How to make your podcast stand out

Over the past few years the podcast industry has seen a steady rise in popularity. The number of monthly US podcast listeners will increase by 10.1% year over year. While the number of listeners is constantly growing, the amount of new podcast shows will not be staying behind either. That makes it crucial to have a podcast that stands out. Here are some tips to help you achieve that.

Don’t lose yourself along the way

A common mistake made by people new in the podcast industry is forgetting to be themselves. Once you start hosting your show, want it or not, you may find yourself digging into the topic of podcasts more and more. And that’s a good thing as long as you keep your podcast authentic. That means that the topics you discuss during the show are the ones that you enjoy and not the ones that seem attractive to your listeners. If the subjects you choose to discuss during the show don’t interest you, you might just burn yourself out early on. It also means that you shouldn’t pretend to be anyone else other than yourself. Don’t try to adapt some other voice or character to host your show. It will make the process harder and won’t do any good since most listeners can easily recognize that you’re merely faking things. Along with the previous tip, I’d also like to include the importance of having the right niche. Before starting the show, you will most likely know what it will be dedicated to. It could be about sports, fashion, science and a ton of other things. Choosing a niche can be a piece of cake if you know your hobbies and interests. However it is important to make sure that the topic you choose is not too general and open (since that can make your podcast a mess) but also not too narrow and specific to reduce your audience. All and all choosing the right niche can add a lot of authenticity to the show and really make your podcast stand out.

Research, research and more research

To make your podcast stand out is to offer people something that no one else will. You ask what. Well in podcasts the one and only unique thing that you can definitely offer your audience is your perspective on different matters. However, to form a perspective and an opinion on a topic that actually matters and interests people takes a lot of research on the topic you’re discussing. The more research you do about a certain topic the more different points of view you visit and learn about, that helps you shape an appropriate and unique understanding of the matter and gives you a lot to talk about and discuss with your listeners.

Bring in some colours

When you’re recording an episode make sure that it doesn’t sound like you’re just following a boring script that repeats itself in every other show. Add some humour, keep the vibes good. Make sure that each person finds something valuable when listening to your show. It can be an engaging story, an interesting fact or a good joke, all of these your listeners will appreciate. Be original and fun when having conversations with your guests, ask them uncommon questions and make it sound like a regular talk and not an interview.

Have exciting and unique guests over

Unless you’re doing a solocast, this tip is very useful when trying to make your podcast stand out. When people first stumble across your show, they will probably take a look at the content you’re offering. That means they’ll go over the titles of your episodes, take a look at the guests you select to talk to, if they find themselves interested with what you have to offer, they’ll start listening. With that being said, make sure that your content won’t be disappointing. Talking to interesting and thrilling people in your episodes can really help with that. Find people that are great in the field that’s related to your niche and ask them to be a guest in one of your episodes. Don’t be afraid to aim high and reach out to people who are wildly successful, because the worst you can get is a “no” and you’ll know that you at least tried. However, in my experience most people are rather honored and happy to join and chat in one of the episodes.

Lastly, don’t forget to promote

Promoting and building your brand is a very important step if you want your podcast to stand out. Create accounts dedicated to your podcast on different types of social media, collaborate with other shows, brands and make sure to build a website for your show. You will find most successful podcasts have a website that effectively promotes their site, attracts new listeners and acts as a central hub for everything related to their show. Having a website can also be your way of expressing the theme of your podcast for all the new listeners. If you don’t have a website for your podcast yet, podsite.io can save you time by building a professional, automated website for your podcast with a beautiful design that will make your show immediately stand out!