According to Nielsen, 97.1% of Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) adults have access to the internet. An online connection is all that is needed to listen to a podcast. In all 24.7% of consumers, in fact, do listen to podcasts every month. They listen while at home, commuting, at the gym, at work, at the local coffee shop, pretty much anywhere there is WIFI or good cell service.

Most likely, at one time or another, each of the 106,769 podcast listeners in the Augusta, Georgia area has thought to themselves, “I could do that. I could launch my own podcast.” This is theoretically true.

A quick Google search by aspiring CSRA content producers will reveal which recording equipment to buy, how to edit shows, and how to post episodes for the world to hear on platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify Google, Stitcher, and Tune-In. The magic of being a successful podcaster, however, involves persistence, longevity, and consistently engaging content.

One element of podcasting that often adds dimension and perspective to new episodes is the use of podcast guests. Not only do guest experts supply engaging content, but usually they will participate in return for exposure without the need to shell out any cash.

But how does an Augusta business small owner get started? It’s a very chicken-and-egg situation.

A podcaster first needs to publish episodes to demonstrate to potential guests that the podcast is worthy of their participation, especially because there are so many choices. Currently, there are over 2.4 million valid podcasts in Apple’s Podcast directory alone, according to podcast industry insights expert Daniel J. Lewis.

So, what separates podcasters who stick it out for the long haul from those who give up after just a few episodes?  One of the primary factors is the subject matter and the ability to book guests.

There are about 357,000 registered passenger vehicles in the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA). Some are cars. Some are trucks. Some are Hondas. Some are Fords. Some are Teslas. Some have four doors. Some have two. Some go fast. Some go slow. Some guzzle gas. Some sip. Some are red. Some are blue.

The one thing that almost every car and truck in the Augusta area have in common, though, is the AM/FM radio smack-dab in the middle of the dashboard.

The first car radio went on sale in 1930. It was an invention of the Galvin Manufacturing Company. The company named the radio 'Motorola,' and its cost was $130, around $2000 in today's dollars. By 1935, more than three million car radios had been installed.

Today, AM/FM radio is part of every car and truck on Augusta area roads. In addition to the radio, many of these vehicles also provide drivers with other audio options, including a CD player, Sirius/XM, Pandora, Spotify, podcasts, and easy access to personal MP3 collections.

It is fair, then, for small business owners who depend on Augusta radio to advertise their goods and services to ask: with all the audio options on today's dashboards, is anyone listening to local AM/FM radio in the car anymore?

If you're anything like the 362,800 Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) consumers who, according to Nielsen, listen to or download a podcast every month, you probably already see the value in podcasting as a relatively new audio medium that entertains, enlightens, motivates, or informs listeners.

But if you're part of the 75% of local adults who are not regular podcast listeners, you're probably wondering why on earth would anyone want to listen to a podcast, let alone create one for their Augusta business.

Launching a podcast might seem like a daunting test for small business owners without much technical background or an understanding of how to structure a compelling conversation that will engage prospective customers.

In reality, local small business owners can easily reach new customers with podcasts and complement their traditional advertising in Augusta with a longer-form, conversational medium that showcases the company's knowledge in an authoritative manner.

When WRDW-AM became Augusta's first radio station in 1930, there was no Facebook, no Xfinity, no Sirius/XM, no Netflix, and no podcasts. It would be 23 years before there was even a local TV station.  Consequently, it was pretty easy for radio to become the number one reach medium among local consumers.

Over the past 91 years, CSRA business owners have come to depend on the mammoth reach of radio among local shoppers to successfully market the goods and services they sell. Advertising on Augusta radio has helped Georgia and South Carolina companies to survive and thrive during world wars, natural disasters, recessions, depressions, and even a pandemic.

Heading into 2022, local consumers have more media choices than ever before. But, despite the overabundance of social media, video streaming, audio streaming, cable, and other technological marvels, Augusta radio is still the most used advertising medium.

According to Nielsen, 21.8% of CSRA consumers listened to or downloaded a podcast during the past 30 days.

A podcast is a downloadable digital audio file available to listeners on an internet-connected device like a smartphone, tablet, or computer. These files are typically part of series focusing on a particular theme such as true crime, professional football, politics, or pop culture.

Augusta, Georiga area consumers can listen to their favorite podcasts whenever they choose using apps like Spotify, Pandora, Google, and Stitcher. The most used podcasting app, though, is Apple Podcasts.

Research from PodcastHosing.org indicates that Augusta area consumers can access more than 2,000,000 podcast series comprising over 48,000,000 unique episodes. According to data compiled by Edison research, the top 10 podcasts during the second quarter of 2021 were: