Do you know what to talk about in your episodes?
The Art of Topic Selection in Podcasting
When prepping your episodes, have you ever felt like you're throwing darts in the dark, hoping one hits the bullseye?
Recording podcast episodes can feel just like that.
You've got ideas aplenty, but understanding which will hook your listener from the get-go seems like you're playing Jenga after a can of Special Brew.
I'm here to tell you it doesn't need to be a guessing game.
In this episode of "The Podmaster", we're covering what you really should be talking about in your podcast.
Trust me, once you've listened to this episode, you'll have more than just a good idea of how to lock in your audience – you'll know exactly what your listeners want, and how to deliver it with the kind of flair that keeps them coming back for more.
Basics first - research!
Now, let’s slice through the noise.
I tackle the essential groundwork every podcaster should do before even thinking about hitting record.
This isn't just another preachy lesson on marketing values or listener demographics; it's a practical guide to engraving your unique mark in the podcasting world.
Imagine knowing what your listener is eager to hear before they click on your episode.
We'll set you up to create content that not only draws in listeners based on current trends but also fits your authentic style and expertise.
No stabs in the dark here, you’ll be nailing that bullseye with precision every time.
Now, how does this apply to your situation as an aspiring or polished podcaster?
Suppose you find out your audience loves a particular type of storytelling.
Instead of figuring it out on episode 50, you’re strategically crafting content from episode one, optimising your chances of building a robust listener base from the start.
Use storytelling techniques to increase engagement
We'll also delve into the importance of integrating your personal experiences and stories.
Your podcast should not sound like a lecture read straight from a textbook.
Real engaging content comes from your own wins and losses, making it relatable and genuinely educational - a combination as irresistible to your listener as a cold beer on a hot day. But not a Special Brew.
Seriously.
That stuff's strong.
Getting the voice right
Sorry, not sorry - quality content needs quality delivery!
Nobody wants to listen to an uninspiring drone.
You'll learn how to deliver your awesome content in a way that doesn't just convey information but energises your audience.
Got nerves about your on-air charm?
Don’t fret.
I've got tips on how to enhance your podcast personality or pair up with a co-host to cover the bases.
Envision turning every episode into an opportunity for interaction, making your listeners feel part of the journey, not just passive consumers. And here’s the kicker - I talk you through setting up recurring features, transforming your podcast into a living, evolving entity with its own memorable quirks.
By the time you hit the pause button on this episode, you’ll not only have identified what to talk about but you'll be equipped to package it in a way that is both informative and downright enjoyable.
So, if you’re pacing around wondering what the secret sauce to podcasting success is, let me bring that chaos to an ordered halt.
Click play, get the skinny, and start 'making wavs' (or mp3s if you prefer) in the podcasting world.
Remember, this isn’t about shooting in the dark anymore; it’s about becoming the strategic sharpshooter who knows exactly what to aim for.
Now, let’s get talking.
Useful links
Interested in the value-for-value thing? Talk to Sam Sethi at TrueFans
Getting listener feedback? Several options... from whole websites like this to plugins like this and there's now also Podgagement from the brilliant Daniel J Lewis (if you join the Constellation tier)
Timestamped summary
00:00 Engage audience where they hang out online.
05:36 Listen to diverse podcasts for comprehensive knowledge.
09:21 Engage listeners with your unique personality and content.
11:33 Podcast needs expert input for listener value.
13:50 Repetition can define your podcast's identity.
Next steps
Want to get more of a handle on your podcast strategy so you can enjoy more new ideal listeners who are actually going to enjoy what you're putting out?
Contact me!
https://www.podmastery.co/contact/
Mentioned in this episode:
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy
00:00 - None
01:08 - Stage one - understanding audience
04:02 - Reaching those ideal listeners
06:02 - Connecting content
08:39 - Often overlooked
13:31 - Feature suggestions
14:29 - 'Repurposing' (pillar) content
Speaker:
What am I going to talk about in this episode? Oh, that's
Speaker:
an idea. Let's talk about what to talk about in
Speaker:
your podcast.
Speaker:
When you're starting a podcast, it's really important that you
Speaker:
think through the topics that you're going to cover
Speaker:
and how you're going to approach them. It's not a
Speaker:
coincidence that there is definitely a connection
Speaker:
between what you're talking about and how long people want
Speaker:
to listen to you talking about that thing. That's just common sense.
Speaker:
Right? But did you know that if you don't pitch your
Speaker:
podcast absolutely perfectly from the
Speaker:
beginning with your brand new listener, you've lost
Speaker:
them? No chance to get them back. That's it.
Speaker:
One and done. So the trick is to ensure that
Speaker:
every time you're talking to your ideal podcast
Speaker:
listeners on your episodes, you're telling them exactly
Speaker:
what they're going to get right from the beginning. And what should they be
Speaker:
getting? Well, that's the point of this.
Speaker:
The first stage of figuring out what to talk about in your podcast
Speaker:
is get an understanding of the kind of person
Speaker:
who's listening to your podcast and what they want to hear.
Speaker:
Without that, what's the point? So you need to do a little bit of
Speaker:
work here. I know that you would love the idea of just plugging a
Speaker:
microphone in and hitting record and then publishing whatever comes
Speaker:
out of your mouth into the apps and enjoying all those
Speaker:
delicious download numbers rolling into your
Speaker:
stats. Unfortunately, it doesn't work quite like that.
Speaker:
You need to understand what your listener wants
Speaker:
from you now. It's not like you have to follow strict rules
Speaker:
around this. This is not radio broadcasting. Nobody's going to throw
Speaker:
a book at you if you veer off topic for a second or you
Speaker:
don't do the crunch and roll in exactly the right way that they do in
Speaker:
radio. Like poor radio broadcasters have to deal
Speaker:
with so many rules. However,
Speaker:
you do need to follow your own style guide,
Speaker:
and the way you're going to get that style guide is as follows. You're going
Speaker:
to research what kind of person would find value
Speaker:
in your content once you understood who they
Speaker:
are. You need to do a little bit of research into what kind of
Speaker:
content they're already consuming, what they like about it, what they
Speaker:
dislike about it, and where they're finding that content.
Speaker:
Are they purely podcast listeners? If they are brilliant,
Speaker:
you're off to a good start. Do they like YouTube content?
Speaker:
In which case, you might want to consider whether a YouTube channel to
Speaker:
accompany your podcast might be quite a smart thing to do.
Speaker:
Are they hanging out in places like Reddit and Quora. Great,
Speaker:
you can go and ask them what kind of content they are looking for, start
Speaker:
conversations with them. Maybe they're just like your uncle Frank
Speaker:
and like to scour Facebook all the time, in which case, great,
Speaker:
you could set up a community there and do your research through that.
Speaker:
Whichever you choose, you're going to need to do the work and
Speaker:
figure out what will make those people hanging out in those
Speaker:
places looking for that kind of content want to listen to
Speaker:
yours. If you've already got an
Speaker:
established audience, maybe through an email newsletter or through social media,
Speaker:
then you could do a little bit of corner cutting here. I mean, you don't
Speaker:
have to necessarily go out of your way to spend all day in the
Speaker:
communities engaging with these people to find out what they would want from
Speaker:
a podcast that you're planning. You could do it through a
Speaker:
survey. There's all kinds of options for this now. You've got Google
Speaker:
surveys, the surveymonkey free tiers in some of these as
Speaker:
well offer an incentive of maybe, I don't know, a
Speaker:
$50 Amazon voucher, maybe less, and see if you can
Speaker:
get some feedback on the kind of content that people would be looking
Speaker:
for from your imagined podcast.
Speaker:
Okay, so now you've got the idea for your podcast and you
Speaker:
know who wants to listen to it. So what we're gonna have to do now
Speaker:
is figure out if, if there's any way that we can cash in on some
Speaker:
trends. Is there anybody already talking about this
Speaker:
that is getting known in the space? Is there anything within your
Speaker:
topic that's become viral because it's newsworthy? A lot of people are
Speaker:
talking about it at the time. Well, if that's the case, cash
Speaker:
in. Absolutely. Plunder that. Get that
Speaker:
content and figure out how you can repurpose it and present it as your
Speaker:
own. This is where the knowledge piece comes in. Too often I see
Speaker:
podcasters that think they're experts on a thing and they'll do a
Speaker:
podcast around the thing, and then very quickly it becomes quite
Speaker:
apparent they don't actually know all that much about
Speaker:
the thing. In podcasting, you're going to have a variety of different
Speaker:
listeners that are going to be at different stages on the ladder of
Speaker:
learning. Some will be near where you are, some will be
Speaker:
way down. There could be some that even know more than you.
Speaker:
So you need to figure out how you can stay on
Speaker:
top of the latest happenings and developments in your topic so
Speaker:
that if these people are listening to your show, they don't dismiss it out of
Speaker:
hand, it's better for you to have an alternative perspective
Speaker:
at the same knowledge level as them versus them
Speaker:
knowing more than you and quite publicly calling you out for it.
Speaker:
So don't get lazy. Don't talk about a topic you're not prepared
Speaker:
to continue investing in in terms of your knowledge. And this is why I
Speaker:
suggest that people listen to other podcasts in the space,
Speaker:
so that if there are any gaps in your knowledge or any alternative
Speaker:
perspectives, you get a total coverage of those in
Speaker:
your mind before you start putting out episodes on those topics.
Speaker:
This is especially if you have a topic that has lots
Speaker:
of subtopics that cross over.
Speaker:
So how are you going to connect this content that you're making
Speaker:
with your listeners? Well, that's where the personal touch comes
Speaker:
in. Anybody can start a podcast, but not anybody
Speaker:
can start a good podcast. And what makes a good
Speaker:
podcast? There's a number of factors. Obviously the sound
Speaker:
quality. I preach about this all the time, but unless you've
Speaker:
got decent recording equipment, at least an external microphone,
Speaker:
preferably a fit for purpose dynamic microphone,
Speaker:
you need to have the right content to begin with.
Speaker:
Well researched topic at that, so you know what you're talking
Speaker:
about and structuring it in a way that is
Speaker:
accessible to as many people that would be interested in that
Speaker:
topic as possible. And the way you deliver that is going to
Speaker:
make the difference. People will tolerate less
Speaker:
than perfect sound quality and maybe topics that are delivered
Speaker:
by somebody that might not know everything about everything. What they won't
Speaker:
tolerate is somebody doing it with a dull voice and zero
Speaker:
charisma. So this is where the self
Speaker:
awareness part comes in. If you don't think that you
Speaker:
are enthusiastic, charismatic and
Speaker:
personable enough to hold down this podcast, maybe
Speaker:
consider working with somebody that is. This is where a co
Speaker:
host could come in handy. If you're a brand or business, think about
Speaker:
who in your team has that office bance charisma that
Speaker:
everyone loves and everyone warms to. And along with that
Speaker:
personality that you're hopefully bringing to your listeners, you'll also
Speaker:
have personal experience in the topic you're talking about.
Speaker:
Definitely bring that to the table. What we don't want to hear is a lot
Speaker:
of textbook stuff around a thing that's very generic
Speaker:
without you bringing why you're an expert on this
Speaker:
to the table. For example, if your
Speaker:
expertise is around finance, but yet you don't share the
Speaker:
stories where you maybe didn't have any money, perhaps bring that to the
Speaker:
table so that people can get an idea for the before and after
Speaker:
you. Then in their mind become that person that can make the
Speaker:
transformation. You've been there, you've done it. Here's how you did
Speaker:
it. That is always going to be a much more alluring
Speaker:
prospect for a podcast than, oh, I know
Speaker:
everything about finance. And here's what you need to know. Not to mention
Speaker:
aside from the fact that people feel like, you know, they're getting actual
Speaker:
benefit of your experience, they're building a connection with you, they're getting
Speaker:
that thing in their head where they're going. This person's like me, oh,
Speaker:
I like them. I can learn from them. And that is a win
Speaker:
when it comes to your engagement.
Speaker:
One of the things that's often overlooked by new
Speaker:
podcasters that come into this without really knowing what they're doing is
Speaker:
they forget about the balance of features. So entertainment and
Speaker:
education, everyone is really keen to get into the education
Speaker:
piece, but what good is education if I'm not
Speaker:
entertained? Think about when you were in school. I'm sure that you had
Speaker:
teachers that really held your attention because they were funny,
Speaker:
they were warm, you liked them, their personality came across right.
Speaker:
The teachers that didn't hold the room, didn't engage, you were
Speaker:
those dull people that would literally stand over an overhead projector
Speaker:
or in a textbook and just read the thing to you. Not
Speaker:
interesting, is it? Think about that. When it comes to your podcast, your
Speaker:
listeners do not want you to read textbooks to them. If they can find
Speaker:
out what you're telling them through scrolling Wikipedia, that's what they're going
Speaker:
to do. Especially if you've got the personality of a wet
Speaker:
lettuce. Just give that some thought. Are there any features
Speaker:
that you can bring in that bring you and your personality?
Speaker:
And if you've got guests, those of your guests off
Speaker:
the earphones and in front of them that they can visualize it?
Speaker:
Talking of guests, obviously it is the go to with
Speaker:
podcasts, especially in the business category. It usually
Speaker:
takes the format of someone hosts the podcast, the thought
Speaker:
leader, and then gets a guest of the week on, or a guest of
Speaker:
the fortnight or a guest of the month, depending on the cadence. Now there's
Speaker:
nothing wrong with that per se, but if you're
Speaker:
using having a guest on your podcast as a way
Speaker:
of carrying your podcast so you don't have to do quite as
Speaker:
much work in research and having that thought leadership, youre doing
Speaker:
it for the wrong reasons, bruh. Rethink that one. If thats your sole
Speaker:
reason for having them on the podcast, consider going solo. Push
Speaker:
yourself out of your comfort zone so you are the one coming
Speaker:
out with the insights. Where a guest brings real value
Speaker:
is if you are an all rounder thought leader in
Speaker:
your space. But there are certain elements of your industry where youre
Speaker:
not quite as smart or savvy or clued up on.
Speaker:
Thats where the guest can come in handy to fill in those knowledge
Speaker:
gaps. Youre collaborating. Youre not taking business from each other.
Speaker:
Youre collaborating in the education of your ideal client or
Speaker:
listener. Ill give you a very personal example of this.
Speaker:
I am not an expert in value for value.
Speaker:
Value for value is the new type of payment system that some
Speaker:
podcasters are sticking on their podcast feeds. What it means
Speaker:
is when someone listens to your podcast, they can pay you
Speaker:
cryptocurrency in return for the edutainment you've given
Speaker:
them. Now, I know nothing about how this all works. I cannot set up a
Speaker:
lightning feed or an Albi account or any of that stuff. I've
Speaker:
got no clue how any of that works. I do use some apps that have
Speaker:
that in place and I don't understand them. Which is why if I was going
Speaker:
to be doing a podcast about value for value, hint hint, sneak,
Speaker:
peak, I would actually get someone that's an expert in the future field to come
Speaker:
on the podcast and talk to you about it. Watch this space. See, it
Speaker:
takes nothing away from your respect level of my knowledge.
Speaker:
It just enhances the information that I can give
Speaker:
you. There's a knowledge gap there as far as I'm concerned.
Speaker:
I want to fill it for you, for the benefit of you, the
Speaker:
listener.
Speaker:
And remember, why are you doing this? Are you doing it because
Speaker:
you genuinely want to bring knowledge and insight to the world? Or are you doing
Speaker:
it for a crack? If it's the former, then you might well
Speaker:
consider having some sort of listener feedback feature. Maybe
Speaker:
they can email you. They can leave a voice note for you. Lots of
Speaker:
podcast websites now offer this. There's a WordPress plugin I believe as
Speaker:
well. I will link to those in the episode description for you. Ideally though,
Speaker:
you want some sort of system where your listeners can contact
Speaker:
you, reach out to you and provide feedback on your topics,
Speaker:
or even ask you questions. There is no better feeling, believe
Speaker:
me, than having an actual listener get in touch with you, wanting
Speaker:
to know more. And at the end of the day, you're doing this for them.
Speaker:
Or you should be. So for that reason, leave some open ended
Speaker:
questions in your podcast content. Ask some questions
Speaker:
to that seemingly non existent entity, that person
Speaker:
out there that's listening to what you have to say. You never
Speaker:
know, you might get a bite on the hook and talking about
Speaker:
features. How about having some recurring segments
Speaker:
that your show can become known for? A great example of
Speaker:
this is Kemode and Mayo's take a
Speaker:
film podcast where Mark Kemode, a known film
Speaker:
journalist, joins Simon Mayo, a very
Speaker:
famous, experienced UK broadcaster, and they discuss the latest
Speaker:
films. This show used to be on the radio and it
Speaker:
built its own community with its own language.
Speaker:
They have lots of in jokes that their regular listeners very
Speaker:
quickly clock onto. Now, I'm not suggesting that you fill your podcast
Speaker:
episodes with in jokes. Really don't do that, certainly not
Speaker:
the beginning of your episodes. But if there's a recurring theme that keeps coming
Speaker:
up while you're educating new listeners about that recurring
Speaker:
theme, let that breathe, let that develop legs of its own,
Speaker:
and you never know. Eventually your show might become
Speaker:
synonymous with these little features and recurring
Speaker:
elements. And going
Speaker:
back to the central theme here of what to put in your podcast, there
Speaker:
is nothing wrong with going back over topics you've covered
Speaker:
before. It can actually be really useful and helpful to a
Speaker:
listener or viewer on YouTube if you remind them about something
Speaker:
you've already taught them. But they might need to have it replenished in
Speaker:
their memory. Now, a lot of creators refer to this as repurposing
Speaker:
content, but I would go one further than that. I would say, think about
Speaker:
it almost like it's a series of books. Sometimes
Speaker:
your book covers one particular story. Another
Speaker:
book might revisit that as an old character. Nothing wrong with
Speaker:
you making reference to these old characters with brand new,
Speaker:
fresh versions. In some ways that's actually quite beneficial to
Speaker:
you because it then means your new listeners, who might not have the time to
Speaker:
go back through your old back catalog, are going to hear that same content, and
Speaker:
it might resonate with them in a different way at a different
Speaker:
time that will lead to a better outcome for both of you. So there you
Speaker:
go. That's my ideas for what to talk about in your podcast. I just
Speaker:
would like to say to you, if you are thinking about starting a podcast, brand
Speaker:
new one. Remember, we don't need another
Speaker:
diary of a CEO. That podcast has been done
Speaker:
to death. It has hundreds, if not thousands of
Speaker:
clones. Think about how you can bring something new to the
Speaker:
table. Doesn't have to be completely original, but if
Speaker:
you are thinking about setting up two microphones and
Speaker:
recording a 45 minutes conversation about a
Speaker:
guest topic, you might be struggling to build
Speaker:
any kind of audience for it. Unless you go and check
Speaker:
out my other piece on this, how to grow a podcast audience.
Speaker:
You'll find the link to that in the episode description as well.
Speaker:
So, in conclusion, what you need to be thinking about when
Speaker:
it comes to establishing what to talk about on your
Speaker:
podcast. Get an idea for your listener,
Speaker:
who they are, what they want to hear, where they're hanging out.
Speaker:
Try and figure out if there are any trending topics that have become newsworthy
Speaker:
recently. Bone up on them and get knowledgeable.
Speaker:
Ensure that your knowledge is up to date, that you're across all
Speaker:
the latest happenings and trends in your space. Bring personal
Speaker:
stories to the table. Don't just read from a textbook. Balance
Speaker:
your content between educational and entertaining.
Speaker:
Edutainment is key in this medium. Have guests, but
Speaker:
have them for the right reasons. Don't just rely on them to carry
Speaker:
your content for you week to week. Encourage listener
Speaker:
interaction. Bring your listeners into the content if you
Speaker:
can, and try and build up thematic themes and segments
Speaker:
that can continue throughout the life of your podcast.
Speaker:
I hope this helps. If you've got any questions, reach out to me. If you
Speaker:
need more in depth help from me, you know where I am.
Speaker:
Well, that's it for this latest episode of the Podmaster
Speaker:
podcast. If you've enjoyed it, please do leave us a review in Apple
Speaker:
Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcast
Speaker:
from. Make sure you're following the show and you can find out more about the
Speaker:
show and stay in touch at Podmastery
Speaker:
Co. That's Podmastery Co.
Speaker:
Speak to you next time. The Podmaster is a podnost
Speaker:
podcasting production. Find out more about us at Podnows dot
Speaker:
co dot Uk. That's Podknows
Speaker:
dot co dot Uk.