In the last couple of years, podcasts have become a huge hit. Indeed, nearly a quarter of Americans listen to podcasts every week. So, if you’re worrying that spoken word isn’t popular — don’t. It’s literally at its peak, with more and more people tuning in each month to hear what their favorite hosts have to say. The audience is obviously there. But, we approach the real challenge now — how to create a successful podcast episode. How can your episodes leave a lasting impact rather than falling flat?
Well, there’s no definite answer to this question. But don’t give up! We can still analyze and determine what makes a podcast memorable. If you’re a podcast fan like we are, there’s probably one host that immediately comes to mind. For us, it’s Karina Longworth and her You Must Remember This pod. But, it can be any other podcast host! Our point is — there’s something that attracts you to devote your time to their shows. Not only you, but also millions of other people around the world.
If you ask them, most people would tell you that they listen to podcasts for the following reasons:
- Multitasking: listening to a podcast allows them to do something else as well.
- Staying informed and educated: they learn new things in their areas of interest.
- Escapism: great podcasts provide an entertainment value and make the daily grind more bearable.
Whatever your reason is, podcasts can truly engage and captivate you. In this article, we’ll provide useful tips on how to create a successful podcast. Here we go!
It’s Podcast’s World, We Just Live in It
No, really, it is. The popularity of podcasts shows no sign of shrinking anytime soon. So, no need to worry — podcasts aren’t just a passing fad. They are here to stay.
While we’re wondering how to create a successful podcast, we might as well see just how big spoken word is today. Well, it’s really big. If you don’t believe us, take a look at the below statistics:
- Today, there are 850,000 active podcasts around the world.
- Around 51% of people over the age of 12 listen to podcasts in the USA.
- Millennials are the largest fan base, with one-third of them regularly tuning in to podcasts.
Okay, obviously, the market is booming and there’s enough room for your podcast as well! Those are good news, right? So, if you’re now big on podcasts, we’re here to impart our wisdom and provide useful tips. Let’s start!
How to Create a Successful Podcast: Tips and Tricks
Creating podcast episodes that are engaging and informative takes time and effort. But, at the end of the day, it’s worth the investment. Your hard work will pay off if you produce a compelling podcast. And if you succeed at this, you’ll build a loyal fan base which is a dream come true for every publisher and content creator.
What’s more, this audience listens to your every show, leaves positive reviews, and shares your content on social media and other platforms. What more can you ask for in the publishing and marketing world, right? So, while we leave you to imagine your eponymous podcast for a second, we’ll get down to the nitty-gritty. “Where are those tips on how to create a successful podcast?”, you might be asking. Here they are.
Chose a Topic You’re Passionate About
If you play some of the best podcasts of today, you’ll notice that they have one thing in common: the hosts who know what they’re talking about. You don’t need to be an expert to record a podcast, but you should choose a topic you like talking about. Nothing will attract your audience more than hearing the interest in your voice.
So, before doing anything, figure out which topics you can talk about for days on end. There are probably several topics that spring to mind right now. Perhaps you’re interested in the early Hollywood years, movies, games, books, or something else. Whatever it is, find your passion. After all, we all have one.
Furthermore, with the right topic, you can attract your target audience who are as passionate about what you’re talking about as you are. Today, the most popular podcasting genres are:
- Comedy
- Education
- News
Therefore, if you excel at any of these, your success is imminent. Just remember to talk about something you like. Because if a topic bores you, trust us, your listeners will notice (perhaps even fall asleep). As a good example of hosts who know what they’re talking about, we’ll highlight Blank Check with Griffin & David. Listen and learn!
Plan Your Content
Don’t let the most important aspect of your podcast slip your mind. We’re talking about content. Even in the podcast world, content is king. So, you need to develop a content plan and come up with compelling topics. Ultimately, your topics, personality, conversation flow, and engagement will determine how successful you are. No one wants to spend an hour or less listening to boring topics and uninterested hosts.
Thus, when you start a podcast, keep a running list of topics and always research the current buzzwords. As soon as an idea appears, write it down and use it for your next show. Some hosts get new ideas just by talking with other people. They’ll have a spontaneous chat and discuss the world affairs when, voila, they hit on something relevant for their shows.
Moreover, you can take your cue from prominent podcasts. Namely, some of them break every episode into segments. This is understandable. After all, you can’t present every story in just one episode. So, when you get that idea, see whether you can use it for several episodes. Then, plan each segment and focus on their timing and flow.
Hook Them
You have less than ten seconds to hook your video viewers. Believe it or not, similar rules apply to podcasts. The only difference is that you have at least two minutes to get your listeners’ attention. This means that, if you want to create a successful podcast, your first few minutes need to be engaging.
Additionally, the beginning of the episode informs your audience what you’ll talk about, piquing their interest. There are those hosts who ruin the introduction by not saying anything useful to the listener. They just go on about the episode number or the weather, leaving people to wonder why they tuned in to the podcast.
But, how can you hook your audience then? Here are the top three ways to do this:
- Tease with the best content
- Tell a story
- Ask a question
Whichever method you choose, it will encourage your audience to keep on listening. Let’s check out our other tips on how to create a successful podcast.
Tell Stories
Another good idea is to tell stories. Stories are probably one of the most powerful ways to connect with your listeners. They prompt us to focus on and empathize with the storyteller. In fact, researchers at Stanford revealed that people remember stories better than any other piece of information. When you tell a story, you take the listener on a journey with you and encourage them to visualize everything you’re saying.
According to experts, you should use a standard three act story arc in your podcast:
- Setup: During the first act, you should establish a setting. Then, introduce the characters (of course, you can be that character) and build the world they live in.
- Confrontation: The second act is when you raise the stakes. Here you present the challenges and obstacles facing the characters. Usually, those characters reach a point where they attempt to solve the problem, but fail.
- Resolution: The final act of your story looks to resolve the plot. Its purpose is to provide closure. For a better experience, make sure to have a climax moment where tensions run high and then conclude your story.
If you’re unsure how to fill these segments, you can ask yourself these questions:
- What struggles are present?
- How should the characters overcome challenges?
- What lessons will they learn?
Invite Experts
Every niche has experts who are frequent guests on podcasts. Including them in one of your episodes will establish your authority and indicate to the audience that they should listen to you. If you want to be engaging, it would be best to invite guests who have great stories to tell.
Of course, you should learn as much as you can about these experts before you start recording. In this way, you can prepare questions and determine what your audience wants to find out from these experts.
Be Yourself
Yeah, we know, this sounds like a cliché. But you wouldn’t believe how many people forget to just be themselves while hosting a podcast. They think that creating another persona will make their podcast interesting. Well, it won’t. People want to see the real thing — the real you, that is. Just take Joe Rogan and his eponymous podcast as an example. Rogan doesn’t try to play any character, he’s always, well, himself. That’s probably one of the reasons why his podcast has been on air for around a decade.
At the beginning, you might be tempted to exaggerate some facet of your personality thinking that people will react better to that. However, if you want to create an engaging podcast, it’s best to be yourself. That way you won’t be out of character or come off as inauthentic. Remember, listeners can always tell if you’re being honest.
Monetize Your Podcast
At the center of a successful podcast is high-quality content. Once you hit content out of the park, you can think about other things. For instance, monetization. Without good content, monetization can’t really happen. There are numerous methods to monetize podcasts in today’s market. Perhaps the best solution is to host your podcast on an online video platform that offers monetization.
This is where Brid.TV can help you. We have a premium video hosting platform that is feature-rich and doesn’t require any technical know-how. Not only that, but we also offer a video monetization solution at affordable prices. So, if you want to revel in your podcast and earn money, we are at your disposal!
For any question you may have, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Closing Thoughts
We hope that you now have some understanding of how to create a successful podcast. This medium is only growing in popularity and you should capitalize on that. Before you start, we suggest that you check our podcast recommendations and find some inspiration in these hosts. Trust us, they are worth your time! After you’re done, start thinking about topics and content you want to present to your audience. Practice storytelling and prepare to record yourself!
