Podcasts are a huge form of entertainment right now, with many podcasts growing massively during the COVID-19 pandemic as more people stuck at home looked for something new and different to do or a way of learning new things. Whether you have ideas to share, stories to tell, or people to interview, starting your own podcast might be something that you have given some thought to. And, the best thing is that today, starting a podcast does not have to be difficult. It can easily be something that you do in your spare time, with many of the most popular podcasts today starting in bedrooms. To run a successful podcast, you do not need a huge amount of expensive equipment and it’s easy to find studios that you can hire for quality, professional recording. It’s also fairly easy to get your podcast episodes uploaded onto popular platforms like Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
So, why consider starting a podcast today? Some of the main reasons why coming up with your own podcast idea could turn into a lucrative business include:
Podcasts are Very Popular
Research has found that podcasts have become increasingly popular over the past ten years. Streaming has now become one of the most popular ways to listen to music, but for people who prefer the idea of listening to stories, ideas, interviews or just fun conversations, podcasts are an ideal choice too. In 2018, statistics show that podcast listeners increased by almost 30%, and this number has been steadily growing since. The COVID-19 pandemic has also had a massive impact on the popularity of podcasts, as they are an often free and engaging option to be entertained at home. Research suggests that across America, millions of listeners tune in to at least one podcast episode on a monthly basis.
Listeners Want Variety
Most podcast listeners will have a type of show that they enjoy the most, but the majority aren’t satisfied with sticking to just one show. Once somebody has found some podcasts that they enjoy listening to, many people report that they get a little bit hooked and want to find even more so that they have always got something to listen to whether they’re bored at home or commuting to work. This has led to a large market for new and emerging podcasts to enter. If you have a unique idea or want to start a podcast that covers interesting or niche topics, it will definitely have a lot of potential to go far.
Podcasts are Ideal for Younger Generations:
With the number of Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z on the rise in the population, podcasts are reaching these influential generations who often do not prefer reading or don’t have as much time to read as the generations before them did. Video and audio are now the top ways that people engage with companies and organizations online, as is evident from the boom of video-based social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube. Around 25% of young people report that they listen to podcasts on a regular basis and are interested in listening more.
Learn Something New
No matter what you decide to start your podcast about, nobody expects you to have all the information that you are going to talk about straight away. Running a podcast with regular episodes is an ideal way for you to learn something new, since you will always be researching new stories and topics in your niche to talk about on your next show. For people who enjoy learning new things, a podcast can be a great way to not only educate your listeners, but also yourself.
How to Create a Successful Podcast
With podcasts growing massively, it’s clear to see that for anybody who’s interested in talking about pretty much anything, this can be an ideal hobby or even career. There are definitely plenty of valid reasons to consider starting a podcast and there’s the chance to turn it into a very lucrative line of work.
However, coming up with an idea for your podcast and getting it started is just the start of the work that is involved in creating a successful podcast. To attract listeners and gain the success that you want for your podcast idea, you will need to come up with a solid plan for promoting your podcast and providing consistent quality, to ensure that it stands out from the competition and is appealing to the right audience.
Use Professional Recording Studios
While you can get started with recording a podcast in your back bedroom, working out of a professional recording studio like this Brooklyn recording studio available from Pirate will always get you better quality results. Pirate offers recording studios for music and podcast recordings in a variety of locations around the world including the US, UK, and Europe.
Get Audience Feedback
From the moment that you upload your first podcast episode and get your first listeners, you can start asking for audience feedback. Simply finding out what your listeners thought of your podcast and if they have any ideas for future episodes or improvement can help you keep going and continue improving your podcast with every episode that you record and upload.
Be Consistent
Consistency is key with any kind of online content, and this also applies when you are running a podcast. Although podcasts are growing rapidly in popularity, don’t expect to have a massive audience after just one episode. To build up your listener base, you will need to be consistent in recording and uploading episodes. Most of the time, successful podcasts will upload a new episode on a set day of the week consistently, so that listeners are clear when it comes to what to expect.
Promote Your Podcast
While it’s entirely possible that listeners will stumble across your podcast on streaming services like Spotify and Apple Podcasts, it’s important that you do not rely on this as a sole way to build your audience. Make sure that you have a solid plan in place for promoting your podcast. Online promotion is one of the best ways to find more listeners and let people know what your podcast is about. Consider setting up a website for your podcast where people can come to learn more about it and perhaps hear a couple of episodes before deciding to listen on a regular basis. Social media can also be very useful for promoting your podcast along with engaging with your audience and getting their feedback and ideas.
Be Thorough
Finally, if you decide to run a podcast that tells stories, talks about facts, or provides education, it’s important to be thorough and make sure that you have done your research before recording and uploading content. Being found out to have claimed something that is not true, even if you 100% believed that it was at the time, is a sure way to see your listener base drop. Remember that no matter what you’re talking about, trust is key to keeping your podcast listeners coming back for more.
Chances are that you, like many people, listen to at least one podcast. If there’s a subject that you can’t stop talking about, why not start a podcast of your own?
Published on Holr Magazine