With all the important genres of podcasts, including health, true crime, politics, and entertainment, there’s another genre that should get just as much attention. The podcast for women genre is as important and encompassing as any other genre, especially the podcasts for women by women.
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This post has been updated in October 2021.
Podcast for Women Genre Explained
There are so many podcasts available to listen to. In fact, according to PodcastHosting.org, as of March 2020, there are over 900,000 podcasts and over 28 million episodes. That’s a lot of podcasts. And think of all of the genres within these 900,000 podcasts. You may be hard-pressed to find a subject that doesn’t have a podcast somehow related to it. You’ve got podcasts about monster trucks, sudoku, bullet journaling, miniature horses, menopause, water polo, Indian food…If you can think of it, it’s in a podcast.
So what makes a podcast for women so special?
Feminism
Feminism has taken on a number of meanings throughout the decades. It has moved from being a word with a negative connotation to one that is much more embraced these days. In the early days of the feminist movement, people believed women couldn’t be feminine and feminists at the same time. The word and movement were misaligned, though, because after all, feminism, according to Merriam-Webster is simply the belief that women and men should have equal rights and opportunities. There is no reason a feminist can’t be feminine. But she certainly doesn’t have to be. And, to add to this, there is no reason a feminist has to be a woman at all.
These facts from Forbes share some current beliefs about feminism:
- Millions of people both inwardly and outwardly do not support the idea that there should be equal rights and equal opportunities for men and women
- Thousands of people feel we’ve already arrived at equality for men and women.
- There are also thousands of people who believe we’re not at all there yet, and support continuing efforts to pave the way for equal rights for men and women.
- Thousands also believe in equal rights but find “feminism” a word and a movement that doesn’t align with their personal beliefs or values
This same article also shares why many people are turned off by the word “feminism,” even though they believe men and women should be treated equally with equal opportunity. They believe that the association between feminism and strong, forceful, angry women will bring eventually bring men down make men lose out in the world. However, back to the definition…feminism is all about equality, not bringing anyone down. It’s not an angry movement, it’s one about equality, respect, and empowerment for everyone.
So What Does This Have To Do With A Podcast?
The reason this ties into the podcast medium is that podcasts are a great forum for explaining this and all that goes with feminism. First, there are many great women podcast producers. Also, the format of the podcast makes it perfect for addressing some of these issues. Next, podcasts can present things geared toward women that otherwise may be overlooked. It also allows women to take on topics that have nothing to do with women in particular, but simply because they are interested in the subject and have knowledge about it. Just like we are trying to see a surge in women film producers, the podcast world needs this female influx, too.
What this means is that a podcast for women can not only address any topic with a spin geared towards women, but it can also open up conversation and dialogue in a much-needed area. Not every podcast for women needs to be about feminism, but they all have the potential to empower and define women in a bold sense.
Also, remember, podcasts for women are not just for women. Men can take a listen, too. Just like men can be feminists along with women, they can strive for equality within the sexes and listen to a podcast for women. This is especially beneficial for men with women in their lives, whether they are sisters, significant others, co-workers, daughters, moms… You get where we’re going with this.
Some of the Highest Ranked Podcasts for Women
It’s no surprise that woman-centered sites like The Good Trade and The Oprah Magazine share lists of standout podcasts for women. Many of these podcasts have a comedic note. Others are inspiring. But above all, each and every podcast for women on these lists are empowering. They are empowering to the women who listen to them and to the men who support them. It’s also just simply nice to see a great list of podcasts produced by women for women.
Call Your Girlfriend – This podcast continually shows up on “best of” lists and not just those geared towards women. With a strong following and a great heart, Call Your Girlfriend is a femme-identifying weekly series in which the host best friends call each other to discuss topics from pop culture to politics.
My Favorite Murder – This fun podcast features two best friends sharing stories of true crime. The hot true crime genre is blended with these strong women’s humor for a hugely popular and cult favorite podcast for women. This podcast is a regular on top 10 podcast lists and has a groundbreaking following.
Sooo Many White Guys – Black comedian Phoebe Robinson hosts this eclectic podcast where she delves into intimate, funny and super honest conversations with musicians, actors, writers and comedians. Her guests are mostly non-white and non-male. However, every so often she does talk with the token white guy.
Dare I Say – This podcast is a close up look into intimate, unfiltered conversations between the world’s most influential women. Olivia Wilde hosts this dynamic podcast where two women sit down to discuss the most pressing issues in society today. It’s a bold podcast for women taking on important issues at exactly the right societal time.
2 Dope Queens – This bold and hilarious podcast isn’t afraid to handle important (and not so important) topics in a light-hearted, fun forum. Again, two best friends take on these topics, and their humor and banter make the podcast.
Invisibilia – Though this highly ranked podcast is by women, it is for anyone. It is a beautiful glimpse into a world you can’t see. The women who take listeners into this world do an amazing job. Covering all aspects of human nature, it offers the listeners new ways to think and live.
This list could go and on. You can see, many of these podcasts are by women and for women in particular. Others are by women and for anyone. They are just darn good podcasts by darn good journalists, comedians, and successful, talented hosts (who just happen to be women).
An Important Voice
Women need to have their voices heard. Over the past years, that voice is getting stronger, but males still dominate in most forms of media.
One of the pioneers in women podcasting is Sanjeeta Pillai. In this article, she says, “Podcast is a medium where you can forget that there’s a microphone sometimes. It allows for intimate, real, authentic conversations.” And this is true. In fact, Spotify and Google are running boot camps to help women get into podcasting.
Though many women-centered topics, like being a plus-size woman, menopause, or the #metoo movement are covered in podcasts, as we mentioned, many other topics are covered, too. Women can bring a different banter, a different sense of humor, and a new complexity to subjects that men are already podcasting about. It’s a fresh format that has a lot of appeal.
Advertising on Podcasts for Women
The art of podcast advertising is such an interesting one. With podcast sponsors and shared stories, the hosts have a special knack of product endorsement. Often listeners don’t even mind the ads. They simply become part of the show. When a podcast is produced by women for women, advertising may head in this direction, too.
A great thing about a successful podcast is the trust the host creates. The audience feels a bond with the host. A connection is formed. When she mentions a product she loves, the listeners take note. This is an excellent advertising tool. A great podcast host is a great storyteller. And this storytelling skill translates well to product endorsement and advertising.
This article shares some valuable insight on finding sponsors appropriate to your podcast. One important aspect of finding sponsors for your show and advertising is to stay in the same wheelhouse as your show. Keep your ads in line with the vibe of your podcast. So when we are speaking about a podcast for women, the advertising should be geared towards women as well.
For instance, Third Love is a brand often advertised on podcasts. When women hosts speak about this bra brand, it has a big effect on their audience. Listeners respect what their podcasts hosts have to say and may give these bras a try. Rothy’s is another big brand that women speak about on their podcasts. You can often hear Kat from The Box of Oddities talking about these products along with Hello Fresh or Warby Parker glasses. These may not be as female-centered as bras and shoes, but women do share an interest in these products, too.
A Podcast for Women Can Spread Inspiration and Empowerment
One thing all of the podcasts for women share is the potential to spread inspiration and empowerment. This age of feminism is based around lifting women up. Whether women do it through information, panel discussion, humor, or best friend banter, it’s an important format of media. Podcasts for women cover all sorts of things – from murder and human nature to sexuality to blockchain technology. But the great ones cover it in an empowering, open, boundary-pushing way.
Women know what women want. And of course, women want podcasts, but they also want woman-centered podcasts. Not everything needs to be based on empowering women, but to know there are plenty of great podcasts for women out there is empowering in and of itself. Regardless of listener gender, these podcasts can inspire, entertain, and encourage their audience.
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