There's that joke out there today—"Everyone has a podcast." However, if we want to get serious for a minute, we could also say, "Everyone has one, but A LOT of them aren't worth hearing."
So, if you're going to create a podcast for your business, you must spend time developing a show that is worth listening to.
👉🏻 And there's still plenty of room for those podcasts.
Podcast listeners admit that the number of podcasts available today is overwhelming. Yet, they will also tell you there is room for shows that explore topics more deeply and offer something different.
This is where your podcast development journey should start.
1 - Don't Copy Everything That You See and Hear
I don't know about you, but I'm so beaten down by the number of SHOCKED 😲faces on YouTube Video Thumbnails.
They're not genuine.
It's not anything new.
And they probably weren't THAT shocked with whatever they're talking about.
Worst of all, it's done because so many people do it, so people think they have to do it that way.
Please don't approach your podcast like that.
For example, consider avoiding:
❌A typical intro read from a script that says something simple like "Hello, and welcome to (show name). I'm (host name) and very excited to have you with us (guest name)."
People are always very excited, too.
✅ Instead, open the show like you would greet a friend. Maybe offer 1-2 lines of small talk or something different every time and lead it into the conversation with the guest.
❌ A typical format in which an interview is 97 percent of the content.
✅ Instead, maybe you don't do an interview. It could be a conversation with 1-2 other people at your company. You could record the interview and showcase the highlights as part of a larger narrative. Consider adding a segment that entertains, plays a game, asks questions, or creates a Top 10 list.
If you conduct interviews, try to ask unique questions and spin typical questions differently. A friend (often asked to be on podcasts) once said:
"I wish more interviews would stop asking me, 'How did you get started?' Instead, I'd like to be asked 'Why did you get started?"
❌ Talking to the same guests everyone hears on other shows.
✅ Instead, while it can be cool to get the big names in your industry...if they're on podcasts all the time, there's value in seeking out valuable guests who've never or rarely been on podcasts and have unique insights to share.
2 - Pick a Theme That Provides Enough Topics
A common mistake new podcasters make is coming up with a theme or focus for their show without realizing they'll run out of topics to discuss.
If your podcast will be weekly, you need to think about 40-45 shows (unless you do seasons), and half of that if it's bi-weekly. Either way, listeners need to realistically expect a new show from you on the same day.
3 - Provide a Reason to Include Your Show Into Their Lives
This is a big one if many podcasts are talking about things in your industry.
If a segment of your audience listens to a couple of those shows, ask yourself:
➡ Why would they add my show to their listening routines?
Research shows people are listening to multiple podcasts a week. If your audience includes "power listeners" you have to give them a reason to fit your show into all of their shows.
🔉 For reference, my wife is a power listener. She estimates she has about 80 shows on her list (and listens to them at 2x the speed).
When I created my first podcast in 2011, I published my first episode, listened to it, and asked - "If I'm a listener, what did I just hear that would make me want to come back and listen to another one?"
I couldn't answer it, so I had work to do.
Returning to the first point, other podcasts in your space might be doing the typical podcast concepts and formats.
Can you provide something different in theme, format, value, depth, or originality to inspire someone to fit you into their listening schedule?
4 - Don't Turn Your Podcast Into a Promotional Tool
New podcasters are often told - "Don't create a podcast because you want to make money."
It's not because it's impossible to do, but it shouldn't be the motivation for making one. The wrong motivation will likely impact the quality of the show anyway.
❌ I recommend not naming your show after your product or company. Naming your show after a product or company instantly signals to the podcast listener that you've created a promotional tool disguised as a podcast.
✅ Instead, take a concept or idea that ties to your experience and industry and give it an intriguing show name. You can say the show is "sponsored, powered by or brought to you by (company name)."
View your podcast as a way to make a humanized connection with your audience. Demonstrate your passion and invested interest in helping customers or solving problems.
If the value is there, you won't need to add a sales pitch into your format.
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