Are you ready to start a podcast? We’ve searched all over the internet, reading what the best podcasters have to say about what makes their show successful. After reading countless articles we’ve organized the topics and we’ve presented the top tips that make shows successful and stand out. If you choose to follow these insights you will give your podcast a better chance at connecting with yoru audience and making it into the charts.
Podcasts have never been more popular, and rightly so.
You might have seen a lot of podcasts popping up everywhere you turn, little wonder beginners often search for podcast tips and tricks to grow their channel.
The podcast industry is booming. In actuality, there are presently over 30 million podcast episodes and 850,000 active podcasts. And this figure will only get bigger in the years to come.
Now, what’s it about podcasts that make it so popular?
A podcast is a digital audio broadcast, which can be downloaded and listened to on different devices.
Let’s say you’re having a hectic day; you can listen to a podcast once-off to unwind or relax. You can also listen to a podcast while commuting to or from work. Unlike a blog post or a video, a podcast is easier to consume since it doesn’t require a visual element.
About a third of Americans listen to a podcast every month. These listeners are so engaged, and that’s the main buzzword for internet marketers.
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In contrast to social videos, which hold an average of 23 seconds watch-time, podcast listeners are incredibly connected, with 80 percent listening to every episode they start!
That’s a huge number!
So it’s safe to say that podcasts are the hottest media ecosystems and huge moneymakers. And that’s why advertisers invested about $479 million in podcast ads and promotions in 2018. And a report shows that it will be a billion-dollar industry by 2021.
Here comes the best part…
Starting a podcast is super easy! Gone are those days when you’d need expensive recording tools to release a podcast. You can begin with just a functional laptop, a mic, editing software, and headphones.
So you see, it bears repeating that there are countless reasons to start NOW – that’s if you want to build a career in this industry. Getting started is easier than ever and using a podcast can only help give your business much more authority.
I’ve been utilizing the power of podcasting, and so can you with these top podcast tips and insights.
1. Know Your Values before You Begin
This is one of the most important podcast tips for beginner podcasters. You can reach several goals with your podcast. And knowing what your values and motive are before you begin is a good idea. This is the beginning of choosing your brand and will help you plan your show.
Roy Edward Disney once said this:
When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.
Now, you must select an area where you can win and dominate. There are several mediocre podcasts around, so let’s not add more! Knowing your values as a podcast host will help you appeal to your audience and be different from other shows.
It must be an area that leverages your values and strengths. Also, it must be an area where you offer value in a way no one else can. If you begin without knowing where you can dominate, that’s okay. However, make sure you aim to offer value.
2. Be Consistent
With big investments flowing into podcasting and an increase of online content, if you don’t post often, you won’t get subscribers.
TedTalks, for instance, offers more than 2,700 podcasts, all created with an educational viewpoint. Likewise, Joe Rogan’s podcast flows like a mighty ocean of content – about 3 episodes a week.
I know this might look like a mirage. But it is attainable. If you create and deliver valuable content, your audiences will show up anytime you do. Choose a format that is easy to follow without getting overwhelmed, remember the goal is to share your podcast with your audience on a regular basis so they want to keep tuning into your show.
When I first started, my podcast began with zero downloads and listeners. Oh well, every podcast does. But right now, I have a few podcast episodes under my belt.
It’s not magic; it’s consistency!
There are several other podcast tips you can apply to achieve success. First, you can build a calendar to streamline how you produce your podcasts. And it should contain the time for recording, editing (if necessary), and publishing.
After you’ve created your weekly schedule, stick to it and get your episodes out there!
Second, outline potentially relevant episode themes or interviews. You can also research topics to discuss on your podcast. Quora might be the best resource for this since it has more than 190 million users.
3. Get Good Equipment & Avoid Poor Audio Quality
Yes, you don’t need to spend a lot of bucks on advanced recording and editing software or expensive tools to be successful. But it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use a decent microphone to start with. I recommend a usb microphone to start.
I am not going to sugar coat this fact: a podcast with bad audio quality will have little to no chance at success.
Here is the thing… Some listeners use podcasts to unwind and entertain themselves. So no one wants to strain to hear what you’re saying. Getting great equipment will help make you and your episode sound great.
Podcasters who invest in basic tools and software to record with can make a big difference when it comes to the success of their podcast. Consider buying a good microphone.
Need better audio quality? Tired of spending hours editing? Sign up for our podcast editing plans and skyrocket your episode quality!
4. Consider SEO
Many podcasters don’t have a website or think about SEO but it can really help you build an audience in a short amount of time. Do you know that Google Podcasts and iTunes are search engines? Posting your podcast on your website isn’t going to be enough.
To explain further, type “sports” in an iTunes or Google Podcasts search bar. What do you see? A variety of podcasts with “sports” in their descriptions or title, right?
Now how does this work? It’s simple:
Ranking your podcast follows the same rules as ranking an article – writing quality articles and sticking to search engine best practices.
And that includes putting in some target keywords. Now, it will make sense to add some keywords when writing your podcast’s description or title. It might just be what you need to rank on search results and hack your way to many podcast downloads.
Hold on…
DON’T stuff the contents with keywords, though. Add the keywords, but make sure your title and description sound as natural. Also, be descriptive and definite in your show notes, so your listeners can find you easily.
Consider SEO when you are coming up with your podcast name as well, it will help you be discovered by search engines and make your marketing easier.
5. Don’t Overlook Visuals
No doubt, podcasting is an audio-centric platform, but don’t neglect visuals – it is the key to developing your podcast. Successful shows sound AND look great. Your podcast cover and social media must be unique. Brand consistency and clarity are vital to make your podcast stand out.
You’ll be risking your podcast’s success if you’re negligent with your podcast branding.
If I look at your podcast cover, I should be able to tell what it’s about. So go for straightforward descriptive titles all and say to NO to needless spellings of basic English words.
Now, this brings me to the thumbnail.
Thumbnails aren’t big, but it is what makes your podcast distinct and noticeable. That said, avoid adding symbols – it’ll be unreadable and will only use up space.
6. Don’t Underestimate the Power of Social Media
This is one of many podcast tips for beginners. After starting your new podcast, you have a few months to get featured in the Apple New & Noteworthy list.
To appear on this list, you’ll need to develop a plan.
Although Apple doesn’t use a precise algorithm, you need to consider these metrics: velocity of reviews, 5-star ratings, and subscriber growth.
How do you get listeners to listen, rate, review, and subscribe when you’re just a beginner?
First, develop shareable podcast snippets to put it on your social channels. Second, create an email list of subscribers and invite them to listen. Third, get in touch with journalists and influencers in your space and pitch your podcast’s value.
Advertising your podcast via Twitter or Instagram is an effective way to gain traffic and pull in leads to your podcast or syndication app.
7. Interview Guests That Suit Your Niche
Getting guests can seem complicated at first.
Why?
For starters, you can’t build a following without guests, and you can’t interview guests without active listeners. In the end, size is important to guests with many offers for their time.
Luckily, you can get guests to show up, even though you don’t have a massive audience.
You might ask, “How?”
Search for the ideal guest in the right places. You can look for experts and authors with imminent book releases or even upcoming artists who want to showcase their works. If you’re going to do this, make sure the subject theme aligns with yours.
Final Thoughts
It’s worth repeating: Podcasting is here to stay. After all, it is a fantastic marketing vehicle and a superb branding tool. If you’re looking to amplify your business, and build your authority while generating more income, there is no better way than podcasting. If you follow a proven plan you’ll have a much better show.
Now you need to have the capacity and the passion for podcasting to achieve success. Don’t just create 4 or 5 podcasts then bin it off. Remember, consistency is vital and it is the foundation to success. Create podcasts, both audio and video, and create micro-content media for each episode to promote it.
If you’re set to get your podcast off the ground, put these podcast tips and tricks into action, and see the positive results you’ll achieve!
Good luck!
– Written by Margaret Oboigbe for Podcast Farm
