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Tips on making a truly remarkable podcast
Podcasting is a popular medium due to how accessible it is. Almost anyone can start a podcast, but it requires some careful thought and effort to create a podcast people will truly love.
That’s why we created this article! We want to share all the tips and tricks we have on producing amazing podcast content for your audience.
Plan It Out
The idea of planning podcast episodes is surprisingly overlooked by many a newbie podcaster. Understandably so! Some of our absolute favorite podcasters make their shows sound so effortless. Like they’re simply sitting down in front of the microphone with a fresh cup of coffee, ready to ramble.
This isn’t the case nearly as much as you might think it is! As we note in our Help article about starting your first podcast, an abundance of professional podcasters pour tons of effort into planning their shows. From deeply researching their topics, to writing scripts, to running rehearsals of their episodes. All of that effort culminates into a cohesive and interesting podcast.
The effort some podcasters put into their shows can sound overwhelming, but these beginning suggestions can help point you in the right direction:
- Research Your Topic: Before sitting down to record, do a bit of reading on the topic that you’re covering. Try to really understand all sides of the topic as knowing those will help you create a much fuller picture. You want your audience to trust that you know what you’re talking about!
- Write a Script: It doesn’t have to be a word-for-word script, even having a bulleted list helps to keep you on track. It also helps to create a cohesive story. Try to frame your episodes around the 3-act story arc; a setup, a buildup, and a resolution. The Podcast Host is the modern-day Homer, after all.
- Think About Your Audience: What sort of stories do they want to hear? Try to keep your audience in mind when brainstorming new episodes. Some podcasters take it a step further and ask their audience to submit topics they’re interested in (this is also an excellent way to engage with your listeners!)
- Don’t Forget Yourself!: While it’s always wise to keep your audience in mind, don’t forget to take your own interests into account. The more genuinely interested you are in your topic(s), the more it comes across to your listeners. They’ll be able to easily tell whether or not you’re actually enjoying yourself. An authentic show is always better than an appeasing one.
Stay Focused
You may be tempted to go off on a tangent in the middle of your show. While some famous podcasters are able to deviate from their show in this way, it’s difficult to emulate. For one, podcasters who ramble like this have set up an expectation with their listeners that this is the type of content they’ll hear. If your show can handle off-the-cuff, unstructured content, then don’t shy away! Just be cognizant of whether or not your show is the right platform for that type of content. Otherwise, listeners may end up tuning out.
Not only should you try to stay focused on your topics, try to stay focused on the length of your episode. Plan out how long you want the episode to be before sitting down to record. Podcast episodes can range from 10 minutes to about 1 hour depending on the topic(s). Check out similar shows to get a good idea of episode length for your topic(s).
Invite Guests
Inviting guests to your podcast can be an excellent way to improve your podcast's quality and reach. Adding in another person with a different perspective can spice things up a bit and keep your audience engaged.
And as a bonus, your guest can share your show with their network through social media and word of mouth. Never underestimate the power of grassroots marketing!
Check out our blog on How to Interview Guests for Your Podcast for more information.
Further Reading
Check out these additional resources for even more tips and tricks on creating amazing podcast content: