Now more than ever, people need to hear good news.
GoFundMe’s podcast True Stories of Good People showcases the incredible stories of everyday heroes who are making a difference in the world. The episodes feature stories of hope in the face of unimaginable loss, of bravery in the face of seemingly impossible obstacles—these extraordinary humans are turning their compassion into action while inspiring others along the way. True Stories of Good People is part of the larger GoFundMe Heroes marketing initiative, which amplifies stories of individuals who have turned to GoFundMe to change their communities and the world. GoFundMe launched this podcast with the goal of reaching new audiences by expanding GoFundMe’s storytelling channels, in an effort to inspire even more people to take action and get involved in causes they care about.
True Stories of Good People is an interview-style podcast that highlights the stories and the people behind them, as opposed to the GoFundMe brand. Rather than passively scrolling through their news feeds and being bombarded with overwhelming news, people are seeking ways to engage with what’s happening in the world; they want to do something. By listening to powerful stories of change and positivity, listeners discover that anyone can be a changemaker in the world—all it takes is action.
The podcast is syndicated to all major podcast streaming platforms in order to reach listeners where they are. A new episode is released each week in order to build loyalty and trust within the growing community. The 100th episode of True Stories of Good People aired on September 4th, 2020.
From the beginning, there has been a strong focus on showcasing diverse voices. It’s important that listeners feel represented as well as gain exposure to new ideas and perspectives they may not be as familiar with. Examples:
A father who lost his daughter to the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida and has spent every waking moment since fighting for common sense gun laws
A trans activist who was kicked out of her home as a teen and now runs a nonprofit to support marginalized youth
A Baltimore yarn store owner who created an organization to support Black lives
At the end of the day, people want to help each other. True Stories of Good People offers a place to support others and find inspiration to help people, causes, and organizations.
Performance highlights:
Appeared in the Apple Top 200 charts over 200 times in the “Personal Journals” category in 2020
Peak position = #5
High-profile guests include Sean Astin, Bryce Dallas Howard, Matt Nelson (WeRateDogs), Gabby Frost (Buddy Project), Sean Sotaridona (@seandoesmagic on TikTok)
Doubled average monthly streams between 2019 & 2020
Streamed in over 80 countries
Launched a custom GoFundMe Heroes content hub in November 2019, giving people even more ways to stream the podcast and consume these powerful stories
Listener reviews on Apple Podcasts are overwhelmingly positive — people report that their faith in humanity is restored, that the episodes have made them cry happy tears, and that they have felt inspired to go out into the world to spread even more kindness and empathy.
