Podcasting: How to Create a Better Show

Are you ready to elevate your podcast game? Wondering how to create a show that will attract a growing audience?

In this article, we’ll explore the state of the podcasting industry and how to create a better quality show.

Why Podcasting Matters

Podcasting has become an increasingly popular medium for creators, businesses, and audiences.

Why Podcasting Matters to Creators

For creators, podcasting offers a unique medium for creative expression. This platform allows for deep, nuanced exploration of topics that might not fit in other formats. Podcasters can develop their voice, build a personal brand, and connect with niche audiences who share their passions.

The medium's flexibility is a significant advantage. Creators can experiment with various formats, from tightly scripted narratives to freeform conversations. This versatility allows podcasters to find a style that best suits their strengths and resonates with their audience.

While podcasting doesn't guarantee an audience or monetization, it provides a low-barrier entry point for creators to start building a following. Over time, consistent quality content can lead to opportunities for growth and potential revenue streams.

Why Podcasting Matters to Businesses

For businesses, podcasts offer a powerful tool for brand building and customer engagement. 

Just don't treat podcasts as mere extensions of your marketing materials. Your show has to be about something. And that must be about your audience and not your product because nobody wants to be sold to.

This approach requires businesses to think beyond direct promotion. Instead, companies should focus on providing their audience with genuine value, entertainment, or education. By doing so, they can build trust and loyalty that indirectly supports their business goals.

Alternatively, your business can sponsor existing podcasts that align with its target audience rather than creating its own show. This strategy can be an effective way to reach potential customers without the full commitment of podcast production.

Why Podcasting Matters to Audiences

For audiences, the intimate nature of podcast listening creates a unique bond between the host and the audience. People listen to podcasts in highly personal settings–while showering, walking the dog, or doing household chores. This level of access allows listeners to feel like they're part of a conversation, even in a one-way medium.

This intimacy can lead to solid listener loyalty. Fans often develop a sense of connection with hosts, viewing them as trusted voices or even friends. This loyalty can be incredibly valuable for businesses and creators alike, translating into long-term engagement and potential conversions.

The on-demand nature of podcasts also allows listeners to engage with content on their own terms. Unlike traditional radio or TV, podcast listeners can pause, rewind, or binge content as it fits their schedule and interests.

Podcasting Today

2022 was indeed a challenging year for the podcasting industry, with revenue falling short of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) ‘s targets. However, this downturn affected all advertising-supported media, not just podcasting.

The industry is now showing signs of recovery, with significant deals signed. Webster cited two recent $100 million podcast deals – one for Alex Cooper's “Call Her Daddy” show and another for Travis and Jason Kelce's “New Heights” podcast with Wondery (owned by Amazon).

Despite economic challenges, podcast listenership has continued to grow year over year. The audience never stopped growing, even as advertising revenue fluctuated.

#1: How to Prepare a Higher-Quality Podcast

Start by Knowing Your Audience Intimately

Understanding your audience goes far beyond basic demographics. It's more about knowing who your listeners are when they're at home. This deeper level of insight can inform content decisions and help create a stronger connection with your audience.

To gain this understanding, consider these tactics:

• Engaging with listeners on social media: Respond to comments, ask questions, and start conversations to learn more about your audience's interests and needs.
• Analyzing where listeners discovered your podcast can reveal insights into your audience's broader media consumption habits and interests.
• Exploring what else your listeners consume: Understanding the other podcasts, shows, or content your audience enjoys can help you position your show effectively.
• Asking the “eulogy question”: What specific aspect would listeners miss most if your show ended? The answer can reveal your podcast's unique value proposition.

Choose a Show Format

While interview formats with guests and hosts are standard, a solo show stands out. That said, solo shows are difficult to execute well. They require significant preparation and editing to maintain energy and engagement throughout the episode.

These tips will put your solo show on the road to success:

• Script your content thoroughly to ensure a clear structure
• Keep your episodes short (e.g., 9-10 minutes)
• Pay special attention to transitions between topics and use sound design or music to break up segments

For thought leaders or subject matter experts looking to start a show, consider a co-host who can ask questions and facilitate the discussion. This approach makes the content more engaging and conversational, reduces the burden on the primary host to carry the entire show, and allows for different perspectives.

When choosing a co-host, consider someone with complementary knowledge or skills to your own who can effectively draw out your expertise through questions. A great solution is to find someone representing your target audience's perspective because they can ask the questions in your audience's mind.

For podcasts with multiple regular voices, each person must have a distinct role and perspective to share. This clarity helps listeners understand and connect with each voice on the show.

For example, in his past podcast, The Marketing Companion, Webster and Mark Schaefer implicitly agreed on their roles. Schaefer positioned himself as the “straight man” or more serious voice, while Webster took on a more humorous, lighthearted persona. This dynamic created a balanced and engaging listening experience, with each host playing to their strengths while complementing the other.

Pro Tip: If your show has multiple voices, you'll need to designate one clear leader to direct the flow of conversation. This “traffic cop” role is crucial for maintaining focus and ensuring a smooth listening experience.

Manage Your Guests and the Conversation

Have you ever had an interview that went too far off course or didn't result in a good conversation?

While each guest's expertise or perspective can add a unique element to the episode, your listeners expect you to deliver value.

Brief, pre-interview calls can help ensure a cohesive final product. This preparation allows you to map out the general arc of the conversation, identify critical topics or stories to cover, and ensure the guest understands your show's format and audience.

For podcasters, this might involve:

• Sending guests a brief questionnaire about their expertise and recent work
• Having a short call to discuss the main points to cover
• Providing guests with an overview of your typical episode structure

This preparation won't make the final interview less authentic. Instead, it allows for a more focused and valuable conversation.

#2: How to Craft a Higher-Quality Podcast

Be Ruthless With Your Editing

While many podcasters pride themselves on being authentic by making minimal edits, intelligent editing enhances authenticity by clarifying your intended message. So, what edits should you consider?

Start with a complete human-created transcription of your best episode. Then, critically examine the transcript with a red pen. Look for unnecessary filler, unclear explanations, or tangents that distract from the main points. 

This process often reveals significant opportunities for improvements you can make, such as:

• Tightening your introductions so you get to the main content faster
• Places to clarify explanations of complex topics
• Removing off-topic discussions that didn't add value

Remember, editing doesn't mean removing your personality or all imperfections. Instead, it's about crafting your message's most straightforward, most engaging version.

With your notes in hand, look at your next episode and edit it, focusing on narrative flow.

Creating a compelling narrative arc is crucial for keeping listeners engaged, so think carefully about the structure of your episodes, even if it means rearranging content in post-production.

After your interview, listen to your show objectively as a listener. Ask yourself, “What would the listener's next question be?” Does the conversation match that expectation?

If things seem off-kilter, consider making the following adjustments:

• Move a guest's anecdote earlier in the episode to hook listeners
• Group related topics together, even if they weren't discussed sequentially
• Add brief narration or transitions to smooth the flow between segments

Keep Your Episodes Concise

In general, keep your episodes as short as possible, especially for new shows trying to build an audience. This approach acknowledges that potential listeners have limited time and may be hesitant to commit to lengthy episodes from an unfamiliar show.

To keep your episodes concise:

• Focus on one main topic or theme per episode
• Set time limits for different segments of your show
• Be willing to split more extended interviews into multiple episodes

As you build a loyal audience, you may have more flexibility with episode length. However, always consider whether additional length adds real value for your listeners.

#3: Choose a Publication Cadence

When deciding on episode frequency, look at your audience's listening habits. Publishing too frequently can overwhelm listeners and cause them to disengage.

To find the right balance, look at your episodes' performance to analyze download patterns and see how quickly listeners consume new episodes.

You can also survey your audience about their preferred listening frequency if you have a large enough following for your show.

The goal is to match your publishing cadence to how often your audience wants to engage with your content, creating a sustainable listening habit.

Other Notes From This Episode

• Connect with Michael Stelzner @Stelzner on Instagram and @Mike_Stelzner on X.
• Watch this interview and other exclusive content from Social Media Examiner on YouTube.

Where to subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Music | YouTube | Amazon Music | RSS

✋🏽 If you enjoyed this episode of the Social Media Marketing podcast, please head over to Apple Podcasts, leave a rating, write a review, and subscribe.

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