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Why People Are Listening to Investing Podcasts
Last year, according to a report from Edison Research, the total number of people who had listened to a podcast surpassed 50%. This was a first.
And it’s no surprise. Podcasts seem ubiquitous in our culture – everyone has one. This includes money and investing podcasts.
In fact, there are some great podcasts available that focus on investing, and that provide listeners a chance to learn new things that help them make the most of their money.
The best part? You can consume this information in the car, while working out or while commuting by train. An investing podcast allows you the chance to learn more while cooking dinner, going for a walk or doing just about anything.
They also provide a focus on issues that can get swept under the rug.
“The Fairer Cents,” which is hosted by Kara Perez and Tanja Hester, takes a look at finance and investing from a feminist perspective. Their podcast has grown exponentially since it started a couple of years ago.
“I think ‘The Fairer Cents’ has resonated and grown as quickly as it has because we talk about things other people shy away from, but are realities of our world,” Perez says.
This podcast particularly focuses on how issues like motherhood, emotional labor and the wage gap all contribute to financial inequality – which can in turn impact how much discretionary income women have to invest.
“Ignoring these things helps no one,” Perez says. “By talking about them, we give listeners a place to be seen, share their own stories and to raise the discourse around the issue to the mainstream.”
Other popular finance and investing podcasts might not focus on these issues all the time, but they sometimes address them.
For example, “Journey to Launch,” hosted by Jamila Souffrant, recently posted an episode diving into America’s “black tax” with Shawn Rochester, looking at some of the realities facing people of color and how they can close the wealth gap.
Podcasts also look at investing from multiple angles.
Rather than looking at issues that might be ignored in the world of investing, the “Money Tree” podcast, hosted by Kirk Chisholm, takes a unique approach. After interviewing an investor or expert about a specific topic or financial strategy, a panel of experts discusses the concepts learned and offers its own insights.
“Most media formats today are providing people with the same talking points,” Chisholm says. “Our format allows our listeners to think outside as they get a diversity of thought from the panelists. They can make more informed decisions.”
Indeed, Chisholm says that the most common feedback he receives on the podcast, which regularly gets between 50,000 and 60,000 downloads per month, is that the panel portion is extremely helpful.
Because listeners are exposed to different viewpoints and the panelists aren’t always the same week-to-week, it’s possible for more people to find situations that apply to their own circumstances.
“The great thing about investing and personal finance is that there is no singular truth,” Chisholm says. “We explore these different perspectives and strategies in a way that empowers listeners to take control.”
Similarly, the popular podcast “Stacking Benjamins” pulls in a roundtable of experts to talk about different investing and finance issues. This podcast also includes news items, making its information and insight timely to the audience.
No matter what type of investing you hope to get involved with, there’s probably a podcast for that. There are podcasts for beginners and intermediate traders, as well as podcasts that dive into issues that seem esoteric at first but have a real impact.
For example, David Stein, host of “Money for the Rest of Us,” frequently looks at issues that seem distant from the “regular” investor. One recent episode, “Why You Should Care About Carry Trades,” delves into the way carry trades impact the overall investing environment.
Most ordinary investors aren’t going to be involved in carry trades – but they could make a difference in your portfolio.
Because there are so many podcasts to consider, covering a wide range of topics related to investing, it’s possible for you to find what you’re looking for, get solid information and then go out and be a better investor.
Podcasts are growing in popularity because they are convenient. You can find something that fits the time you have, the subjects you’re looking for and a host that resonates with you.
All you have to do is subscribe, and then you can learn at your leisure, without worrying about someone else’s schedule. That’s the real magic of investing podcasts.
