The Power of Anchor-Made Podcasts in Indonesia: Spotify Highlights Top Shows, Including ‘Do You See What I See’

If you think podcasts are all the rage around the world, you’re onto something. Thanks to a new partnership with some of Indonesia’s biggest podcasters, eight of the top-streamed shows in Indonesia (Podcast Raditya Dika (PORD), Do You See What I See, PODKESMAS, Rapot, Menjadi Manusia, Podcast Bagi Horror, Box2Box Football Podcast, and Podcast Suara Puan) are now available exclusively on Spotify—marking the first round of Spotify Exclusive Podcasts in Southeast Asia.

While all of these shows were made using Anchor—the platform where creators have the ability to record, distribute, and monetize their podcasts from any device (for free)—it turns out that 90% of podcast consumption on Spotify in Indonesia comes from Anchor-made programming. This platform, which was acquired by Spotify in 2019, has given more podcasters an opportunity to produce their own original content.

As the number of podcasts continues to grow in Indonesia, the number of hours spent listening to podcasts has also increased—by tenfold in the past year. We asked Rizky Ardi Nugroho, host of one of the top podcasts in Indonesia, Do You See What I See, what it takes to create one of the most popular shows in the country.

What inspired you to start Do You See What I See (DYSWIS)? Did you have any podcast experience prior to this?

It all started with telling my true horror story on Raditya Dika’s show. Radit—who is one of Indonesia’s most famous content creators (and host of Spotify Exclusive Podcast PORD)—happens to be my high school friend. We made five videos in the Rumah Eyang series, and all five went viral with more than 15 million views. From that experience, I saw that audiences liked horror stories delivered directly by those who experienced it. So, when the opportunity came, I would say, I took the chance—and my channel was trending in one week of airing.

I like to try new things; I learned and I did it on my own. I had no experience in the world of content creators, and I had never worked on audio editing, but I have been a podcast listener for a long time.

Why do you think Indonesians are embracing listening to and creating podcasts?

Podcasting is a new media in Indonesia. Oftentimes, something that’s new and viral is exciting for them to try. It occurred almost at the same time anchor.fm started to sprout and gain traction in Indonesia. Given the fact that it is easy and trending, [Anchor] is all they need to start making podcasts on their own.

Most of my listeners are commuters, so this podcast is interesting to listen to on the go. Podcasting also has more benefits, such as light bandwidth and being battery friendly. People don’t need to watch the screen all the time—not to mention there are various themes and categories being offered.

When sharing stories, you go by the name of Mizter Popo. What’s the origin behind the name?

Mizter Popo is a nickname my friend gave me in middle school. It’s taken from a character in the famous Japanese manga comics at the time, Dragon Ball. It turns out that having a nickname helped me develop my character.

You built two businesses: a rice company and a bakeshop. What did it take for you to start one of the biggest podcasts in Indonesia? Can you describe what your process was like?

I don’t like it when I am labeled as a follower and likened to other existing content/channels, so when I first wanted to make Do You See What I See, I did a lot of research on horror podcasts and content that already existed. I wanted my creation to be different from all that.

I change the sound design for each storyteller—different back sound, different SFX, and without a bumper—in the hopes that listeners will always have different experiences in each episode.

Are you still actively running the businesses?

Yes, as of now, I am still actively doing the organic rice business, O-Rice Brand, and 24-hour cake shop, Honey To The Bee.

What is it about DYSWIS that has people hooked? 

I think people like DYSWIS because the concept features different experiences in each episode.

For the uninitiated, what do you hope people take away from this podcast?

I hope this podcast presents entertainment in the form of storytelling that continues to grow and is different from other channels in Indonesia.

Check out Anchor to find out how you can make a podcast of your own, and listen to Do You See What I See? on Spotify now.