Building A Podcast Community
So, You Want to Start a Podcast Series
Now that you’ve decided to take advantage of the skyrocketing popularity of podcasting and create your own podcast, it’s time to learn how to build an active and loyal community of listeners. According to an Infinite Dial 2021 survey, an estimated 100 million people listened to a podcast each month in 2020, and that number is forecasted to hit 125 million in 2022. That’s a lot of potential listeners, but remember that when you first start out, you’ll be starting from scratch with maybe just mom and dad and a few close friends tuning in.
So, how do you grow your podcast community? Here are some helpful tips.
Engage with Your Listeners
Don’t just talk AT your listeners on your podcast, engage with them. Ask them to review your show on iTunes or tell their friends about your podcast. Ask them to send in questions and then spend part of each show (or one show a month) that’s dedicated to answering those questions. Have them submit podcast topic ideas or people they’d like to hear you interview and listen to those suggestions. Give shout outs to specific listeners during your show and thank them for participating. Respond to their comments on social media or on your blog and make them feel valued and appreciated.
Build Community Connections
Let’s say your podcast is about collecting classic comic books. Collectors will be interested in your podcast because you share their passion (See: So You Want to Start a Podcast – The Importance of Developing Your Niche). But it also makes sense that your listeners would enjoy connecting with each other so they can discuss their interests, your shows, ask questions and build friendships. Create an online forum, set up a Facebook Group, or use another community platform that allows your users to communicate, connect and find people with similar interests. By fostering an online community, you can grow your podcast audience and create a loyal fanbase who will help spread the word about your show.
Create Shareworthy Content
Bottom line, your podcast will only be successful if you consistently churn out valuable, interesting, entertaining content that people are motivated to share with others. To do this, you may want to survey your listeners to see what content they most want to hear about, work on booking interviews with experts in your field, dig into a controversy, or research mysteries or histories within your niche. If you are truly passionate about your subject and are willing to share your opinions and back them up with knowledge, you should be able to find a base of people who will be anxious to hear what you have to say next.
Be Yourself
Many people enjoy a podcast just because they genuinely like the podcaster. Be friendly, be funny, be weird, (just be you!), and let your personality shine. If you want to form a real relationship with your listeners, you must be willing to be vulnerable and put yourself out there. Feel free to share stories from your own life, talk about fears or failures you may have experienced, and be open and honest. Your listeners will love you for it.
If you’re interested in starting your own podcast, check out our other posts in our So, You Want to Start a Podcast series – The Importance of Developing Your Niche and 5 Tips to Help You Find Your Why.
Another way to help put you on the path to podcasting fame and success is to train with the International College of Broadcasting (ICB). We offer innovative programs in Audio and Video Recording, Broadcasting, and Multimedia to provide you with all the technical skills and knowledge you’ll need to take your podcast to the next level. Contact us today to learn more!