Starting a podcast can seem so easy at the beginning. You’ve got a great idea and one or two friends to discuss things with. Yet what you may have quickly learned is that plenty of other people have a great idea and a couple of smart and interesting friends as well. In the sea of podcasts out there, how do you distinguish yourself so that you can grow your audience? Even if you aren’t interested in a bigger audience, how can you make sure you keep giving your existing listeners what they want? The tips below can help you improve.
Use Feedback Wisely
Pay attention to the feedback you’re getting. What do listeners love and hate about your show? You can get valuable information from them, but be sure that you don’t rely on this too much. What you’ll quickly find is that for every person who loves the banter you and your co-host engage in at the start of the show, there’s someone else who hates it. Try not to think so much in terms of individual pieces of feedback as looking at overall trends. If there’s something that a lot of people feel strongly about, that’s probably worth looking at. However, beware of falling into a trap where you try to please everyone because it just isn’t possible.
Upgrade Your Audio
How’s your audio? Are the sound levels the same between you and the other people on the show? Is there a lot of background noise? How are your editing skills? It would be nice to think that all you need is great content to wow your listeners, but the truth is that even with the best content in the world, a sizeable audience of people are not going to come back if they’re frustrated with how things sound. Don’t neglect this aspect of your podcast.
Spend Some Money
While a few lucky souls have been able to make a living podcasting, for most people, it’s just a hobby. This might make you hesitate to spend on it, but you’re allowed to put some money into your hobby. Whether it’s needing better audio or editing equipment or something else, such as advertising, a clever logo, or some theme music, don’t be afraid to spend some money to improve what you’re doing. Keep in mind that if you’re balancing other financial obligations, one option if you need immediate funds for your short-term goals is a personal loan. To find out more about what a personal loan is and how it can help you, you can review a guide that tells you more about it.
Add Value
There are other things you can do to help get listeners more involved and attract more people to your podcast. First, put together show notes for each episode that provide additional context and links. Consider offering a transcript as well. Some hosts create online communities for their listeners where they can interact with the hosts and with one another and talk more about the topics covered. Some even offer meetups over video or in person. Consider bringing in people to interview who are popular with your audience. Any or all these approaches can help you grow your audience.
Know Your Focus
What’s your focus? Don’t let your podcast have an identity crisis. Listeners can get bored quickly if you start rambling or going off on tangents. You should be able to describe your show in what is often called an elevator pitch, meaning that it’s short enough to describe to someone in the time it takes to travel a few floors in an elevator. Think as well about other shows in the same vein as yours and how you set yours apart, or whether you do at all, and if not, how you can change that. This doesn’t mean that you’re never allowed to shift your focus, but if you do so, it should be a deliberate shift and not simply wandering away from your original purpose.
