10 Things the Most Successful Podcasts Have in Common
Starting a podcast is no easy feat. Still, more than 4 million people have launched podcasts in recent years, as podcasts have grown so much in popularity.
However, there are still plenty of challenges to overcome for a successful podcast. Fortunately, you can learn from the pros and their past mistakes.
Here are some factors that all of the most successful podcasts have in common!
1. They Know Their Topics
Successful podcasts are typically experts in their fields, whether they are finance experts, political analysts, or psychologists. You don’t need to have a degree in the topic that you cover, but you can’t skimp on the research.
People typically listen to podcasts for information or self-improvement. If you aren’t giving them the value they need to take something away from your podcast, it’s unlikely they will stay for long.
Don’t worry. There are no prerequisites to starting a podcast. Instead, view research as an ongoing responsibility to ensure that you offer the most value possible.
If this means sacrificing some quantity, that’s fine. However, if you want to establish your podcast as an authority on a topic, quality is far more important.
For this reason, it’s important to choose a niche or topic that you’re very passionate about. Otherwise, it can lead to burnout, which your audience will eventually recognize. No matter what challenges you face, don’t lose your passion for the topic!
2. They Conduct Market Research
Understanding the wants and needs of your target audience is essential. If you don’t meet users where they are, you won’t hold onto their attention for too long.
There are many strategies to try, including surveys, A/B testing, asking listeners for their opinions directly, and more. This information can prove invaluable if you put it to use.
3. Successful Podcasts Run Consistently
Similar to social media, blog content, and more, a regular posting schedule is an essential component of a successful podcast.
If you upload a new podcast on a Saturday and then wait until the third Sunday of the next month, you’re missing out on the opportunity for regular viewership. People want consistency, and so do the search engines and podcast platforms that will help promote you.
It doesn’t necessarily matter how often you post. Remember, quality is far more important than quantity. Still, it’s important to have a fairly regular uploading schedule to stick to.
4. They Don’t Drone On
Rambling is easy to do in a conversation-style podcast. Reading a book is entirely different, as the author will have spent months researching and editing down the book to make it as concise and informative as possible.
Conversely, podcasts offer a free-form flow, usually off the tops of our heads. You may have some reading materials prepared, but these usually serve as notes.
Try to keep episode lengths as short as possible, and when you do need to make a longer point, prepare your audience by letting them know in advance. There’s an important balance between information or value and concision.
5. They Edit Diligently
Editing your podcasts is essential. If you build a reputation for rambling on or never getting to the point, you’ll be missing out on a lot of retention and word-of-mouth marketing.
Nobody says that you have to keep your podcast discussions short and near-perfect while recording. However, you do need to edit to make up for these imperfections and only show your viewers what you want to show them.
You don’t have to hire a full-time editor for great results. Instead, you can simply find freelancers with experience in podcast editing. This can save you a lot of money and help you create a concise, enjoyable podcast for your listeners!
Editing includes editing the sound quality, transcripts, optimizing your podcast for search engines, and whatever else you need. Recording the podcast is only one small part of the journey for each episode, so take the editing process seriously for the best results!
6. They Know That Sound Is Everything
Vloggers know to use high-quality cameras and video editing to keep their users engaged, so why wouldn’t podcasters focus as much on sound quality? There should be no background noise, and voices should be heard as clearly as possible. This means investing in the right sound equipment and space to record your podcast.
Also, as an added tip, try not to talk over each other during the discussion. This can certainly make for a challenging listen!
7. They Are Growth-Oriented
The most successful podcasts are still just as focused on growing their audience with a million regular listeners as they were with one hundred. Don’t ever lose the mindset of trying to build and grow an audience.
Always look for ways to engage with your audience directly both on and off of the podcast. This includes social media, comments, email campaigns, and more.
Moreover, it also means trying to produce quality content for them to enjoy. You should continue tracking metrics over time and working to improve them with every single show for the best results. If something goes wrong, don’t worry, just keep trying to learn from your mistakes and improve.
Rank With the Most Successful Podcasts Today
Now that you know some factors that the most successful podcasts have in common, put some of these tried and true tips to the test. The sooner you do, the sooner you can increase your viewership and revenue.
Build a better podcast today and stay up to date with our latest marketing tips to learn more!
