How to Come Up with a Winning Idea for a Podcast to Market Your Business
You’ve been bitten by the “podcast bug,” are starting the preliminary planning, and need some podcast ideas. Here are 4 things to consider as you decide.
Regardless of the podcast topics that interest you, the topic you choose should be on brand, on message, and gets you closer to what you want to get out of producing a podcast.
10 Ways to Brainstorm Podcast Topics
- Research keyword terms related to podcast topics with the most volume (see the 83 podcast ideas listed here)
- Ask your best clients what they want to know about.
- Post on social media to ask your followers what topics interest them.
- Check topical or question and answer sites like Quora and Reddit to see what questions people have about your industry.
- Review social listening sites like BuzzSumo for inspiring trending topics.
- Brainstorm with other people in your office, mastermind group, and your mentors.
- Look up social media hash tags in your industry, then search for posts from consumers (not other pros) to inspire you.
- Consider interviewing leaders in your target niche.
- Make a list of your hobbies, interests, and things that are important to you as possible podcast ideas. Write the names of clients next to each topic for which each client shares an interest.
- Write down creative, “outside the box” ideas that fit your brand and skill set. Don’t be afraid to use storytelling, comedy, or entertainment if it’s on message.
4 Steps to Decide the Winning Podcast Idea
1. Consider Your Knowledge and Passion
Whatever the topic, you need to be able to talk about it confidently and with authority. It is public, so you represent your brand.
Passion comes into play as it relates to the finished product. If you are not excited about the conversation, it is nearly impossible to create something interesting that people will listen to.
Question: What are you passionate about?
This can be directly related to your business, or an interest, hobby, or something else you have in common with your target audience.
2. Audience Building Factors
As you create outlines for content that will engage your ideal prospective leads, here are a few ways to generate podcast topics based on what your audience wants to hear:
- Research keyword terms related to podcast ideas with the most volume (see the list we provided here)
- Ask your best clients what they want to know about.
- Check question and answer sites like Quora and Reddit to see what questions people have about your industry.
- Brainstorm with other people in your office, mastermind group, and your mentors.
- Look up social media hash tags in your industry, then search for posts from consumers (not other pros) to inspire you.
Once you brainstorm, look for connecting themes. This can be your overarching topic, then build segments along the lines of the overarching theme.
3. When You Interview Your Best Prospects
As you see in our Ultimate Guide to How to Start a Podcast, an extremely powerful way to build a successful podcast is to interview your potential dream clients.
With that in mind, think about what you have in common.
What do THEY know about?
How are THEY experts in a way that you can ask them questions about what they love and also provide incredible value to your target audience?
SEGMENT TOPIC EXAMPLES:
Industry Niche
If you have an industry niche, you can interview leaders in that industry. Look for people who fit your definition of an “ideal client,” and help them shine.
Hobbies and Interests
Select something that your favorite clients tend to like such as travel, food, golf, fishing, cooking, etc. Then interview people who, again fit your customer avatar, and also share the passion for and knowledge about that topic.
Gaming is a hot topic as well. Are you a gamer …. or does your ideal customers stay up late gaming?
Life Choices
You may have something unique in common with your ideal customer, like transitioning away from a specific industry. I once talked with a real estate professional who used to be an attorney. He loves working with attorney clients. So, the idea of this Broker interviewing attorneys who transitioned into other industries could be something that would attract a wide variety of entrepreneurs and attorneys.
Another example would be basing your podcast on a shared faith, gender, or other personal interest. While most people shy away from these topics, if you’re brave enough to do it, you would stand out, rank on searches more quickly, have a better chance of ranking on podcast charts, and have the opportunity to build a potentially deeper bond with your listeners. If you had to be brave to do a podcast on the topic, they are likely aware of it and might reward that loyalty to the cause.
The Unique and Creative
If you or your target audience tend to be the creative type, you have a special opening into an embrace by a wider audience.
Most podcast topics are straightforward and geared towards a specific audience, which is good. Some podcast hosts are looking for a smaller, more geographically bound pool of leads.
However, with authentic, on-brand creativity, the sky is the limit.
Taking from the keyword list, here are some interesting, albeit very specialty, topics. If you or your ideal clients lean towards being gifted in any of these areas, please let me know! I’m fascinated by the idea of podcast marketing using storytelling …. or podcasts to go to sleep to.
4. Don’t Lose Sight of the Target
As you narrow down your podcast topic, don’t forget your ideal outcome.
In the end, you want content that will attract the right audience – and preferably give you the opportunity to talk to your potential dream customers about what they’re passionate about.
Be the Authority
Ultimately, you also need to have knowledge on the topic well enough to engage in an interesting conversation that provides value to the people listening.
Don’t
- Pick a topic because it sounds cool
- Select the top keyword for the sole reason that it is a top keyword
- Run with a theme that you don’t know well
Do
- Talk about something you really care and know about, and that gets you excited
- Understand and and answer what your audience wants to know
- Be creative and bold
Next Steps to Podcast Marketing
Need some direction? Click here to get our free Ultimate Guide – How to Start a Podcast.
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Podcast Topics Based on Keyword Terms
From most popular podcast theme ideas to least – and all have 880-5400 searches per month.
- motivational podcasts
- podcasts for women
- startup podcast
- conservative podcasts
- financial podcasts
- inspirational podcasts
- self help podcasts
- sleep podcast
- storytelling podcasts
- business podcasts
- christian podcasts for women
- psychology podcast
- relationship podcasts
- art podcasts
- leadership podcasts
- medical podcasts
- meditation podcast
- philosophy podcast
- the minimalists podcast
- the survival podcast
- black podcasts
- celebrity podcasts
- couples therapy podcast
- daily podcast
- entrepreneur podcast
- fantasy focus football podcast
- food podcasts
- gaming podcasts
- investigative podcasts
- mental health podcast
- movie podcasts
- real estate podcast
- running podcast
- soccer podcast
- survival podcast
- tech podcasts
- travel podcast
- video game podcast
- anxiety podcast
- baseball podcast
- depression podcast
- english podcast
- entreleadership podcast
- fitness podcast
- football podcast
- health podcasts
- investigative podcast
- longform podcast
- mindfulness podcast
- mom podcast
- money podcast
- podcasts like s town (S-Town is an investigative journalism podcast)
- positive podcasts
- pregnancy podcast
- road trip podcasts
- spiritual podcasts
- teacher podcasts
- top true crime podcasts
- esl podcast
- golf podcast
- nursing podcasts
- podcasts for teachers
- podcasts to fall asleep to
- podcasts to listen to at work
- self improvement podcasts
- technology podcasts
- top comedy podcasts
- top crime podcasts
- weight loss podcast
- bible podcast
- crossfit podcast
- daily news podcast
- feminist podcasts
- hip hop podcast
- live podcast
- marriage podcast
- millennial podcast
- nature podcast
- photography podcast
- podcasts for men
- top christian podcasts
- top podcasts for women
- yoga podcast
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