So, You Want to Start a Podcast
The Importance of Developing your Niche
Podcasting is exploding in popularity these days, and has become a viable career choice for those with something to say and the audio engineering/broadcasting skills to bring their podcasts to life. According to the Infinite Dial 2021 survey, approximately 80 million Americans are now weekly podcast listeners, a 17% jump since 2020, and that number is expected to keep growing.
With that many listeners, you can bet that advertisers and media companies are quickly lining up for a piece of the action.
So, if you want to start a podcast, this is a great time to get in the game. That’s why we’re launching this blog series to give you all the information you need to get started. Keep checking back here for the latest installment.
Narrow Your Focus
Let’s first explore why it’s important that you have a niche for your podcast. Instead of trying to cover a very broad topic and trying to appeal to everyone, podcasts tend to be more specific, let you establish yourself as an expert on a topic, and appeal to a particular audience. By having a niche, you can gather avid and loyal listeners that share your interests and enthusiasm.
Just make sure that your topic is narrow enough to attract your ideal listener but broad enough that you have plenty to talk about each week.
Discover Your Passion
When choosing your niche, you should pick something you are passionate about, whether that involves classic films, unsolved murder mysteries, business advice, or new artists in the music industry. The number of possible topics to choose from is endless. Think about your hobbies, your interests, the things you love to discuss with friends and consider those as potential podcasting ideas.
Get Inspired
If you still aren’t sure what your niche is, it may help you to understand what’s out there. The 2021 Directory of Podcasters lists out the main Apple Podcast Categories as Arts, Business, Comedy, Education, Fiction, Government, Health & Fitness, History, Kids & Family, Leisure, Music, News, Religion & Spirituality, Science, Society & Culture, Sports, TV & Film, Technology, and True Crime, with numerous subcategories under each.
Check Out the Competition
You can browse through the 62-page report to see the staggering array of podcast content that is out there. From The Coffee Podcast (which is for coffee enthusiasts) to Hustle and Flowchart (a tactical marketing podcast) to The Hookblast Podcast (which plays only the hooks to catchy new songs) – there is something for everyone. While the amount of competition may make podcasting seem intimidating, realize that those 80 million Americans are always looking for fresh, new content to follow.
Differentiate Your Podcast
You can certainly base your podcast on a topic that is already being covered (it’s almost impossible not to!) but think about what you can do to give your podcast a unique twist or a different take to make your podcast stand out. Maybe it’s just your amazing personality, or your ability to take a serious subject and make it funny or entertaining. Maybe you dig deeper or know more about your niche than others and have a compelling way of sharing that knowledge. Whatever it is, use it to your advantage.
Get the Training You Need
Another thing that can really give you an advantage in the podcasting business is having the technical skills to write, record, edit and market your podcasts, incorporate music or sound effects, and understand how to use the right equipment for a professional-sounding result. The International College of Broadcasting (ICB) can help you acquire those skills, with programs in Audio and Video Recording, Broadcasting, and Multimedia. ICB can give you the training you need to take your career in podcasting to the next level. Contact us today to learn more!