Politicians get in trouble for flip-flopping on issues. But for podcasters, changing opinions and approaches is a survival tactic. Think about these three questions over the next few months to prep your show for 2023 & beyond. Photo by cottonbro from PexelsToday I'm sharing with you three challenges on the horizon that will require shifts in your/our ways of thinking. I'm convinced that all of these will leave a mark on podcasting. What shape and what color that mark is I really don't know. Much of that is up to you and how you deal with them for your own podcasting efforts. 1. Dissing Of Programmatic Has Got To StopThis ongoing fad of dissing programmatic content is counter-productive. And yes, I have read the exact same studies you read that show how much more "effective" hard-to-buy, baked-in, endorsement-style, host-read ads are. I just don't believe that the majority of companies eager to spend money on easy-to-buy programmatic ads care about those studies. So even if you are anti-programmatic ads, at least be open to having your mind changed. I'd hate to see you miss out on opportunities because you thought you protecting your audience. They're probably not as fragile as you think. 2. Stop Ignoring VideoFor the new group of "listeners" coming to podcasting, there is an assumption that video will be and should be a part of their podcast experience. And when they don't find that video component on your podcast, they're going to wonder why you aren't providing that experience for them.I think the question you need to start asking yourself over the next few months needs to shift away from Do I need a video component? to line up with the question those people are already asking: What's stopping you from having a video component? 3, Lean Into Paid Subscriptions"Podcasting should be free and open!", I can hear you shouting at me right now. I'm good with that! But having the majority of podcasting be free and open doesn't preclude a paid-for and closed subset of podcasting. Nor does a paid-for and closed subset of podcasting threaten the free and open majority of podcasting. Not in my mind. I think they can live happily side by side, simply because they are happily living side-by-side right now! There's little doubt that the friction for subscriptions is coming down quickly for both listeners and creators. So it's worth your time to consider how you can embrace this as a way to better serve your audience.Those three are enough for right now. If over the next three to six months you can figure out how to adapt your show to take better advantage of just one of them—I think you'll win. And I think you and your show will sail through the challenges ahead.-----Sponsored by:Captivate.fm, the world's only growth-oriented podcast hosting company-----Links-----Podcast Pontifications websitePodcast Pontifications on YouTubeGot a podcasting service? Become a sponsor of Podcast Pontifications.Serious about podcasting? Join the Advancing Podcasting Community today!-----Podcast Pontifications is a production of Simpler Media. New episodes are released weekly, providing ideas and questions every serious podcaster should be thinking about. It's created and hosted by Evo Terra. Follow him on Twitter for more podcasting insights as they come. Allie Press assists with the production and transcription of the show. If you received value from today's episode of Podcast Pontifications, return some of that! We call it value-for-value and there are many ways to show your support. Mentioned in this episode:Captivate.fmWhether you’re a new or veteran podcaster, if you’re serious about audience growth then Captivate unique feature set and proven, deep-dive education should be the next thing you try. Get a 7-day free trial and access to Captivate’s Podcast Growth Labs at Captivate.fm.Captivate.fmSupport For Abortion RightsWhile Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th. Abortion is a basic healthcare need for the millions of people who can become pregnant. Everyone should have the freedom to decide what’s best for themselves and their families, including when it comes to ending a pregnancy. This decision has dire consequences for individual health and safety, and could have harsh repercussions for other landmark decisions. Restricting access to comprehensive reproductive care, including abortion, threatens the health and independence of all Americans. Even if you live in a state where abortion rights are upheld, access to safe medical procedures shouldn’t be determined by location, and it shouldn't be the privilege of a small few. You can help by donating to local abortion funds. To find out where to donate for each state, visit donations4abortion.com. If you or someone you know needs help, or if you want to get more involved, here are 5 resources: 1. ShoutYourAbortion.com is a campaign to normalize abortion. 2. DontBanEquality.com is a campaign for companies to take a stand against abortion restrictions. 3. Abortion.cafe has information about where to find clinics. 4. PlanCPills.org provides early at-home abortion pills that you can keep in your medicine cabinet. 5. Choice.CRD.co has a collection of these resources and more. We encourage you to speak up! And spread the word.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy