Is It Really Radio?

I was approached recently by one of those companies asking if I would like to have my own Internet radio show. Bottom line is that for a contract fee of only $6,000-$8,000 a year (or something like that) I could have my own show. Lucky me.

Which means that if sponsors don't buy that many ads, then I would pay that much for the pleasure of streaming audio through a website, which is the accurate description of what is happening. It is really a misnomer to call it a radio show or a radio station if you cannot pick it up on a radio receiver.

Radio advertisers always buy ads based on how many people listen to a show. That is the first question they always ask. The follow up questions will be about what kinds of people listen to the show.

Magazine and newspaper advertisers want to know how many people read those publications. TV advertisers want to know how many people watch those shows. Even when people buy ads on a website, they want to know how many people go to that website.

If you were the advertiser, wouldn't you ask the same question? Would you be willing to pay thousands of dollars for an ad without knowing how many people listen to a show?

Ask yourself. How many hours a week do you listen to Internet talk radio shows?

The person selling the concept will tell you that being on an Internet talk radio show is a great idea because the whole world can tune into your show.

Yes, and the whole world can read our blogs and websites, but how many people do?

Success on the web is dependent on two things. Creating a great website is step one. Getting people to come to it is step two.

While being the host of your own radio show certainly appeals to a person's vanity, before shelling out your money, ask the usual questions. How many people listen to this Internet talk radio station? How do you know?

Personally, when I want to listen to the radio, I turn on the radio. When I am researching things on the web, writing emails or writing my blog, I am focused on my task. I do not want some talk show to be broadcast out of my computer while I am doing these other things.

If you really like the idea of having your own talk show, make your own podcasts and make them available on your own website, since you are already promoting your own website and trying to get people to come to it. Even if you have to hire someone to teach you how to make a podcast, it will be far, far less than buying one of those contracts.

And you won't have to try to persuade people to buy ads or listen to you by going to somebody else's website. You can simply invite them to listen to your podcasts and visit your website, which is what you really want them to do anyway.

Just some things for you to consider when you get that call.