Bobby Bones knew he didn’t fit in.
When he moved to Nashville to launch his radio show, he wasn’t the typical country host. No cowboy hat. No twang. And most of the local industry didn’t want anything to do with him.
So, he bought his own billboards. And they said: “Go away, Bobby Bones.”
He didn’t tell anyone he did it. He just let the confusion spread.
People started asking, “Who’s Bobby Bones?” and “Why does everyone want him gone?”
The stunt worked—because it was unexpected. Ratings went up. Listeners tuned in.
Fast-forward a few years and the University of South Florida football team is doing something similar without the billboards.
They’ve been experimenting with highlight videos filmed on random old devices: a Nokia phone, Nintendo DS, a Ring doorbell camera, Polaroids.
It’s absurd. And brilliant.
Everyone else is fighting for higher resolution. They went backward and it worked. The videos look grainy and ridiculous, but they stop people mid-scroll.
We spend a lot of time trying to be better—better lighting, better hooks, better polish. But sometimes “better” blends in. “Different” stands out.
Both Bobby Bones and USF played with expectations. They made people pause long enough to ask, “What’s going on here?”
That’s the goal.
3 small ways to make your podcast stand out
Change the listening experience, not the topic. If every show starts the same way, change the frame. Open with a question or a clip from later in the episode. Start every episode with a dad joke. Surprise the listener before they settle in.
Play with format. Mix a one-on-one interview with a short narration, a behind-the-scenes moment, or a story told through clips. Even small shifts in structure make the episode feel fresh.
Let the imperfections in. Keep a laugh that wasn’t planned. Leave a little space after a powerful quote. Show that real people are behind the mic. Listeners remember honesty and moments that feel human.
Some of my favorite moments when I’m editing podcasts come in between breaks when the hosts are talking about what they’ll get for lunch or arguing about who’s going to talk about what in the next segment.
Standing out isn’t about shouting louder. It’s about reminding people there’s another way to play the game.
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