What differentiates a great podcast from an average podcast? Well, you can say it’s the audio quality or the guests who are interviewed. But at the heart of it all, the thing that defines a podcast as great is the host! The host is the glue that holds everything together. They determine what content is created, which guests make an appearance, and whether or not the audience becomes a strong, engaged community.
Becoming a great podcast host takes some skills, practice, and a few key characteristics! To help your podcast thrive, you have to learn to create the conversation your audience desires, become an expert on the subject, and really seek out the best guests to interview on your show. Of course, each of our podcasts has a unique spin and requires any number of important podcast host traits to make it a success. So take these 10 characteristics and implement them as a start to creating the successful podcast you’ve always dreamed of!
Engage Your Audience in Conversation
One of the best tips for a podcast host is to speak to your audience like they are in the room with you. Don’t tell them about what they “will hear” or how “great the interview was”. Instead, let them discover it along with you, in “their” moment. This helps your listeners to feel like they are right there with you, listening to the interview for the very first time as it is happening. Although this is not true, it definitely creates a much more life-like atmosphere and draws your listeners into the crucial and sometimes intimate conversations of your podcast. Most importantly, think of your listener as a third person listening in to your conversation, not a crowd of people listening to your conversation. This creates a one-on-one feel, inviting them into the conversation with you to go on the journey together!
Know Your Subject Matter
There’s nothing worse than going off on a tangent simply because you forgot what you were talking about in the first place. Knowing your subject matter is critical when it comes to keeping your audience engaged and actually allowing them to walk away from the episode having learned what you set out to teach them. Being well-prepared and researched in your topic can help you stay focused and gives you a clear path of the conversation. It is important to keep a narrow focus and make sure that you are not losing anyone along the way. True knowledge and expertise trump a simple opinion every time!
Avoid Information Overload
Podcasts are not all about shoving information down your listeners’ throats. Often times people get bored when there is too much information thrown their way. Instead, break the information up by adding in stories, personal anecdotes, or something for your audience to relate to and remember down the road. Your listeners are much more likely to remember a story than a bunch of facts strung together. Keep in mind, you cannot assume that everyone learns the way that you do. Find new ways to be a good teacher and a great communicator and you are sure to get your message across effectively.
Understand Your Audience
In order to be a great podcast host, you have to be one with the audience, and understand what’s running through their mind the entire duration of the show. Throughout the episodes, keep reminding yourself of what they would be feeling or what they would be thinking. By knowing their thoughts, you will be able to ask much better questions of your guests, really digging into what your audience is after. As the podcast host, it is your job to deliver the content they want to hear, and you can only do that when you truly understand what makes your audience tick.
Seek Out The Best Guests
Sometimes a podcast guest can make or break your episode. If your guests are inexperienced with the podcasting format, do your due diligence to make sure that they get the right tools, even set up a practice run, and really get them acquainted with the world of podcasting. Now, remember, just because someone has asked to be featured on your show does not mean that they are a good fit. Again, what does your audience want? Will this guest benefit them and give them the valuable content that they are looking for? Don’t be afraid to ask these tough questions and really vet your guests to find those golden interviews!
Prepare For Every Interview
Before the interview, make sure to research your guest and become familiar with their work. Take the time to read their books, listen to other podcasts that they’ve been interviewed on, and really get accustomed to their topic of choice. To dig even deeper, send out a pre-interview survey to get to know them better. Gather as much information about your guest, including their bio and headshot, so that you can give them a big thank you and share their details out with your listeners to really give them the value and exposure above and beyond what is expected. On top of that, say thank you by sending them a gift or something to remember the podcast by.
Set Your Guests At Ease
Preparing your guest for the interview is just as important as preparing yourself. A great way to get your guest to be more prepared is by sending over sample questions ahead of time to give them a chance to look them over and think through the possible answers they could give. Another great tip is to pick a topic of their interest, something that highlights their expertise and brings a new piece of knowledge into your show. On the day of the interview, get your guest loosened up before by asking them personal questions, or sharing a story with them. These non-threatening topics can help them become more relaxed. Then, transition straight into the interview with this same feel and energy so that the momentum is not lost for the show.
Encourage Respectful Debates
Part of being a skilled interviewer and great podcast host is learning how to read the conversation. Every conversation as the potential to go really well, really badly, or simply fall flat. This is where it is key for you to guide your guests along the conversation, encouraging interesting topics and diving into each aspect of what the guest has to offer. Now, keep in mind, often listeners really enjoy a spirited debate, a conversation that really gets into the nitty-gritty of a topic, especially one that is close to their hearts. As the host, you have to guide these debates and encourage them to be respectful of all sides. Again, giving your listeners the excitement of it all without it getting too heated or uncomfortable.
Create Killer Episode Titles
When it comes to your episode title, first impressions are key! There needs to be a hook that draws listeners in and give them a hint of what is to come without giving it all away! If your podcast has been running for a while, it can often be hard to come up with creative, catchy titles. This is where interesting content comes into play; make sure to ask guests things that have never been said on other podcasts, dig into topics that aren’t often covered, and really find that unique twist to add to your show, even if the guest is not new to the audience. Be your own creator, and really embrace that side of yourself.
Be Authentic
Finally, but most importantly, just be authentically you. At the heart of it all, you have to be authentic on your show. There’s nothing better than knowing that as the host, you are giving it your all! Listeners want to connect with you, the real you. Not some made up version of someone you wish you were. That is what will make your show the most unique because nobody can tell it like you can. Only you have the perspective and the point of view to share your message with your audience. At the end of the day, they tune in to hear your authentic voice and to relate to all that you have to share with them.
Understand Your Speaking Style
As individuals, we all have our own unique style of speaking. Some of us have a really upbeat tone, others a little more on the low-down. And others have yet to discover their true voice. The best place to start is by making a list of your natural speaking qualities. Bring those strengths into your speaking style and use them to your advantage. So often speakers have a tendency to think they should be a certain way. But the way to be the most successful at your own show is to be yourself. Resist the temptation to try to sound a certain way and just stick to being the person your close friends know you to be. Everyone is unique with their own quirky behaviors. Allow the quirky parts of your personality to integrate into your speaking style. Those personality quirks will eventually turn into distinguished marks of authenticity for your show.
Of course, there is always space to improve your communication skills and really make sure that you are getting your message across to your audience. But if your core speaking style is consistent, it will be a strong foundation to launch your podcast and speaking skills to a new level.
Minimize the “Robot-Talk”
When you think about your favorite podcasts, you love tuning in to them because the information is easy to listen to and delivered in a relaxed, conversational tone. Your listeners aren’t interested in listening to you read off of an outline; they’re there for the conversation, to hear you talk through the topic in your own words, sharing your own experience. Just be human, foster a genuine connection with your audience and speak from the heart.
The key is to move away from the robot-speak, and really embrace your natural personality. Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, let your style be based on your natural rhythms. If you are an introvert, let yourself speak slowly and deliberately and thoughtfully and don’t try to manufacture enthusiasm that does not feel natural for you. On the other hand, as an extrovert, you are more likely to be dynamic and outwardly focused. So don’t try to squash your natural energies or be too controlled. Let yourself be large and dramatic! So minimize that robot-talk, and just be you!
Learn How to Let Your Guests Shine
The whole reason you bring guests on your show is to allow your audience to tap into the knowledge that they bring. Listeners enjoy hearing smart, in-the-know people discuss thought-provoking topics and ideas that are important to them. However, often times it can be hard for hosts to let go of the microphone. Afterall, it is your show and your audience. But there’s no way for your guest to shine and impart their wisdom to your audience if you don’t step aside for a second and give them the opportunity! So know yourself, learn to let go just a bit to really give your audience the benefit they deserve.
To make it easier to stay on track and not steal your guests’ thunder, make a brief outline for the interview to help guide your guest and your audience along the conversation. Stay away from questions that demand only “yes” or “no” answers that stop the conversation in its tracks. Instead, drive the momentum forward with explorative questions that require more thought and explanation. Most importantly, let your guest reply fully to the questions you ask without cutting them off! Especially not to talk about yourself. Give them their time to shine, and let the knowledge of the conversation flow.
Work On Your Showmanship
At the heart of it, your podcast is a show! So it is only natural to come to the conclusion that you are the showperson in charge of running that show. As we discussed in point 1 and 2 above, you have to develop your own style and work with the strengths and qualities that you already possess. If you are feeling somewhat lost on where to start, pick a few of your favorite podcast hosts and outline exactly what it is about their showmanship that you like and then apply that to your own show.
Now, remember, don’t be a copycat! There’s no point creating something that is exactly the same as someone else, and not at all like YOU! Soak up all the inspiration you can, but then adapt and tweak it to work for your show and your specific audience. The aim of the game is to educate and entertain! Find your flow, understand how you best perform and put on the show that draws your audience in time and time again.
Put Yourself in New Situations
To make sure that you are always learning and adapting to your audience as they grow, challenge yourself by searching out new communication opportunities. Whether that is speaking in at a small meetup or stepping up onto a conference stage, there is always space to grow as a speaker and podcaster. Getting out and speaking in front of others is a sure way of developing and fine-tuning those skills even more. Being face-to-face with an audience allows you to gain a new perspective, really drawing from the immediate reactions of the crowd, no matter how big or small it is. This type of feedback is priceless and can really help illuminate areas of your speaking that needs improvement, and also point out where you are really nailing it.
If speaking engagements are not enough, try something completely out of the box like reciting a poem or some type of monologue. Do this in front of a mirror or even go as far as taking an acting class to really get the feel of things. Really challenge yourself and you just might be surprised at the results you will see!
Be Endlessly Curious
The first step in upping your podcast game is to really understand why you are in this in the first place. To create a truly successful show, you have to be endlessly curious about the topic you are discussing and the people you are building up in your audience. Audio can create a powerful, emotional experience when it’s done well. It is your job to be the researchers, the storyteller, and the consistent cheerleader for your topic! You are the journalist for your show. It is up to you to do the investigating and get down to the heart of each topic.
So it is time to do a self-check; are you open-hearted enough? Are you looking for the next discovery, the next revelation, or breakthrough? Don’t create another average podcast. Go above and beyond, follow your curiosity, and find that juicy, interesting content that your audience is craving!
Minimize the Fluff
We often hear from all the podcast experts that we should “minimize the fluff”. This seems simple enough. But what exactly is this “fluff”? The fluff is really just all the extra stuff that people talk about that has nothing to do with the topic of the episode, and that won’t be useful or valuable to your audience. What classifies as fluff will be different for every podcaster and their audience, and it’s up to you to suss it out! Again, the key is to think about it from your listeners point of view. What, from their perspective, is truly important for the content of your show? For your audience, they want to listen to what is going to help them.
So to keep them listening you have to get to the main points of the content as quickly as possible. Of course, what ties it all together are the personal anecdotes. These little stories are what people remember most and they help your audience to connect with you as the podcast host. The key is to find that delicate balance between the meat and potatoes of your show and the personal touch that makes the content irresistibly unique.
Always Ask for Feedback
Trying to determine if your show is a hit or not can sometimes be a bit of a mystery. More often than not, listeners are not going to tell you that you are an awful podcast host; they will simply stop downloading your episodes. The reality is that, aside from the terrible internet trolls out there, most people actually want you to succeed. So to prevent those helpful listeners from simply leaving, catch them early on by actually asking them for their feedback! This can be crucial for your podcast success, especially in the very early stages. If you can iron out those kinks right off the bat, you are much more likely to see your show succeed. Working off of the feedback from real listeners can help you reshape the show, remove what doesn’t work, and focus on what your audience truly wants to hear from you.
Take a step back and draw on your audience for their unique perspective as a listener. Start out by asking them specific questions about your show at the end of each podcast episode and on your social media accounts. You can also use the option of sending out a short survey to your email list asking them to give you feedback on different aspects of your podcast, what they’d change, or what they feel is missing. This survey can cover everything from the podcast itself, to your website, content, show notes, social media posts, etc. And remember, your audience is much more likely to submit their answers or respond with feedback if there is some type of incentive involved. The incentive can be an entrance into a giveaway or a discount code for one of your courses or ebooks. Be creative, and get the conversation going!
Enjoy Yourself!
Last but not least, to be a better podcaster you have to be able to enjoy yourself! Your audience can always tell whether or not you are actually having fun or if you are struggling to simply get through it. Podcasting should be like second nature to you, especially if it’s a topic that you are absolutely passionate about! And what’s better, you get to share that message with others who are interested in hearing about it. There has never been a better time to get into the podcasting game, and the more you have fun with it the more your listeners will pick up on that fun and start enjoying the process more too!
It is always more interesting to listen to someone who is actually enjoying themselves. There is just something about that that draws people in, igniting their fire for the topic and catching on to that contagious passion. If you ever lose this fun, get back to the root of why you started in the first place. Think of the possibilities and the opportunities that podcasting can open up for you. Get back to that place, constantly reminding yourself why you are in it for the long run!
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As a podcaster, you know that your show would literally be just words spoken out into the open abyss, if not for your audience! Your listeners are the key and it’s because of them that your podcast even exists. Besides your personal commitment to your show, your audience is the reason you press record every time so that you can make a difference in their lives.
In order to make sure you are properly caring for your listeners, it is absolutely paramount that you create a strong podcast community to keep them engaged and to make the biggest impact in your industry.
Encourage Listener Engagement
One of the first ways to really start your podcast community is to get your listeners engaged in your show. Whether this means simply asking for a review on iTunes, or asking them to leave their comments on the blog, engagement from them will really get the ball rolling. Another great way to get your listeners engaged is by giving them shoutouts on the show or by encouraging them to become an active and engaged audience. Along with getting your listeners engaged, it is just as important that you too are an active participant in your community. Make it a priority to respond to comments and take the time to appreciate each listener for their review. Although this may become harder with time as your community grows, it is a great strategy for getting your community growing on the right trajectory.
Ask Your Audience What They Want
Since your audience is the main reason for your show to exist, it is important to always take them into consideration. Provide them with real, valuable content and advice with each and every episode that you publish. A great way to know whether or not you are on track with this is to give them a survey, asking them what it is they would like to hear more about. Make it about them, not about you; they are your community after all! Another way to create audience-focused content is by asking listeners to send in their specific questions to the show. Then dedicate an episode, or a part of an episode, specifically to answering those questions. This creates an instant connection to your audience and helps direct you to provide your listeners with the content that they are really looking for.
A great example of this is So Money Podcast, where the host, Farnoosh Torabi, dedicates one episode a week just to answering her audiences’ money questions. Listeners write in via email or even send voice notes via SpeakPipe to get their questions answered on the show. Check out the Ask Farnoosh episodes to find out all about it. The key is to reach out to them first, and they will reach out to you in return.
Provide a Platform to Connect
The key ingredient for building a strong community is providing your audience with a platform and an opportunity to find their voice and share their thoughts with others. Creating a forum or Facebook group specifically dedicated to your community gives your listeners a space to build relationships with not only you, the host, but with others within the community as well. A community platform allows them a space to communicate and find others like them, who share similar values and goals. Fostering an online community gives your audience a place to come together, a place to belong and know that they are not alone on their individual journeys.
Create Shareworthy Content
At the root of building a strong community lies valuable, shareable content. When your content is fresh, consistent, and audience-focused this makes it easier for your listeners to be excited about what you are sharing. In turn, they want to share it out with others, and most importantly, if the community has made a difference in their lives they want to share it with those who may need the same changes and support in their own lives. Sharing valuable content allows your community to create a “buzz” that is bound to attract new listeners and make the community a fun place to be.
Foster Authentic Relationships
To really get at the heart of authentic relationships, you have to open up and share yourself. The element of vulnerability is absolutely priceless in establishing strong connections and bringing a community together. Simply put, just be human! Show your audience that there is a person behind the podcast; a person who cares about helping them reach their goals and see the success they desire. Show your audience the real you, and stay in touch on a consistent basis. Respond to listener questions, actively participate in community discussions, and show appreciation for engagement. Block out some time each day, specifically dedicated to your audience and getting connected to foster those authentic relationships.
Uplift Your Community
Community means supporting others; the same thing goes for the podcast community that you build. Show your audience your appreciation for their listenership by promoting great content and share their work with the community. Shine a light on what others in your audience are doing to encourage them to take their first steps towards their own personal success.
Organize a Live Event
Although an online platform breaks down the barriers of creating a conventional community, there is nothing quite as effective as a face-to-face meetup! Creating that live, one-on-one connection opens up a whole new world of relationships. It doesn’t matter if you only have 5 people show up, or 1,000 – getting people together for a common purpose gives you the opportunity for creating long-lasting, authentic relationships. Start small, with a simple meetup or getting together for a coffee. As your community grows, look into organizing live speaking events. Invite special guests to speak at these events, again, bringing in new and fresh content for your community to grow. Giving your audience the opportunity to get together not only strengthens their connection with you, but also allows them to build strong relationships with each other and find their tribe to support them in their own lives.
Network, Network, Network!
A very easy and fruitful way to grow your podcast is to reach out to others within the podcasting community. Rather than view this as helping the competition, use it as a way to expand your listener base. Tap into those contacts you already have and use them to your advantage. An interview with someone else in your space can be used as quality content while also cross-targeting audiences. Collaborations with others can have the same effect and can definitely be used as a way to learn new tips and tricks. Who knows, maybe a partnership is in the cards? Either way, your network is gold; so don’t forget to use it!
*Tips To Help You Find Your Next Podcast Guest
Web Summit Attendee Search
This tool got released today and it’s a powerful search tool for podcasters all over the world. Basically what the Web Summit released today is a database of all their attendees (Over 36,000 of them), yes, and you can search by occupation, country, etc. This tool is limitless in finding people of interest to interview on your podcast.
Conference Speaker Lists
A good idea that is often overlooked, very much like my first point I made above is to look at conference speakers. There are tons of conferences happening all over the world and they are driven by influential speakers that have the attendees hanging on every word that leaves their lips. I wrote a short article on six conferences to attend before the year’s end, and that could be a starting point for you.
Scroll through their list of speakers and see who will be a good fit for your listeners. It’s important that you keep your content focused on your market and not just stray because of an influencer in question.
Other Podcasts
This happens more often than you think. People scroll through their favorite podcasts and write down the guests that have been interviewed. It’s an easy way to come up with a list of potential interviews, especially because you relate to them on an emotional level already because of the interview you listened to.
Twitter Search
Don’t neglect the power of finding new unheard of guests on social media. I’m directly referring to Twitter here as it makes for a less saturated way to find people other than all the guys tagging CEO on Instagram because they feel like being CEO of their one stop shop.
Let me show you how
— Head over to Twitter.com and make sure you are signed in.
— Go to their Advanced Search – Click here for easy access
— List your criteria, as an example, I just entered: CEO, Coach, Entrepreneur in the Any of these words box.
— Language is set to English.
— I then added a location to where I am looking for the guests: New York, NY
— I selected Positive at the bottom and hit search.
— That is how I came up with the screenshot you saw above. Click here for direct search link.
Your Network
It’s time to look into your little black book. Who do you surround yourself with that your guests would love to hear from? Maybe you could ask some of your friends for recommendations and by simply involving them, it could help you scale your listenership dramatically. People love to be valued and this is no different.
Choose A Good Podcasting Host
Every podcast needs a good host to get for the appropriate publishing tools, media hosting and delivery, RSS for Apple Podcasts and iTunes, a website, stats and a platform that has your back as you grow as a producer. As your podcast grows, your host needs to be able to provide a fast and reliable network, plus the bandwidth and flexible storage space that can handle your podcast as it grows over time. There are several hosting companies where you can upload your podcast for free. However, if you are serious about really growing your audience, you need to think like a pro. This comes back to having sufficient bandwidth in case one of your episodes go viral. Otherwise, all those downloads will be stopped in their tracks, you’ll lose listeners, and you’ll miss out on your plunge into making it big.
Maximize That SEO
Making your show easy to find on a very cramped and crowded internet is crucial. This can be done by using the right keywords, titles, descriptions, and content. A podcast that’s featured on the first page of Google is obviously going to attract more first-time listeners than a podcast who shows up on page 50. Likewise, a show that launches on iTunes and makes it into the ‘New and Noteworthy’ section will see the same success. The key is to optimize your podcast for both for typical Google searches and for the search engines of each respective podcast directory that your show is listed on. This means including target keywords in your podcast name and description, as well as each individual episode’s name and description. The ultimate goal is to hit iTunes top podcasts, a goal that requires time and a combination of great content, strategic marketing, and great SEO optimization.
Interact With the Internet!
To become a successful podcaster, you definitely should not be aiming to do it all alone. There is an abundance of amazing community platforms available online that can be used to network, converse, and discuss. Use these platforms to interact with listeners, potential new listeners, and even possible future guests. Just remember, be cautious not to be guilty of ‘spamming’ the groups and make sure to follow their guidelines. Build real connections! You have a bank of knowledge which many are seeking. This can be a very genuine and organic way to spread the word about your show!
Opt For Classic Advertising
Sometimes the most classic form of advertising is just the way to go. Facebook and Instagram are two obvious places to invest in advertising. Once you’ve figured out what keywords to target, consider paying for paid advertising on Google Adwords, Reddit Ads, Facebook Ads, and Stumbleupon Ads. This is just an initial strategy, a sort of temporary measure until you see the growth you are looking for. Your first listeners are going to be the hardest to get, so it’s worth the money you’ll spend on getting those early listeners. Other than classic advertising methods, some less obvious places could be on a relevant blog or even being featured on someone else’s podcast. Of course, this method does carry some financial risk as a return is not guaranteed. But the reward can definitely be worth it!
Effectively Use Social Media
As podcasters, we know that it takes time and commitment to produce and publish a podcast but don’t forget to spend as much or more time promoting actually it! When it comes down to it, many of your podcast listeners and subscribers are also social media participants. The use of social media is essential for spreading a podcast. Switch up your strategies; rather than just posting or tweeting out new episodes, take a chance and record a sneak peek of the episode with your guest on Facebook Live. Or perhaps turn a section of your episode into a YouTube video. Getting your episodes out on as many different platforms in various different forms is a great way to find those new listeners and draw them in by trying new things.
Get On the App Scene
Smartphone apps for podcasts are on the rise and many people find shows they want to listen to by browsing through categories in podcast directories. In order to grow, you have to submit your podcast to as many of these directories as possible to have a better chance of being discovered. Apps for iOS and Android not only help you to extend the reach but also increases the monetization capabilities of your content.
Turn Readers Into Listeners
Often times the best way to grow your podcast is to leverage an audience that you already have. Do you have a blog or email list? Well, there’s no better way to get more listeners than by simply letting your readers know about your podcast! At the same time, you should also let your podcasts listeners know about your email list. Being a podcaster, your listeners will feel as though they are connected to you on a personal level. That means they’ll want to hear from you as much as possible, including through email. Having an email subscription option on your website also broadens your audience beyond those who use iTunes or who subscribe to your RSS feed. So turn those readers into listeners, and listeners into readers and you’ll have yourself a win-win situation!
Encourage Listener Interaction
Podcasting is such a personal medium, which allows your regular listeners to feel like they know you as a friend. This makes podcasts ideal for fostering engagement with your fans. Encourage engagement by letting your listeners ask questions on social media platforms, and then take time to either answer them directly or by creating a Q&A section on the show. Not only does this interaction strengthen the bond between you and your listeners, it also gives you a better understanding of what your audience wants, needs and expects from your podcast. Your listeners will give you the inside view on exactly how to improve your podcast. Another great way to encourage engagement is to set up a Facebook Community for your show. This provides a place for your audience to come together, discuss the episodes, and really explore the topics in greater depth. This is also a way to give your listeners a more personal connection to you as the host.
Market Your Product
When it comes down to it, your podcast is your product. It is crucial that you market your “product” in order to increase your reach. As we discussed earlier, start by supplementing your podcast with blog posts, microblogs or even youtube previews. Next, focus on cross-promotion with other brands, podcasts or newsletters. Engaging other influencers in your specific focus area is another means of reaching out to more potential listeners. Whenever you publish a new episode, promote it through your social media channels and have your guests promote the podcast on their personal and business social media accounts as well. The key is to ask for shares and recommendations early on. Make this happen faster by deliberately asking for shares and recommendations early on, whether it’s on air or off air, or perhaps as a call to action in your blog post or show notes.
Hold Contests and Giveaways
Finally, host contests or giveaways where your listeners can win prizes in exchange for leaving a review of your podcast on iTunes. Offer further entries for listeners who share your podcast with others or tag a friend in the social media post. Don’t forget to promote any posts you run for these giveaways – just because it’s a contest doesn’t mean it’s off limits for running a quick Facebook Ad campaign or two! The most important part is to have fun with it and get your audience engaged in the excitement to really create a buzz around your show.
Improve Your Vocabulary
A greater knowledge of the English language (or whichever language you podcast in) is extremely important in podcasting. Now, this does not mean trying to sound like an academic when you speak, but rather to be able to fully and properly articulate what you are trying to say. Not only does a broader vocabulary enable you to better communicate, but it also opens up unique avenues of conversation, brings in fresh ideas, and really gives your podcast new life. Powerful and effective language can help you to make a greater impact in the community that you’ve created, spreading your message in a much more influential manner. If you can expand your use of the English language you will certainly make yourself sound more appealing to your listeners, and sure to capture your audience in an authentic way.
Challenge: Use two new words in each episode.
Up Your Quantity
More often than not, quality beats quantity and an appropriate balance between the two will reap the best results. However, in podcasting sometimes upping the quantity is exactly what you need to make it to the top. Bear in mind, committing to a daily show requires dedication and a lot of hard work. This is definitely not the right strategy for everyone. The key is to set a goal for increased, consistent episodes that makes the most sense for you and your show. Perhaps this means building up a big content bank of episodes before your launch date to help you stick to pushing out as many episodes in the first few months of your show. Another strategy is to launch your show with at least few episodes at once. This allows you to get more downloads during the initial week of your launch. It can also be incredibly good for your show’s growth to continue with a higher frequency of episodes while you have the initial traction, and then eventually scaling down once you’ve gained your audience. Already a long-time podcaster? Take the challenge to switch things up and launch a week-long campaign, publishing one episode every day, and engaging your listeners to take part in every day – like a mini-conference! Up the quantity, try something new, and results will follow.
Challenge: Publish an episode per day for a week.
Do Interviews!!
Conducting guest interview is possibly one of the most popular content tools. Interviews are fun and help in forming great, fruitful connections with others in your industry. You will find few podcasts that don’t do at least the odd interview here and there, and there is obviously a reason for this. They work! You’ll need to do your research and line up questions, but it will make for some excellent content for your show! Plus, with each guest that comes on, it brings a ton of valuable content to your podcast and gives your audience an enriched experience. On top of that, it also provides you with increased exposure. Every guest that comes on brings with them a whole new audience!
Offer Free Shoutouts
One of the first things to learn as a podcaster is that you are not alone in this! Yes, you are the host and creator of the show, but it would not exist if not for others. It is much more powerful to create a community than simply to have followers. This connection is true for your audience, as well as for other podcasters. A way to make these connections with other podcasters is to give free shoutouts to those who are killing it on the podcasting scene. This not only is a very nice gesture, it also promotes comradery in the podcasting community. Whether you call it Follow Friday or Shout-out Saturday, spice up your content and give your listeners some new avenues and shows to check out.
Becoming a great podcast host takes some skills, practice, and a few key characteristics! To help your podcast thrive, you have to learn to create the conversation your audience desires, become an expert on the subject, and really seek out the best guests to interview on your show. Of course, each of our podcasts has a unique spin and requires any number of important podcast host traits to make it a success. So take these 10 characteristics and implement them as a start to creating the successful podcast you’ve always dreamed of!
Engage Your Audience in Conversation
One of the best tips for a podcast host is to speak to your audience like they are in the room with you. Don’t tell them about what they “will hear” or how “great the interview was”. Instead, let them discover it along with you, in “their” moment. This helps your listeners to feel like they are right there with you, listening to the interview for the very first time as it is happening. Although this is not true, it definitely creates a much more life-like atmosphere and draws your listeners into the crucial and sometimes intimate conversations of your podcast. Most importantly, think of your listener as a third person listening in to your conversation, not a crowd of people listening to your conversation. This creates a one-on-one feel, inviting them into the conversation with you to go on the journey together!
Know Your Subject Matter
There’s nothing worse than going off on a tangent simply because you forgot what you were talking about in the first place. Knowing your subject matter is critical when it comes to keeping your audience engaged and actually allowing them to walk away from the episode having learned what you set out to teach them. Being well-prepared and researched in your topic can help you stay focused and gives you a clear path of the conversation. It is important to keep a narrow focus and make sure that you are not losing anyone along the way. True knowledge and expertise trump a simple opinion every time!
Avoid Information Overload
Podcasts are not all about shoving information down your listeners’ throats. Often times people get bored when there is too much information thrown their way. Instead, break the information up by adding in stories, personal anecdotes, or something for your audience to relate to and remember down the road. Your listeners are much more likely to remember a story than a bunch of facts strung together. Keep in mind, you cannot assume that everyone learns the way that you do. Find new ways to be a good teacher and a great communicator and you are sure to get your message across effectively.
Understand Your Audience
In order to be a great podcast host, you have to be one with the audience, and understand what’s running through their mind the entire duration of the show. Throughout the episodes, keep reminding yourself of what they would be feeling or what they would be thinking. By knowing their thoughts, you will be able to ask much better questions of your guests, really digging into what your audience is after. As the podcast host, it is your job to deliver the content they want to hear, and you can only do that when you truly understand what makes your audience tick.
Seek Out The Best Guests
Sometimes a podcast guest can make or break your episode. If your guests are inexperienced with the podcasting format, do your due diligence to make sure that they get the right tools, even set up a practice run, and really get them acquainted with the world of podcasting. Now, remember, just because someone has asked to be featured on your show does not mean that they are a good fit. Again, what does your audience want? Will this guest benefit them and give them the valuable content that they are looking for? Don’t be afraid to ask these tough questions and really vet your guests to find those golden interviews!
Prepare For Every Interview
Before the interview, make sure to research your guest and become familiar with their work. Take the time to read their books, listen to other podcasts that they’ve been interviewed on, and really get accustomed to their topic of choice. To dig even deeper, send out a pre-interview survey to get to know them better. Gather as much information about your guest, including their bio and headshot, so that you can give them a big thank you and share their details out with your listeners to really give them the value and exposure above and beyond what is expected. On top of that, say thank you by sending them a gift or something to remember the podcast by.
Set Your Guests At Ease
Preparing your guest for the interview is just as important as preparing yourself. A great way to get your guest to be more prepared is by sending over sample questions ahead of time to give them a chance to look them over and think through the possible answers they could give. Another great tip is to pick a topic of their interest, something that highlights their expertise and brings a new piece of knowledge into your show. On the day of the interview, get your guest loosened up before by asking them personal questions, or sharing a story with them. These non-threatening topics can help them become more relaxed. Then, transition straight into the interview with this same feel and energy so that the momentum is not lost for the show.
Encourage Respectful Debates
Part of being a skilled interviewer and great podcast host is learning how to read the conversation. Every conversation as the potential to go really well, really badly, or simply fall flat. This is where it is key for you to guide your guests along the conversation, encouraging interesting topics and diving into each aspect of what the guest has to offer. Now, keep in mind, often listeners really enjoy a spirited debate, a conversation that really gets into the nitty-gritty of a topic, especially one that is close to their hearts. As the host, you have to guide these debates and encourage them to be respectful of all sides. Again, giving your listeners the excitement of it all without it getting too heated or uncomfortable.
Create Killer Episode Titles
When it comes to your episode title, first impressions are key! There needs to be a hook that draws listeners in and give them a hint of what is to come without giving it all away! If your podcast has been running for a while, it can often be hard to come up with creative, catchy titles. This is where interesting content comes into play; make sure to ask guests things that have never been said on other podcasts, dig into topics that aren’t often covered, and really find that unique twist to add to your show, even if the guest is not new to the audience. Be your own creator, and really embrace that side of yourself.
Be Authentic
Finally, but most importantly, just be authentically you. At the heart of it all, you have to be authentic on your show. There’s nothing better than knowing that as the host, you are giving it your all! Listeners want to connect with you, the real you. Not some made up version of someone you wish you were. That is what will make your show the most unique because nobody can tell it like you can. Only you have the perspective and the point of view to share your message with your audience. At the end of the day, they tune in to hear your authentic voice and to relate to all that you have to share with them.
Understand Your Speaking Style
As individuals, we all have our own unique style of speaking. Some of us have a really upbeat tone, others a little more on the low-down. And others have yet to discover their true voice. The best place to start is by making a list of your natural speaking qualities. Bring those strengths into your speaking style and use them to your advantage. So often speakers have a tendency to think they should be a certain way. But the way to be the most successful at your own show is to be yourself. Resist the temptation to try to sound a certain way and just stick to being the person your close friends know you to be. Everyone is unique with their own quirky behaviors. Allow the quirky parts of your personality to integrate into your speaking style. Those personality quirks will eventually turn into distinguished marks of authenticity for your show.
Of course, there is always space to improve your communication skills and really make sure that you are getting your message across to your audience. But if your core speaking style is consistent, it will be a strong foundation to launch your podcast and speaking skills to a new level.
Minimize the “Robot-Talk”
When you think about your favorite podcasts, you love tuning in to them because the information is easy to listen to and delivered in a relaxed, conversational tone. Your listeners aren’t interested in listening to you read off of an outline; they’re there for the conversation, to hear you talk through the topic in your own words, sharing your own experience. Just be human, foster a genuine connection with your audience and speak from the heart.
The key is to move away from the robot-speak, and really embrace your natural personality. Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, let your style be based on your natural rhythms. If you are an introvert, let yourself speak slowly and deliberately and thoughtfully and don’t try to manufacture enthusiasm that does not feel natural for you. On the other hand, as an extrovert, you are more likely to be dynamic and outwardly focused. So don’t try to squash your natural energies or be too controlled. Let yourself be large and dramatic! So minimize that robot-talk, and just be you!
Learn How to Let Your Guests Shine
The whole reason you bring guests on your show is to allow your audience to tap into the knowledge that they bring. Listeners enjoy hearing smart, in-the-know people discuss thought-provoking topics and ideas that are important to them. However, often times it can be hard for hosts to let go of the microphone. Afterall, it is your show and your audience. But there’s no way for your guest to shine and impart their wisdom to your audience if you don’t step aside for a second and give them the opportunity! So know yourself, learn to let go just a bit to really give your audience the benefit they deserve.
To make it easier to stay on track and not steal your guests’ thunder, make a brief outline for the interview to help guide your guest and your audience along the conversation. Stay away from questions that demand only “yes” or “no” answers that stop the conversation in its tracks. Instead, drive the momentum forward with explorative questions that require more thought and explanation. Most importantly, let your guest reply fully to the questions you ask without cutting them off! Especially not to talk about yourself. Give them their time to shine, and let the knowledge of the conversation flow.
Work On Your Showmanship
At the heart of it, your podcast is a show! So it is only natural to come to the conclusion that you are the showperson in charge of running that show. As we discussed in point 1 and 2 above, you have to develop your own style and work with the strengths and qualities that you already possess. If you are feeling somewhat lost on where to start, pick a few of your favorite podcast hosts and outline exactly what it is about their showmanship that you like and then apply that to your own show.
Now, remember, don’t be a copycat! There’s no point creating something that is exactly the same as someone else, and not at all like YOU! Soak up all the inspiration you can, but then adapt and tweak it to work for your show and your specific audience. The aim of the game is to educate and entertain! Find your flow, understand how you best perform and put on the show that draws your audience in time and time again.
Put Yourself in New Situations
To make sure that you are always learning and adapting to your audience as they grow, challenge yourself by searching out new communication opportunities. Whether that is speaking in at a small meetup or stepping up onto a conference stage, there is always space to grow as a speaker and podcaster. Getting out and speaking in front of others is a sure way of developing and fine-tuning those skills even more. Being face-to-face with an audience allows you to gain a new perspective, really drawing from the immediate reactions of the crowd, no matter how big or small it is. This type of feedback is priceless and can really help illuminate areas of your speaking that needs improvement, and also point out where you are really nailing it.
If speaking engagements are not enough, try something completely out of the box like reciting a poem or some type of monologue. Do this in front of a mirror or even go as far as taking an acting class to really get the feel of things. Really challenge yourself and you just might be surprised at the results you will see!
Be Endlessly Curious
The first step in upping your podcast game is to really understand why you are in this in the first place. To create a truly successful show, you have to be endlessly curious about the topic you are discussing and the people you are building up in your audience. Audio can create a powerful, emotional experience when it’s done well. It is your job to be the researchers, the storyteller, and the consistent cheerleader for your topic! You are the journalist for your show. It is up to you to do the investigating and get down to the heart of each topic.
So it is time to do a self-check; are you open-hearted enough? Are you looking for the next discovery, the next revelation, or breakthrough? Don’t create another average podcast. Go above and beyond, follow your curiosity, and find that juicy, interesting content that your audience is craving!
Minimize the Fluff
We often hear from all the podcast experts that we should “minimize the fluff”. This seems simple enough. But what exactly is this “fluff”? The fluff is really just all the extra stuff that people talk about that has nothing to do with the topic of the episode, and that won’t be useful or valuable to your audience. What classifies as fluff will be different for every podcaster and their audience, and it’s up to you to suss it out! Again, the key is to think about it from your listeners point of view. What, from their perspective, is truly important for the content of your show? For your audience, they want to listen to what is going to help them.
So to keep them listening you have to get to the main points of the content as quickly as possible. Of course, what ties it all together are the personal anecdotes. These little stories are what people remember most and they help your audience to connect with you as the podcast host. The key is to find that delicate balance between the meat and potatoes of your show and the personal touch that makes the content irresistibly unique.
Always Ask for Feedback
Trying to determine if your show is a hit or not can sometimes be a bit of a mystery. More often than not, listeners are not going to tell you that you are an awful podcast host; they will simply stop downloading your episodes. The reality is that, aside from the terrible internet trolls out there, most people actually want you to succeed. So to prevent those helpful listeners from simply leaving, catch them early on by actually asking them for their feedback! This can be crucial for your podcast success, especially in the very early stages. If you can iron out those kinks right off the bat, you are much more likely to see your show succeed. Working off of the feedback from real listeners can help you reshape the show, remove what doesn’t work, and focus on what your audience truly wants to hear from you.
Take a step back and draw on your audience for their unique perspective as a listener. Start out by asking them specific questions about your show at the end of each podcast episode and on your social media accounts. You can also use the option of sending out a short survey to your email list asking them to give you feedback on different aspects of your podcast, what they’d change, or what they feel is missing. This survey can cover everything from the podcast itself, to your website, content, show notes, social media posts, etc. And remember, your audience is much more likely to submit their answers or respond with feedback if there is some type of incentive involved. The incentive can be an entrance into a giveaway or a discount code for one of your courses or ebooks. Be creative, and get the conversation going!
Enjoy Yourself!
Last but not least, to be a better podcaster you have to be able to enjoy yourself! Your audience can always tell whether or not you are actually having fun or if you are struggling to simply get through it. Podcasting should be like second nature to you, especially if it’s a topic that you are absolutely passionate about! And what’s better, you get to share that message with others who are interested in hearing about it. There has never been a better time to get into the podcasting game, and the more you have fun with it the more your listeners will pick up on that fun and start enjoying the process more too!
It is always more interesting to listen to someone who is actually enjoying themselves. There is just something about that that draws people in, igniting their fire for the topic and catching on to that contagious passion. If you ever lose this fun, get back to the root of why you started in the first place. Think of the possibilities and the opportunities that podcasting can open up for you. Get back to that place, constantly reminding yourself why you are in it for the long run!
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As a podcaster, you know that your show would literally be just words spoken out into the open abyss, if not for your audience! Your listeners are the key and it’s because of them that your podcast even exists. Besides your personal commitment to your show, your audience is the reason you press record every time so that you can make a difference in their lives.
In order to make sure you are properly caring for your listeners, it is absolutely paramount that you create a strong podcast community to keep them engaged and to make the biggest impact in your industry.
Encourage Listener Engagement
One of the first ways to really start your podcast community is to get your listeners engaged in your show. Whether this means simply asking for a review on iTunes, or asking them to leave their comments on the blog, engagement from them will really get the ball rolling. Another great way to get your listeners engaged is by giving them shoutouts on the show or by encouraging them to become an active and engaged audience. Along with getting your listeners engaged, it is just as important that you too are an active participant in your community. Make it a priority to respond to comments and take the time to appreciate each listener for their review. Although this may become harder with time as your community grows, it is a great strategy for getting your community growing on the right trajectory.
Ask Your Audience What They Want
Since your audience is the main reason for your show to exist, it is important to always take them into consideration. Provide them with real, valuable content and advice with each and every episode that you publish. A great way to know whether or not you are on track with this is to give them a survey, asking them what it is they would like to hear more about. Make it about them, not about you; they are your community after all! Another way to create audience-focused content is by asking listeners to send in their specific questions to the show. Then dedicate an episode, or a part of an episode, specifically to answering those questions. This creates an instant connection to your audience and helps direct you to provide your listeners with the content that they are really looking for.
A great example of this is So Money Podcast, where the host, Farnoosh Torabi, dedicates one episode a week just to answering her audiences’ money questions. Listeners write in via email or even send voice notes via SpeakPipe to get their questions answered on the show. Check out the Ask Farnoosh episodes to find out all about it. The key is to reach out to them first, and they will reach out to you in return.
Provide a Platform to Connect
The key ingredient for building a strong community is providing your audience with a platform and an opportunity to find their voice and share their thoughts with others. Creating a forum or Facebook group specifically dedicated to your community gives your listeners a space to build relationships with not only you, the host, but with others within the community as well. A community platform allows them a space to communicate and find others like them, who share similar values and goals. Fostering an online community gives your audience a place to come together, a place to belong and know that they are not alone on their individual journeys.
Create Shareworthy Content
At the root of building a strong community lies valuable, shareable content. When your content is fresh, consistent, and audience-focused this makes it easier for your listeners to be excited about what you are sharing. In turn, they want to share it out with others, and most importantly, if the community has made a difference in their lives they want to share it with those who may need the same changes and support in their own lives. Sharing valuable content allows your community to create a “buzz” that is bound to attract new listeners and make the community a fun place to be.
Foster Authentic Relationships
To really get at the heart of authentic relationships, you have to open up and share yourself. The element of vulnerability is absolutely priceless in establishing strong connections and bringing a community together. Simply put, just be human! Show your audience that there is a person behind the podcast; a person who cares about helping them reach their goals and see the success they desire. Show your audience the real you, and stay in touch on a consistent basis. Respond to listener questions, actively participate in community discussions, and show appreciation for engagement. Block out some time each day, specifically dedicated to your audience and getting connected to foster those authentic relationships.
Uplift Your Community
Community means supporting others; the same thing goes for the podcast community that you build. Show your audience your appreciation for their listenership by promoting great content and share their work with the community. Shine a light on what others in your audience are doing to encourage them to take their first steps towards their own personal success.
Along with uplifting listeners within your community, extend the same practice to other podcasters in your industry. Keep your content fresh by giving your listeners some new avenues and shows to check out.
Organize a Live Event
Although an online platform breaks down the barriers of creating a conventional community, there is nothing quite as effective as a face-to-face meetup! Creating that live, one-on-one connection opens up a whole new world of relationships. It doesn’t matter if you only have 5 people show up, or 1,000 – getting people together for a common purpose gives you the opportunity for creating long-lasting, authentic relationships. Start small, with a simple meetup or getting together for a coffee. As your community grows, look into organizing live speaking events. Invite special guests to speak at these events, again, bringing in new and fresh content for your community to grow. Giving your audience the opportunity to get together not only strengthens their connection with you, but also allows them to build strong relationships with each other and find their tribe to support them in their own lives.
Network, Network, Network!
A very easy and fruitful way to grow your podcast is to reach out to others within the podcasting community. Rather than view this as helping the competition, use it as a way to expand your listener base. Tap into those contacts you already have and use them to your advantage. An interview with someone else in your space can be used as quality content while also cross-targeting audiences. Collaborations with others can have the same effect and can definitely be used as a way to learn new tips and tricks. Who knows, maybe a partnership is in the cards? Either way, your network is gold; so don’t forget to use it!
*Tips To Help You Find Your Next Podcast Guest
Web Summit Attendee Search
This tool got released today and it’s a powerful search tool for podcasters all over the world. Basically what the Web Summit released today is a database of all their attendees (Over 36,000 of them), yes, and you can search by occupation, country, etc. This tool is limitless in finding people of interest to interview on your podcast.
Conference Speaker Lists
A good idea that is often overlooked, very much like my first point I made above is to look at conference speakers. There are tons of conferences happening all over the world and they are driven by influential speakers that have the attendees hanging on every word that leaves their lips. I wrote a short article on six conferences to attend before the year’s end, and that could be a starting point for you.
Scroll through their list of speakers and see who will be a good fit for your listeners. It’s important that you keep your content focused on your market and not just stray because of an influencer in question.
Other Podcasts
This happens more often than you think. People scroll through their favorite podcasts and write down the guests that have been interviewed. It’s an easy way to come up with a list of potential interviews, especially because you relate to them on an emotional level already because of the interview you listened to.
Twitter Search
Don’t neglect the power of finding new unheard of guests on social media. I’m directly referring to Twitter here as it makes for a less saturated way to find people other than all the guys tagging CEO on Instagram because they feel like being CEO of their one stop shop.
Let me show you how
— Head over to Twitter.com and make sure you are signed in.
— Go to their Advanced Search – Click here for easy access
— List your criteria, as an example, I just entered: CEO, Coach, Entrepreneur in the Any of these words box.
— Language is set to English.
— I then added a location to where I am looking for the guests: New York, NY
— I selected Positive at the bottom and hit search.
— That is how I came up with the screenshot you saw above. Click here for direct search link.
Your Network
It’s time to look into your little black book. Who do you surround yourself with that your guests would love to hear from? Maybe you could ask some of your friends for recommendations and by simply involving them, it could help you scale your listenership dramatically. People love to be valued and this is no different.
Choose A Good Podcasting Host
Every podcast needs a good host to get for the appropriate publishing tools, media hosting and delivery, RSS for Apple Podcasts and iTunes, a website, stats and a platform that has your back as you grow as a producer. As your podcast grows, your host needs to be able to provide a fast and reliable network, plus the bandwidth and flexible storage space that can handle your podcast as it grows over time. There are several hosting companies where you can upload your podcast for free. However, if you are serious about really growing your audience, you need to think like a pro. This comes back to having sufficient bandwidth in case one of your episodes go viral. Otherwise, all those downloads will be stopped in their tracks, you’ll lose listeners, and you’ll miss out on your plunge into making it big.
Maximize That SEO
Making your show easy to find on a very cramped and crowded internet is crucial. This can be done by using the right keywords, titles, descriptions, and content. A podcast that’s featured on the first page of Google is obviously going to attract more first-time listeners than a podcast who shows up on page 50. Likewise, a show that launches on iTunes and makes it into the ‘New and Noteworthy’ section will see the same success. The key is to optimize your podcast for both for typical Google searches and for the search engines of each respective podcast directory that your show is listed on. This means including target keywords in your podcast name and description, as well as each individual episode’s name and description. The ultimate goal is to hit iTunes top podcasts, a goal that requires time and a combination of great content, strategic marketing, and great SEO optimization.
Interact With the Internet!
To become a successful podcaster, you definitely should not be aiming to do it all alone. There is an abundance of amazing community platforms available online that can be used to network, converse, and discuss. Use these platforms to interact with listeners, potential new listeners, and even possible future guests. Just remember, be cautious not to be guilty of ‘spamming’ the groups and make sure to follow their guidelines. Build real connections! You have a bank of knowledge which many are seeking. This can be a very genuine and organic way to spread the word about your show!
Opt For Classic Advertising
Sometimes the most classic form of advertising is just the way to go. Facebook and Instagram are two obvious places to invest in advertising. Once you’ve figured out what keywords to target, consider paying for paid advertising on Google Adwords, Reddit Ads, Facebook Ads, and Stumbleupon Ads. This is just an initial strategy, a sort of temporary measure until you see the growth you are looking for. Your first listeners are going to be the hardest to get, so it’s worth the money you’ll spend on getting those early listeners. Other than classic advertising methods, some less obvious places could be on a relevant blog or even being featured on someone else’s podcast. Of course, this method does carry some financial risk as a return is not guaranteed. But the reward can definitely be worth it!
Effectively Use Social Media
As podcasters, we know that it takes time and commitment to produce and publish a podcast but don’t forget to spend as much or more time promoting actually it! When it comes down to it, many of your podcast listeners and subscribers are also social media participants. The use of social media is essential for spreading a podcast. Switch up your strategies; rather than just posting or tweeting out new episodes, take a chance and record a sneak peek of the episode with your guest on Facebook Live. Or perhaps turn a section of your episode into a YouTube video. Getting your episodes out on as many different platforms in various different forms is a great way to find those new listeners and draw them in by trying new things.
Get On the App Scene
Smartphone apps for podcasts are on the rise and many people find shows they want to listen to by browsing through categories in podcast directories. In order to grow, you have to submit your podcast to as many of these directories as possible to have a better chance of being discovered. Apps for iOS and Android not only help you to extend the reach but also increases the monetization capabilities of your content.
Turn Readers Into Listeners
Often times the best way to grow your podcast is to leverage an audience that you already have. Do you have a blog or email list? Well, there’s no better way to get more listeners than by simply letting your readers know about your podcast! At the same time, you should also let your podcasts listeners know about your email list. Being a podcaster, your listeners will feel as though they are connected to you on a personal level. That means they’ll want to hear from you as much as possible, including through email. Having an email subscription option on your website also broadens your audience beyond those who use iTunes or who subscribe to your RSS feed. So turn those readers into listeners, and listeners into readers and you’ll have yourself a win-win situation!
Encourage Listener Interaction
Podcasting is such a personal medium, which allows your regular listeners to feel like they know you as a friend. This makes podcasts ideal for fostering engagement with your fans. Encourage engagement by letting your listeners ask questions on social media platforms, and then take time to either answer them directly or by creating a Q&A section on the show. Not only does this interaction strengthen the bond between you and your listeners, it also gives you a better understanding of what your audience wants, needs and expects from your podcast. Your listeners will give you the inside view on exactly how to improve your podcast. Another great way to encourage engagement is to set up a Facebook Community for your show. This provides a place for your audience to come together, discuss the episodes, and really explore the topics in greater depth. This is also a way to give your listeners a more personal connection to you as the host.
Market Your Product
When it comes down to it, your podcast is your product. It is crucial that you market your “product” in order to increase your reach. As we discussed earlier, start by supplementing your podcast with blog posts, microblogs or even youtube previews. Next, focus on cross-promotion with other brands, podcasts or newsletters. Engaging other influencers in your specific focus area is another means of reaching out to more potential listeners. Whenever you publish a new episode, promote it through your social media channels and have your guests promote the podcast on their personal and business social media accounts as well. The key is to ask for shares and recommendations early on. Make this happen faster by deliberately asking for shares and recommendations early on, whether it’s on air or off air, or perhaps as a call to action in your blog post or show notes.
Hold Contests and Giveaways
Finally, host contests or giveaways where your listeners can win prizes in exchange for leaving a review of your podcast on iTunes. Offer further entries for listeners who share your podcast with others or tag a friend in the social media post. Don’t forget to promote any posts you run for these giveaways – just because it’s a contest doesn’t mean it’s off limits for running a quick Facebook Ad campaign or two! The most important part is to have fun with it and get your audience engaged in the excitement to really create a buzz around your show.
Improve Your Vocabulary
A greater knowledge of the English language (or whichever language you podcast in) is extremely important in podcasting. Now, this does not mean trying to sound like an academic when you speak, but rather to be able to fully and properly articulate what you are trying to say. Not only does a broader vocabulary enable you to better communicate, but it also opens up unique avenues of conversation, brings in fresh ideas, and really gives your podcast new life. Powerful and effective language can help you to make a greater impact in the community that you’ve created, spreading your message in a much more influential manner. If you can expand your use of the English language you will certainly make yourself sound more appealing to your listeners, and sure to capture your audience in an authentic way.
Challenge: Use two new words in each episode.
Up Your Quantity
More often than not, quality beats quantity and an appropriate balance between the two will reap the best results. However, in podcasting sometimes upping the quantity is exactly what you need to make it to the top. Bear in mind, committing to a daily show requires dedication and a lot of hard work. This is definitely not the right strategy for everyone. The key is to set a goal for increased, consistent episodes that makes the most sense for you and your show. Perhaps this means building up a big content bank of episodes before your launch date to help you stick to pushing out as many episodes in the first few months of your show. Another strategy is to launch your show with at least few episodes at once. This allows you to get more downloads during the initial week of your launch. It can also be incredibly good for your show’s growth to continue with a higher frequency of episodes while you have the initial traction, and then eventually scaling down once you’ve gained your audience. Already a long-time podcaster? Take the challenge to switch things up and launch a week-long campaign, publishing one episode every day, and engaging your listeners to take part in every day – like a mini-conference! Up the quantity, try something new, and results will follow.
Challenge: Publish an episode per day for a week.
Do Interviews!!
Conducting guest interview is possibly one of the most popular content tools. Interviews are fun and help in forming great, fruitful connections with others in your industry. You will find few podcasts that don’t do at least the odd interview here and there, and there is obviously a reason for this. They work! You’ll need to do your research and line up questions, but it will make for some excellent content for your show! Plus, with each guest that comes on, it brings a ton of valuable content to your podcast and gives your audience an enriched experience. On top of that, it also provides you with increased exposure. Every guest that comes on brings with them a whole new audience!
Offer Free Shoutouts
One of the first things to learn as a podcaster is that you are not alone in this! Yes, you are the host and creator of the show, but it would not exist if not for others. It is much more powerful to create a community than simply to have followers. This connection is true for your audience, as well as for other podcasters. A way to make these connections with other podcasters is to give free shoutouts to those who are killing it on the podcasting scene. This not only is a very nice gesture, it also promotes comradery in the podcasting community. Whether you call it Follow Friday or Shout-out Saturday, spice up your content and give your listeners some new avenues and shows to check out.
