs; their famous Cullen Skink and a side of chips. Also brilliant.
Me and my boys (OK, mostly me) are big fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and St Abbs was a key filming location for some of the films. It’s why there are signposts around the village marked ‘St Abbs, twinned with New Asgard’.
So - a cracking day was had by all. Tim and Laura who run the rib trips are brilliant hosts. Please do book with them - they're great.
Why am I telling you this, you may ask.
I’m making a somewhat meandering point about podcast legacy and return on investment.
Back in 2020, when I first left the BBC and launched Bespoken Media, one of our first clients was the South of Scotland Destination Alliance. They promote and support tourism in the South of Scotland.
They commissioned a series showcasing all that south Scotland has to offer to tourists and visitors.
The series (and in fact their entire campaign) is called Scotland Starts Here. The rib ride trip is in episode 2 - 'Active and Outdoors'.
I went on a rib trip with Tim for that series - and absolutely loved it!
For the same episode, I went hiking with a Pentland ranger, met some brilliant people running bike tours and horse trails, and even went on a sheepdog experience.
There are 8 'Scotland Starts Here' episodes in total, showcasing Adventure, Heritage and History, Family Days Out, Food and Drink, Arts and Culture and much more.
Five years on, with zero further spend from the client, those episodes are STILL reaching new people, and having an impact.
They are widely listened to and shared by potential visitors from across the globe, and are instrumental in shaping family days out for people near and far (including myself and my family - and hopefully now, also you!)
So, if you're thinking about launching a podcast - my strong advice is to think about making something that will stand the test of time.
Make it so that it is still serving you and your brand - and connecting you with the people you want to reach - 5, 10, 20 years from now.
Make it evergreen. And make it totally brilliant. (Our Bespoken team can help with that).
It might be a bigger investment in the short term - but you will be winning hearts and minds (and getting families booked onto ocean adventures) for years after the project spend has long ago dropped away.
