Podcasts have been all the rage for a number of years now, with new shows coming out every day. People have the option to listen to shows that offer everyday tips, life lessons, DIY advice platforms, and a vast array of other exciting things. You can also listen to podcasts created by businesses, centering around industry news, product releases and customer stories.
However, having an excellent podcast script is not the only component that makes a show successful. There’s more to it than you’d think.
Here are some pivotal points to consider for starting your first podcast and making it a success.
Find Your Niche
The podcasting industry is growing by the minute, with a steady stream of new shows introduced to listeners. But launching a show with an unclear purpose will do very little to help it grow. Instead, it might confuse the listeners about your message as they will not understand what you are trying to say.
Inevitably, you must have clear goals from the beginning about what niche you are interested in. Following that, you must create a standard for yourself that sets you apart from other podcasts of the same niche.
For instance, suppose you run a show on gardening tips. You can be sure that there are several shows on the topic already being released regularly. To make your show unique, you can focus on areas such as miniature gardens, bonsai plants, and other offbeat gardening skills that other podcasts do not focus on.
Define the Number of Episodes and Their Length
Most listeners who tune into podcasts every day are multitasking. Some drive their children to school, some go to the office, and others run errands. Naturally, you can assume that their attention is already split between several tasks. Invariably, creating episodes about fifteen to twenty minutes long is essential, as anything longer might bore your audience.
Deliver concise and consistent content that entertains your audience and keeps them interested in your show.
Have a Flawless Script
When your goal is to run a successful show, having a reliable podcast script gets you more than halfway there. To write a great script, keep the theme in mind and start building engaging conversations or content around it.
The best way is to split the script into multiple sections and divide your content likewise. For example, if your episode is about a soon-to-be-launched community program, you can give the general gist of it in the first section. In the following sections, you can talk about the details of the program, if it has any events planned for residents, and how they can participate in them.
You can ask your guest to practice a couple of questions before hitting record to help build rapport. Prepare interview questions beforehand. This way, neither you nor your guest will feel unprepared. You may choose to give your guest some or all of the questions. Be aware though that if you give your guest all the questions, they may have too much time to practice their answers and may come off as sounding like they already knew you would ask. You want the interview to sound as natural as possible and not scripted.
Ensure Excellent Sound Quality
While it may seem easy to create audio podcasts, it can be pretty challenging as you have to rely only on sound to make your show a hit. Most podcasts are solely audio-based and have no visual elements involved. If the sound quality is terrible, listeners will drop out steadily.
Therefore, invest in high-quality microphone and sound recording and editing software before publishing your first episode. If you do not possess the knowledge to use the software, ask a professional to guide you through the process. This will ensure there are no awkward pauses, squeaks, and other unpleasant noises in the audio.
Track Progress
You can choose from several podcast hosting directories that offer metrics of your show’s performance. Make it a point to regularly check how many new listeners have joined your show, their feedback, how engaging your content is, and if you have met your initial goals. This invaluable data will help you make changes to your podcast that help it grow and reach larger audiences. It will also assist you in setting new goals for the near future to keep your show running smoothly for a very long time.
Additionally, you can consider monetizing your podcast to make a reasonable profit eventually. You can do this by selling air time to advertisers or getting a show sponsor.
