Yesterday I blogged about a key difference of Podcasting and traditional media; the accessibility of the personalities (Podcasting as a channel for two-way communication). That is, Podcasters are far more accessible, and engaged, than their counterparts in print and broadcast media. This is both good and bad. While this offers endless possibilities to engage an audience and develop the program together, it also presents a significant problem: how can you avoid being overwhelmed?

I believe that the answer is “manageable size”. Boasting a small and engaged community is far more desirable than an unknown community that’s based on numbers alone - especially if you’re on your own.

I’ve often heard music supergroups talk about the disconnection from their audience that mass fame brings. They talk fondly of the days when they played venues small enough that they were able to connect with the audience during the performance and mingle with them between sets. Success means playing arena shows to a sea of people you can’t see and can’t relate to.

If your community overwhelms you, the direct relationship with your audience, or your sanity, may suffer.