There are over 3 million audio shows worldwide. Getting your podcast to stand out in this saturated market can take time and work. However, if you want to be successful, you’ll want to show people that you have something different to offer.
Fortunately, this is not as difficult as you might think. There are several ways you can make your podcast more unique and attract new listeners. For example, you could invite interesting guests and involve your audience.
In this post, we’ll look at five tactics that can help make your podcast more unique. Let’s get started!
1. Consider Getting a Co-Host
Creating an engaging show can be challenging as a solo host. Not only are you doing all the work, but you’re presenting one perspective on your topics. This can turn your episodes into long monologues, which many listeners might find boring.
Co-hosts can add energetic banter to your episodes and spark a debate. Additionally, having another host on your show will help mitigate awkward moments and keep the conversation flowing. Working in pair (or more than 2 co-hosts) can always also inject some motivation into working on the podcast.
If your co-host already has a dedicated audience, they can help you reach more listeners. Moreover, you spend less time researching new topics, creating outlines and scripts, and producing episodes when you can split these tasks with another person. Leveraging a network/audience of 2 is probably much easier than just one’s own audience. Even though you can always start a podcast without an audience, this can always help.
2. Involve your audience
Facilitating input from your audience can help keep your show interesting. However, instead of responding to questions and sharing voicemails, you can try to find more unique ways to involve your listeners.
That’s what Conan O’Brien does on his show, Conan O’Brien Needs Fan:
In this mini-series, listeners from around the globe join Conan and his team on the podcast. In addition to asking Conan questions, guests converse with the hosts and share tidbits about their lives and experiences. Previous guests include a wine writer from New Zealand, a translator from Argentina, and a zookeeper from Ohio.
Creating audience-centric episodes encourages listeners to reach out to you and get involved. Plus, anyone who participates in your show will likely share the episode with their friends and family. This can help you gain exposure and grow your listener base.
3. Invite interesting guests
Guests can provide new perspectives and keep your show fresh. Moreover, if they have a dedicated audience, they can bring more listeners to your podcast.
To keep your show interesting, you’ll want to consider interviewing thought leaders in your industry. You can start by making a list of authors or experts. Social media can be a useful tool for finding potential guests.
Once you find someone who can add value to your podcast, go ahead and invite them to your studio. If they live abroad, you can still interview them live on your show thanks to remote podcasting software.
4. Define Your Listener Value Proposition
A listener value proposition summarizes what your podcast is about and why listeners should tune in. It shows people what to expect from your show and what sets it apart from competitors.
Creating a listener value proposition for your podcast can help you develop a unique identity. You might want to look at some other podcasts for inspiration.
For example, “The Daily” by the New York Times clearly articulates its value proposition on the main podcast page. It tells readers what the show is about, who the hosts are, and the unique aspects that set it apart from other news podcasts (20 minutes a day, five days a week):
Crafting a solid listener value proposition can take some time and research. To start, you’ll want to identify what makes your show different. This might be your niche, how you research and deliver information, or who you are as a host.
Then, you’ll need to get an idea of who your audience is, where they come from, and why they’re tuning into your show. This will help you tailor your proposition for your target listener. You can do this through podcast analytics, surveys, listener feedback, and social media interactions.
Once you obtain that information, you can create a proposition that communicates what your show offers and why people should listen to your erpisodes. You can then use it on your website, social media pages, and marketing copy.
5. Launch a Podcast Website
Launching a website creates a hub for your podcast and provides additional ways to engage with your audience. A website also opens up monetization opportunities through sponsorships, memberships, merchandise, and more.
You can even use it to share exclusive content such as show notes and transcripts:
When you have a website, you can work on improving your podcast SEO to get more organic traffic. For example, you might publish blog posts alongside your episodes, and incorporate relevant keywords so that your content appears in search engine results.
Additionally, a podcast website provides various opportunities to interact with your audience and build an online community. Through contact forms and comment sections, your listeners can share their thoughts, provide feedback, and engage with other followers.
Plus, you can encourage them to sign up for your newsletter so they receive regular updates.
Beamly.com makes it super easy to create a website for your show. You can choose from different templates and customize your pages with a user-friendly builder.
Additionally, Beamly offers several features to help make your podcast more unique. For example, you can enable comments on your episodes, add guest intake forms and create profile pages for your guests, and receive recorded voicemail messages from your audience.
Conclusion
Creating a unique podcast is not just about finding an interesting angle or topic. With some strategic planning and research, you can deliver engaging episodes and attract more listeners.
Here are five tactics that can make your show more unique:
- Consider getting a co-host.
- Involve your audience.
- Invite interesting guests.
- Define your listener value proposition.
- Launch a podcast website.
With Beamly, you can easily design a website that takes your show to the next level. Get started today!
