146: Step Three: Originality & Appeal: The Podcast Niche Domination Formula

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I hope you're putting these steps into action...

I know you're busy. I know you have other commitments.

If that's the case, file this away and get back to it. But this stuff is important for the longevity and audience building of your podcast.

We've already covered the first two steps - (1) Notice / Awareness and (2) Quality / Helpfulness.

Now it's time for the 3rd phase - Originality / Appeal

In my view, we are right at the tail end of the "interview-someone-famous-in-your-industry-and-get-an-audience" phase of podcasting.

Because the podcast-o-sphere is SATURATED with those types of shows.

OK - probably not ENTIRELY saturated, but we're getting pretty close. And I'm not the only person who thinks so.

Here's this from... @Scott Galloway of NYU... about podcasting in the year 2020...

...the podcasts of the highest quality at the top of the charts will reap the lion’s share of the benefits. Niche podcasts that truly add value will also survive and do well, but reheated Joe Rogan imitators… that sh!# is going to fall off the face of a cliff.

If you already have one of "those kind of shows" running and it's doing well, you've got a leg up on the competition.

If you are struggling to get an audience with that format... maybe you know why, now.

If you are considering starting a show of that nature, I recommend you tweak that decision based on my recommendations below.

No matter where you are in your podcasting journey, you can make changes - large and small - that make your show more orginal and therefore, more appealing.

Consider these things...

+ Podcasts are as much entertainment as they are education

And entertainment has to be - well, entertaining.

Look at what you're doing with your show currently?

• Can you add something to spice it up? (music, transition sounds, other voices, ambiance or sound effects)

You want to be careful here and not overdo it.

And you WILL likely get some negative feedback about such changes from existing listeners.

But give it time... keep changing things little by little, and overall your listeners will come to LOVE it.

One show that does this well...

Roger Whitney - The Retirement Answer Man (listen here)

Roger's show is broken into segments, he uses transition sounds and segments effectively, and his humor and laid back approach come out loud and clear.

What could you do along this line to not only make your show more entertaining, but to reap the rewards of the domino effect it sets in motion...

+ more entertainment = more fun = better listener experiences = happier audiences = long-term followers/subscribers

Do you get the picture?

• Can you be more yourself?

It's amazing how much being yourself multiplies into audience attraction. When you are you, those who see the world the way you do tend to like the way you talk about things.

Not only that, they tend to trust your more quickly and buy your stuff (subscribe to your podcast) more rapidly.

A show that does this well...

Darla Powell - Wingnut Social (listen here)

Darla shared with me that a long time ago she learned that it was much better to simply be herself. In her words, "her wingnut self."

She attracts her ideal clients and lets them know what to expect from her before they actually meat.

Of course, there are boundaries of propriety here but you get the idea.

The more YOU, you can be, the more YOU will shine through. And guess what? Most podcast listeners actually LIKE the host of the shows that are their favorites. That's YOU!

+ Educational or "how to" podcasts MUST be relevant and actionable

One of the reasons I've personally tired of the tried and not-so-true interview format of podcasting is because they've become less and less applicable.

Guests seem to vomit up the same drivel as every other guest (or as they have on every other podcast interview they've ever done).

That's a BIG lesson to learn. If you're going to do a podcast that is helping people learn, do something, or change something - IT HAD BETTER BE SUPER PRACTICAL.

Look at what you're doing with your show currently...

• Can you offer clear, step-by-step instructions in a better or more effective format than you are now? (perhaps a downloadable action sheet for each episode?)
• Could you modify your audio format to include a summary that includes action points?
• Can you integrate your podcast episodes into a community to encourage and support listeners more with the specifics you cover on your show?

+ Do you need to take things to an entirely new level?

If you aren't familiar with the term "brand podcast" - you will be soon.

It's a term that's coming to describe the highly produced, truly entertaining and amazing content many brands are using to elevate awareness of their industry and their brand.

Some examples...

IRL - Online Life Is Real Life (listen here)

Produced by Mozilla/Firefox

Life After / The Message (listen here)

Produced by GE

Choiceology (listen here)

Produced by Charles Schwab

There are a few things each of these examples have in common...

1. The are FUN and AMAZING to listen to

2. Therefore they are ENGAGING

3. They have TONS of time and effort behind them (and expense)

I often listen to these and other brand podcasts to learn better audio production and sound design techniques - and they are so engaging I often forget to pay attention to HOW they are doing the cool things they are doing.

That could be YOUR show. If you're willing to invest in it.

The moral of the story is...

The podcast-o-sphere is getting busier and busier, noisier and noisier.

To stand out you have to be unique, more valuable, adding something that people WANT to hear and consume.

You've got to begin thinking bigger.

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