How to Make Your Podcast Stand Out

Written By The Wave
How to Make Your Podcast Stand Out

Although podcasting is still a relatively new medium for brands and creators, the market has been growing more saturated in recent years, and it’s definitely not slowing down anytime soon. It’s more important than ever to come up with new and creative ways to make your podcast stand out from the crowd and draw in your unique listener base.

There are thousands of podcasts out there, so chances are, at least a few of them are about the very same topic you’d like to focus on. However, don’t despair—there are plenty of ways to differentiate yourself from the competition, and there’s room for everyone to create in the podcast landscape. 

While there may be others discussing the same subject as you, there’s no reason why you have to let that deter you from creating content that leaves a lasting impression on your listeners. After all, no one is you, so no one else can create the exact same product as you—and that’s powerful.

The podcast world needs your unique perspective, so don’t hesitate to get those creative juices flowing and make your mark on the platform. Need some inspiration? Here are some tips to keep in mind when marketing your podcast and create something truly unique:

 

✴ Choose the right niche

The art of choosing a niche for your podcast (or any content you’re creating, for that matter) is a delicate balancing act. You’ll want to find the happy medium to make sure your content focus isn’t too broad or too specific. In both scenarios, you risk alienating certain audiences or missing out on connecting with listeners, so when developing your content plan and choosing a niche, follow these tips:

  • Avoid going too general. For example, if you’re starting a podcast dedicated to sports, you may want to refine your theme slightly and drill down on an aspect of the sports world you’re particularly interested in. By choosing something more niche, you’ll differentiate yourself from other sports podcasts and begin to develop your unique brand.

  • Don’t get too specific. That said, it’s also possible to go overboard when choosing a niche, which can turn people off and create too narrow of a window for content ideas. For example, sticking with the same sports example, you’ll want to avoid dedicating your entire podcast to discussing professional hockey players who retired to become actors (although, that might make for an interesting episode!).

  • The key to finding the perfect niche for your podcast is choosing a topic you could talk about forever, while also combining two or three ideas together so it’s not too broad. For example, you could create a podcast about athletes and nutrition, or football with the added layer of true crime.

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✴ Be yourself

We know, we know—you’ve been hearing this advice since you were five, but it’s worth repeating, especially when it comes to podcasting! One of the best ways to form authentic connections with your audience members is to truly be yourself and share the content you’re passionate about with your listeners.

People can easily sniff out someone who isn’t being true to themselves, so try to avoid creating content based on what you think people want to hear or trying too hard to emulate another creator’s style. Although it can be tempting to adopt another host’s voice or try to please everyone with your content, it’s always best to go with your gut and create the kind of podcast you would want to listen to—because otherwise, you’ll probably burn yourself out early on.

By being yourself, you’re guaranteed to stand out from the crowd because no one has your unique combination of skills, interests, and abilities. Moral of the story: be you and own it.

✴ Select the right guests

Unless you’re planning on making every episode a solocast (which is a viable option, too!), choosing the right guests to feature on your podcast can make or break your listener base. Many successful podcasters rose to prominence because of the high-profile guests they had on the show, so landing someone who already has a solid audience or following can really set you up for success right off the bat.

Don’t be afraid to dream big and reach out to people who are wildly successful in your field. The worst they can do is say no, and even then, at least you’ve made a connection that could come in handy later on. If no dream guests immediately come to mind, do a little research to find some interesting figures you could potentially feature on your show. The best part about podcasting today is that you don’t have to limit yourself to locals—you can reach out to anyone in the world who’s doing interesting work in your area.

If you’re still stuck on who to feature as a guest on your podcast, try some of the tips below:

  • Scour LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to find out who the key leaders and influencers are in your field. A simple hashtag search should do the trick, but you can also check out different groups, pages and lists to track down the most interesting people in the industry. 

  • Read books or articles about your topic and reach out to the authors. If you’re really interested in your podcast’s subject, then reading about it shouldn’t feel like extra homework. Don’t be afraid to track down the authors of your favorite books and pitch them to do an episode with you—you never know, they just might say yes!

  • Network, network, and network some more. Podcasting is essentially a social medium, so to build your audience, you’ll want to do a little mingling to expand your reach and get to know others operating in the same space. Chances are, you’ll meet plenty of other like-minded people who would love to hear from you.

Related: 8 Tips For Being A Great Podcast Guest

✴ Build your brand

While the most important part of creating a successful podcast is producing a high-quality end product, if you really want to build an audience base, there are a few other components you’ll want to focus on, too. Word of mouth is one of the oldest and most effective marketing tools out there, but while you’re at it, you might as well take advantage of all the strategies and platforms at your fingertips today.

Here are a few tactics you can use to build your brand and create a buzz around your podcast:

  • Get social. Spread the word about your podcast by creating a website, blog, and designated social media channels separate from your own personal channels. You can still leverage your own channels to promote new episodes, but by creating a separate online hub for your podcast, you’re carving out a specific landing page just for your podcast so people can see what it’s all about and learn more about the show.

  • Leverage beautiful visuals. In general, people are attracted to eye-catching visuals and photo-driven platforms like Instagram. Since podcasts mainly involve text and audio, you’ll want to add some visuals to the mix to attract a wider audience and entice listeners. For example, if your podcast is about food, flood your Instagram profile with mouthwatering photos of your favorite dishes. No matter what you’re discussing on your podcast, people usually respond well to photos of other humans, so don’t be afraid to snap a selfie or even hire a photographer to do a professional photo shoot if you’re feeling fancy.

  • Collaborate with other brands. Just like partnering with the right guests can help draw in an audience, collaborating with other brands and companies can help expand your network and raise your profile as a podcaster. Some examples of collaborations you can work on with others include guest blogs, Q&As, new products, live webinars, and more.

 
The Wave
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