New to the world of podcasting? You might be wondering, well, what is a podcast? And how do they work? In this article I'll cover what a podcast is, what they're used for, and how to get started as a podcast listener or creator. Plus, I have several free resources for you on this page to help you get started right away.

What is a podcast and how do they work?

A podcast is a digital audio “show” or program that you can download or stream from the internet on your smartphone, computer, or tablet and listen when it’s convenient for you.

A podcast “episode” is a single instance of a podcast, much like the episode of a TV show.

Here’s an example—an episode of our very own SPI Podcast, which has been running since 2010:

For beautiful, easy-to-embed podcast players like the above, look no further than Fusebox — the official podcast player of SPI! [Note: I am a compensated affiliate for Fusebox.]

Podcasts are an extremely popular form of media that’s growing quickly. The first podcasts were produced by individuals, but now they’re also made by companies, news outlets, and other organizations. Podcasting has become big business, with companies like Apple, Spotify, iHeartMedia, SiriusXM heavily invested in podcasting.

For the listener, podcasts are a versatile medium! The audio-only format of podcasts makes them easy to consume in various settings, such as while commuting, cooking, traveling, or working.

You can think of podcasts as “background” content, but you can also give them your full attention if you like.

Speaking of content, podcast topics can cover a huge range, from true crime to business strategies to parenting tips to comedy or kids’ content. If you have a topic in mind, there’s probably a podcast out there for it! And if there isn't, that might mean an opportunity for you to start your own podcast on that topic! 

Podcasts are typically available either in seasons with a set number of episodes or in an ongoing series. Our podcast Flops came out with an eight-episode season in 2021, while other SPI Media shows like AskPat 2.0 and The Community Experience were released weekly (until being sunsetted last year). The Smart Passive Income Podcast is still released every week on an ongoing basis.

How podcasts started (a brief history of podcasting)

Podcasts have their roots back in the 1980s, but they didn’t take off until the early 2000s. In September 2000, the company i2Go introduced a digital audio news and entertainment service called MyAudio2Go.com that allowed users to download news, sports, entertainment, weather, and music in episodic audio format. The following month, tech entrepreneur Tristan Louis proposed attaching sound and video files in RSS feeds (see below). This idea built steam over the next few years, and in 2004 the term “podcasting” emerged to describe this new way of distributing audio content. In 2005, Apple added a podcast subscription feature to iTunes 4.9 and launched a podcast directory in the iTunes Music Store.

Since then, the sky has been the limit for podcasting, with somewhere between 3 and 5 million podcasts in the world right now!

What are podcasts used for?

So what’s the point or purpose of a podcast? What are they good for? A whole lot!

For the listener, a podcast is a great way to learn about a given topic—and/or be entertained!—in a way that’s convenient to them. Podcasts are free (for the most part) and easy to find, and given their growing popularity, cover a wider and deeper range of topics than ever before.

For the podcaster, the uses and benefits of a podcast can be enormous. Podcasts are a great way to build and serve an audience by entertaining and/or educating listeners on a given topic.

One of the key advantages of a podcast for the podcaster is that you get to speak directly to people, using your voice. Your podcast episode may be heard by thousands or even millions of people, but for each listener, it’s just you and them.

It’s been said that podcasting is the best way to scale intimacy and make a direct connection with each of your listeners.

What is a podcast host and why do you need one? (How an RSS feed works)

Podcasts are made available to listeners via a Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed.

An RSS feed allows content creators to publish notifications of new content such as blog posts or, of course, podcasts.

Here's how that works. The podcast creator submits their podcast’s RSS feed to a directory, which makes it available to listeners via a podcast app or the creator’s website.

A podcast listener can receive new installments or episodes of a podcast automatically by subscribing to the podcast’s RSS feed in their chosen podcast app. 

But how do you create your podcast's RSS feed? 

That’s where a podcast hosting platform (or podcast host for short) comes in.

A podcast host is a service that provides a place to store and distribute your podcast's audio files via an RSS feed. The podcast host automatically generates the RSS feed for your podcast, and then submits it to podcast directories, such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and others.

You might be thinking, Do I have to use a podcast host? Can I host my podcast on my website? The short answer is yes—but hear me out.

There are several benefits to using a podcast host instead of DIYing it. A podcast host can:

• Provide storage for your podcast episode files, and allow them to be downloaded by listeners.
• Automate the creation and syndication of your RSS feed to podcast directories.
• Offer built-in analytics, so you can see how your show is growing and which episodes are the most popular.

Yes, you can technically host your podcast’s RSS feed on your own website. And yes, most podcast hosts cost money, with those costs generally increasing as your show grows.

But for most creators, hosting your podcast on your own website is way more trouble than it’s worth. 

You might save a few bucks, but in our opinion, the lack of analytics alone makes hosting your podcast on your website a bad choice.

Thankfully, you have plenty of options to choose from when it comes to podcast hosts. Our recommended platform is Fusebox, thanks to its ease of use and helpful features. [Note: I am a compensated affiliate for Fusebox.]

Other popular hosting platforms include Buzzsprout, Libsyn, Podbean, Anchor, and Blubrry.

It’s relatively easy to work with a podcast host. You set up an account on their website, where you can enter the details of your podcast, upload episodes, and explore options for monetizing your show. Some platforms charge a monthly fee (variable depending on how much content you publish), while others are free.

Last but not least, you might be thinking, Isn’t a podcast host also a person? Yes! A podcast host can also refer to the person who is the face and voice of a podcast. (For instance, Pat is the host of the SPI Podcast.) Glad we cleared that up.

Types of podcasts and podcast examples

As a medium for entertaining and sharing information, podcasts can take many different forms! Here are some of the most common podcast formats, along with examples.

• Interview: A host invites one or more guests to discuss a given topic. This show format requires research and outreach to find guests for each episode. (The Smart Passive Income Podcast, Armchair Expert, Fresh Air)
• Solo Talking/Storytelling: As the name suggests, a single host “runs the show.” The time that would be spent on guest research and outreach for an interview show is instead directed toward research and preparation of the show’s content. (Hardcore History, Revolutions)
• Cohosted: A show with two or more hosts who can provide different personalities and perspectives and sometimes humorous banter.  (Stuff You Should Know, My Favorite Murder, Flops, The Community Experience)
• Roundtable: An expanded version of a co-hosted podcast with more hosts who engage in conversations and banter around a given topic. (SmartLess, Pod Save America)
• Documentary: Similar to a TV documentary, this podcast format typically has a narrator, and can include interview segments, sound effects/music, and even scripted scenes. (Serial, Startup Podcast)

Note that many podcasts are a hybrid, incorporating elements of multiple formats. For example, the New York Times’ The Daily is a cohosted podcast that incorporates interviews.

Who makes podcasts?

Podcasts can be created by just about anyone, from an individual to a small team to a large company!

What is a podcast producer?

When it comes to podcasts, a producer is someone who works behind the scenes to make sure the show is as good as it can be. They typically wear several hats, and their duties may include finding guests, organizing the episode schedule, overseeing the recording and editing processes, promoting the show, and more.

How to listen to a podcast

How easy is it to listen to a podcast? Pretty darn easy! Here’s what you’ll need:

• A smartphone, computer, or tablet with an internet connection.
• A podcast app

You’ll need an internet-connected device, such as a smartphone, computer, or tablet to access podcasts. Since you’re already reading this post, I’m guessing you’ve got this one covered.

Whether you’re searching for a specific podcast or want to search for a new one, a podcast app will come in handy. Here are some of the most popular ones:

• Apple Podcasts
• YouTube Music (formerly Google Podcasts)
• Spotify
• Audible
• SiriusXM (formerly Stitcher)
• TuneIn Radio
• Pocket Casts

Each of these apps can be downloaded to your device or accessed via the web.

So which one should you choose? To be honest, there’s not a ton of difference between them, especially if you’re just getting started as a podcast listener.

If you’re a Mac/iOS user, then Apple Podcasts is your go-to, and if you use an Android phone, then the Google Play Music app is the easiest option.

Each app also provides a podcast directory that you can search to find new shows. Many of these apps can even provide personalized recommendations based on the shows you listen to on the app.

If you find yourself turning into an avid listener of a large number of podcasts, you might find benefit from using an app like Pocket Casts, which is designed to filter and organize a large number of podcast subscriptions. But for 99 percent of listeners, most apps will do just fine.

Once you’ve found the podcast you want to listen to in your podcast app, you can either stream it or download it to your device to listen later. Your podcast app should also allow you to “subscribe” to a show so you’ll be alerted when new episodes are released.

Some podcast creators also make their podcast episodes available directly on their website via a web-based podcast player like Fusebox.

Here’s an example of how to use an embedded web player like Fusebox to play a podcast episode right on a webpage:

How to start a podcast

If you’re interested in how to start a podcast, you’re in the right place! At SPI, we have a ton of resources for first-time podcasters (and more advanced podcasters too, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves…).

In order to start a podcast, you need a few key ingredients:

• An idea for your show, of course!
• A podcasting microphone
• A podcast host to store and distribute your RSS feed
• Podcast artwork

That’s not all, though, and if you want the full scoop, check out our “How to Start a Podcast STEP-BY-STEP” guide.

It includes the lowdown on things like:

• Picking a podcast topic you can commit to
• Writing a compelling podcast description
• Choosing a podcast hosting service
• Recording your episodes
• And much more

The “How to Start a Podcast STEP-BY-STEP” guide makes starting your podcast easy and doable so that you can build your audience—and even start and scale a business with the help of your new show.

You can also check out our video guide to starting your podcast!

What is a podcast FAQ

Here are some commonly asked questions about podcasts, and our answers!

Why are podcasts called podcasts?

The word “podcast” is a portmanteau (combined word) of “iPod,” Apple’s original portable music player, and “broadcast.” Some people have also suggested “portable on demand” as a “backronym” for the word “podcast.”

Podcasts vs. radio: What’s the difference?

Are podcasts the same as radio shows? While podcasts and radio share a lot of similarities, since they’re both audio formats, podcasts are more versatile in a lot of ways. You can think of podcasts as the next “evolution” of the radio show.

Here are some of the key differences between podcasts and radio:

• Podcasts are usually edited, while radio is typically live.
• Podcasts can be streamed or downloaded on demand, while radio shows typically need to be listened to live. Radio stations are increasingly making their previously aired shows available online, but most radio content must be accessed when it goes live.
• Most radio content is aimed at a broad audience, while podcast content can be extremely niche.
• Most radio shows need to fill a specific time block, whereas podcast episodes can be any length.
• Radio shows typically have higher production costs, so they contain advertisements to help offset these costs. While podcast advertising is a growing industry, many podcasts don’t include ads because the cost barrier to entry for podcasting is so much lower than for radio.

Are podcasts free to listen to?

One of the best things about podcasts is that they are usually free to download and listen to. Yes, you’ll need a device to listen to them and an internet connection to download them, but the content itself is generally free of charge.

In recent years, some podcasters have begun creating additional paid content for their subscribers. These paid podcasts are becoming increasingly popular, although free podcasts are still a lot more common.

What is a podcast network?

A podcast network is a collection of podcasts under the umbrella of a single company, which produces, distributes, and/or makes those podcasts available to advertisers. Podcast networks can provide exposure and revenue for podcast owners and are a great option to consider once your podcast has grown a bit.

Some podcast networks are focused on a single theme, while others accept podcasts across a range of topics. The biggest podcast networks include iHeartRadio, Wondery, PodcastOne, HubSpot Podcast Network, and Audacy.

What is a video podcast?

Video podcasts are an increasingly popular form of podcasting. As the name suggests, they incorporate video and audio, allowing listeners to see and hear your content. Adding video to your podcast is typically more work, but it can help expose your show to a wider audience through platforms like YouTube and TikTok.

What equipment do you need to start a podcast?

As mentioned above in “How to Start a Podcast,” a microphone is the most important piece of equipment you’ll need to start your own show. However, there are a few other pieces of tech to consider:

• A desktop microphone stand
• A boom arm and shock mount to reduce unwanted vibrations
• A pop filter to reduce plosives (harsh sounds from certain syllables) in your recordings
• Software for recording and editing, such as GarageBand or Audacity
• Sound dampening materials to reduce room echo

Do podcasters make money from their shows?

They definitely can, and many of them do!

The most common way podcasts make money is through advertising or sponsorships. You can also use affiliate marketing to promote products on your show and earn a commission when someone purchases them using your link.

Our Amp'd Up Podcasting course — available exclusively to our community members — is designed to help podcasters grow and better monetize their shows while also reducing production time.

A free checklist for starting your podcast

Make sure you don't miss a step! The Podcast Cheat Sheet gives you all the steps you need to start your show.

Are you ready to start your podcasting journey?

I hope this primer on podcasts was helpful! Maybe you’re inspired to go find a new show to subscribe to, or even become a podcaster yourself!

Before you leap, however, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons of podcasting.

Pros and cons of starting a podcast

The benefits of having a podcast can be numerous. A podcast can help you:

• Grow your brand or business
• Meet new people
• Develop new income streams
• Expand your audience

At the same time, podcasting may not be for everyone. It takes time, energy, commitment, and resources to start and maintain a podcast. To be successful, you need to produce a high-quality show and publish it regularly.

More resources for the aspiring podcaster (or just the pod-curious)

If the idea of starting a podcast is still exciting to you, great! We’ve got lots of helpful resources if you’re ready to keep learning about podcasts and what they can do to help you grow your business and connect with your audience.

If you’re interested in starting your own podcast, our How to Start a Podcast Guide gives you practical next steps.

But if you're ready to start your podcast in the most streamlined way possible, our Power-Up Podcasting® 2.0 course is for you. It's a step-by-step guide to launching a successful podcast that gets found and grows your online brand. You can take the course as part of the SPI Community — membership gets you all our courses and the support of a vibrant learning community to guide and motivate you towards podcasting success.

You can also explore The Smart Passive Income Podcast and read more about podcasting on the blog.

Ready to learn podcasting the smart way?

The SPI Community has the resources you need.

Learn more about the SPI Community

The post What is a Podcast? How podcasts work and how to get started appeared first on Smart Passive Income.

[Full Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. As an affiliate, I receive compensation if you purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. You can read my complete disclosure statement here.]

If you're just starting out with podcasting, it's super important to have the right gear. That's why we've put together a list of five fantastic equipment kits for beginners. These kits come with everything you need, like microphones, headphones, and recording software, to make sure your podcast sounds awesome.

We consulted our thriving community of entrepreneurs—many of whom have successful podcasts!—over at SPI Pro for this article.

While a lot of podcast gear guides will suggest mics and other equipment by price, this guide functions a little differently. Each of these kits represents an ideal podcast equipment list based on a certain persona. Is audio quality absolutely paramount to you, or do you need to sound good on a budget? Are you on the go a lot, or recording out of your office? Do you record in person, with more than one guest, or do you only record your podcast over the internet?

Whatever your “persona,” this article will give you, if not a shopping list, at least a good starting point.

Click a link below to jump to the kit that best describes you.

The Jetsetter
The Audiophile
The Frugal Podcaster
The In-Person Host
The YouTuber

Note — the price for each kit was calculated before tax and shipping. Prices are an estimate only and may have fluctuated since this article was written.

On Blue Yetis (a resounding “No!”)

I have to get something out of the way before we continue. When I polled our SPI Pro community on their favorite podcasting mics, there was one throughline: definitely not a Blue Yeti.

If you’re unfamiliar with Blue Yeti microphones, their popularity is understandable at first glance. At under $100, they seem to offer an all-in-one solution, coming with a built-in stand and an attractive design (even in flamingo pink).

But the response from our Pros couldn’t be clearer.

The Yeti slamming ranged from phrases like “mine broke in under one year” to “I hate them” and “great advertising budget, cheap price point.” “It’s designed to bring the audience into a fun environment,” said one Pro, “which most people aren’t in… unless you’re in your backyard with your goats and chickens and talking about farm life.”

The Jetsetter: A mic kit for podcasters in motion

$450

For podcasters on the go, it's important to have lightweight, portable equipment that can easily be taken from place to place. Here’s the ideal kit:

Mic: The Rode VideoMic NTG is a shotgun mic made for cameras, but at 3.32 ounces, it’s the perfect microphone for on-the-go podcasting as well. You can connect it directly to your laptop or smartphone.

Stand: At 4 oz, the Rode Tripod Mini Stand is the perfect stand for an on-the-go podcast kit.

Headphones: The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Professional Studio Monitor Headphones offer great sound quality and are also foldable, making them easy to pack and take on the go. As with any of these kits, having a solid pair of studio monitor headphones is critical so you can get a good idea of how your recording will sound in real-time.

Remote Recording Solution: A solution like Squadcast is essential for remote podcast recording, and both offer high-quality audio and video recording capabilities. There are some differences between both platforms which may or may not be negatable depending on your situation (if you want the sharpest-possible video, only Riverside can record simultaneously in 4k, for example). As the differences would be best covered in a second article, we’ll leave it to you to decide—both are excellent options at similar price points.

With this podcast kit, you'll be able to produce high-quality podcasts no matter where you are.

The Audiophile: A podcasting setup for discerning ears

$900

For podcasters who are serious about audio quality and have an unlimited budget, here are some high-end equipment options we recommend.

Mic: A toss-up between the Shure SM7B and the Heil PR40!

The Shure SM7B is popular for a reason: it has excellent sound quality and noise reduction design. It is a cardioid dynamic microphone that captures a warm, natural sound and has a pop filter and shock mount to reduce plosives and isolate the microphone from vibrations. Its performance is further enhanced with a bass roll-off and mid-range boost.

The Heil PR40 is also a great choice for audiophile podcasters, featuring a wide frequency range and low self-noise. It also has a unique design that helps reduce pops and plosives, making it a great choice for podcasters who are serious about audio quality. If you’ve tuned into any of Pat’s live streams or The Smart Passive Income Podcast, this is the mic you’re hearing!

(Note that either of these mics will require an XLR cable.)

Mount: The Gator Frameworks Deluxe Desk-Mounted Boom Stand allows you perfect, stable adjustment for your mic. Set your mic up on this stand, plug it in, and never look back.

Preamp: The Audient iD4 MKII is a great choice to pair with the Shure SM7B because it provides high-quality preamps and offers phantom power, which is necessary to power the SM7B. Additionally, the iD4 MKII has a low-latency headphone output, which is critical for real-time monitoring during recording sessions.

Headphones: The Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro Studio headphones are widely considered to be some of the best in the industry, offering superior sound quality and comfort. They are a classic option that have been used in recording studios for years and are a great choice for podcasters who want to ensure they can hear every detail.

Remote Recording Solution: Squadcast. 

With this setup, your podcast will sound as good as anything you hear on the radio!

The Frugal Podcaster: A mic kit for budget-conscious podcasters

Under $100

If you're looking to start a podcast on a budget, there are a number of great equipment options available. Coming in at under $100, this kit will make your podcast sound great with minimal gear.

Mic/Stand: The Audio-Technica ATR2100x-USB — at $79 (as of March, 2023), not much beats this mic at this price point. It offers excellent sound quality and is versatile enough to work with both XLR and USB connections, plus it comes with a simple folding stand*. That means you can plug it directly into your computer and get down to business.

• You may find that you want a stand that adjusts a bit higher, which adds another $16.99 to this kit.

Pop Filter: The Aokeo Professional Microphone Pop Filter — for about $11, it’s a no-brainer. A pop filter is used to prevent plosive sounds (such as “p” and “b”) from being picked up by the microphone. Without a pop filter, these sounds can be picked up as loud, unpleasant bursts of air, which can be distracting and make the recording more difficult to listen to. Don’t skip this piece.

Headphones: Whatever you already have! You likely have a pair of AirPods or other headphones and, since this is a budget kit, we’re not including a dedicated pair of studio headphones.

Remote Recording Solution: If you’re on a budget and need to record guests remotely, you may be tempted to use Zoom for remote recordings. We strongly advise against this though; the subscription cost of Squadcast is well worth the investment. Trust us, your editor (which is probably you) will thank you!

With this setup, you'll be able to produce high-quality podcasts without breaking the bank.

The In-person Host: A podcast kit for eye-to-eye magic

$500 – $1600+ (depending on mic selection and number of guests)

For podcasters who record in person with guests, it's important to have equipment that can capture high-quality audio from multiple sources. Of course, you’ll want to tailor this package to your specific situation, depending on how many guests you usually record with.

Here are some equipment options to consider:

Interfaces

Zoom H6 Six-Track Portable Recorder: This recorder is perfect for recording in person, with its ability to record up to six tracks simultaneously. It also has four XLR/TRS inputs, making it easy to connect multiple microphones.

If you want something that’s a cut above the rest in this department, we definitely recommend the Rodecaster Pro II, which includes sound pads, phone connectivity, and a range of sound effects. It also has a large, easy-to-use touchscreen that allows you to control all of its features.

If your live podcast is exclusively a one-on-one situation, the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is a fantastic option. It’s an affordable, two-channel audio interface that offers excellent sound quality and is easy to use.

Mics

Any of the mics mentioned so far are great options for in-person recording, but here’s a little roundup:

High-end: Without a doubt, the Shure SM7B is your pick of choice. A couple (or more) of these puppies and your in-person recordings will sound about as good as they possibly could!

Medium: Shure’s MV7X is another solid option. With voice-isolating technology and an all-metal construction, the MV7x is designed with podcasters and vocalists in mind. And at less than half the price of the SM7B, they’re a bit more budget-friendly too. (Note—the MV7 is a slightly different design, as you can connect it via USB. However, at this price point, we recommend some MV7Xs combined with a solid preamp or audio interface.)

Budget: Again our pick is the Audio-Technica ATR2100x-USB. With a price point around $80, this is hard to beat for budget options.

Miscellaneous equipment

Monitor Headphones: Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro Studio Headphones.

Cables: Pig Hog PHM10 8mm Tour Grade Mic Cable, XLR 10ft – 2-pack. (You may want longer cables depending on the space you’re recording in.)

Clamp-On, Boom Stands: Gator Frameworks Deluxe Desk-Mounted Boom Stand

Desktop Stands: InnoGear Desktop Microphone Stand (2-pack)

The YouTuber: An add-on kit for video podcasters

Add $850 to any of the above kits.

YouTube recently announced that they’re bringing podcasts to their YouTube Music streaming service. With the option to switch between video and audio-only consumption, lots of podcasters feel it’s necessary to record video with every episode too. This is our recommendation for a video podcasting add-on kit, the perfect compliment to your mic setup.

Camera: The Canon EOS M50 Mark II with 15-45mm lens offers great autofocus and high-quality video in one simple package.

Stand: The SmallRig Camera Desk Mount has an adjustable height of 13-35 inches, allowing the stand to clamp onto just about any desk.

Lighting: The Elgato Key Light Air is a great lighting option for YouTube podcasters. It’s a compact and lightweight lighting solution that can be adjusted using the Elgato Control Center app. It has a built-in diffuser for creating soft, even lighting, and comes with a desk mount for easy positioning. Plus, it’s portable.

Remote Recording Solution: Squadcast.

With this setup, your podcast will not only sound great, but it will also look great on your YouTube channel.

Pod-on!

No matter what your podcasting needs are, there is an equipment kit out there that is perfect for you. By investing in the right gear, you can ensure that your podcast sounds great and is enjoyable for your listeners. With the help of this guide, you’ll be able to find the perfect equipment kit to take your podcast to the next level. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start podcasting!

And if you’re new to podcasting and want to seriously up your game, the All-Access Pass might be your best move. Through community-powered learning, you can work alongside other podcasters, get access to our full course library (including the wildly popular Power-Up Podcasting), attend workshops, and much more.

The post 5 Podcast Kits for Any Type of Podcaster appeared first on Smart Passive Income.

In this blog post, I share my top 10 tips for conducting an exceptional interview for your podcast, your YouTube channel, and your website. You’ll learn:

• The benefits of interviews
• How to serve your audience with your interviews
• What homework you need to do pre-interview
• The types of questions — open-ended and follow-up questions — to ask your interviewee(s)
• How to create a warm, welcoming interview environment
• Ways to give space and opportunity to your interviewee
• The importance of listening
• Why you should emphasize understanding
• The tools to use for high-quality production
• What you should never do in an interview
• And how to have a little fun too!

Ready for your interview prep? Let’s do this.

One of the best ways to create content online is to interview someone — a person who complements you and your brand or fills the gaps.

Interviews are extremely beneficial because:

1. You can generate unique and refreshing content for your audience. You don't need to be the expert to deliver expert advice.
2. It can raise your level of authority simply because of public association with the interviewee.
3. You build a relationship with the person you are interviewing, which could possibly lead to other growth opportunities for you and your brand down the road.

But conducting interviews (especially audio or video interviews) isn’t easy. (At least good ones that are worth people's time.)

Although most of the content is generated by the person you are interviewing, the responsibility to fashion an interview worth consuming still lies in your hands — and it's not just about asking the right questions either.

It's about genuine interest, flow, vibe, sincerity, concern, digging deeper, defining the unclear, attracting stories, avoiding awkwardness… and being conscious about all of that at the same time.

After conducting hundreds of interviews of my own on the SPI Podcast and on my YouTube channel, and being interviewed on many podcasts and YouTube channels, I've learned a lot about what it takes to conduct a worth-listening-to interview — one that is captivating and full of content that your audience wants to hear.

It's difficult to choose, but here are a few of my favorite interviews I've ever done:

And that's not to mention the warm, fun, insightful interviews you can hear in the backlog of The Community Experience, a show we sunsetted in 2022. Here are a few standout episodes:

Below are my top 10 tips for conducting an exceptional interview:

10. Remember Who the Interview Serves

Two words: Your Audience.

Although the interview may help you and your brand while at the same time help the person you are interviewing (by giving them exposure to your audience) your number one priority should be to enlighten your audience — to get answers that are meaningful from the person you're interviewing.

Your audience will appreciate it greatly, and serving your audience first is a gesture of appreciation. Believe me.

9. Pre-Interview Homework

There are few things that you should do before the interview actually happens:

1. Understand a little bit about who you're interviewing first. Sure, you're conducting an interview to learn more about a person and what they do, but as the interviewer you should know more than your audience so that you can properly introduce the person and ask the right questions. If you can find an existing interview with the person on another website, you can gauge their style and tone and create questions accordingly.
2. Confirm the details of the interview with the person you're interviewing. This is especially important if you're interviewing someone in a different time zone. Some things to confirm are:
   • Date and time.
   • Method of communication. (Zoom, phone call, smoke signals).
   • Approximate length of interview.
3. Test your recording equipment! Microphone, audio, or Zoom, SquadCast, or Riverside settings.
4. Prepare a list of questions. See the next tip . . .

P.S. I share additional pre-interview tips including having a notebook with you and avoiding too much preparation in SPI TV Episode 50:

8. Prepare a List of Flexible, Open-Ended Interview Questions and Possible Follow-up Questions

You should prepare a list of questions that will act as a template for the interview — a guide for the path that you want to take from start to finish.

But not a shopping list that you should stick to 100 percent.

For each question, you should come up with two or three possible follow-up questions that might be suitable to ask, depending on the answer. You probably won't get to them all, but because they are there it's a good reminder just in case the perfect opportunity comes up to dig deeper into a topic of interest.

As far as the questions themselves, here are a few basic rules:

1. Don't ask YES or NO questions.
2. Don't ask more than one question at a time.
3. Keep them relevant but be creative.
4. Phrase the questions in a way that will allow the person being interviewed to expand.
5. Offer to show the questions to the person you're interviewing to make sure they're comfortable with them, which goes along with . . .

7. Provide a Welcoming Environment for the Interview

In order to get the best answers from the people you interview, you've got to create a welcoming environment for them.

A comfortable person, one who feels as if they are just having a conversation with a friend, will be more likely to give beefier information in a more enthusiastic and friendly tone, which benefits everyone.

Here are some ways to create a comfortable environment for the person you're interviewing:

• Let them know before you even start recording that it’s really just a conversation about two people connecting with each other.
• Make sure they know all of the details about the interview beforehand.
• Ask them if they'd like to see the questions first.
• Thank them for the interview before you even start and introduce them to your audience.
• Be enthusiastic!

6. Allow the Person You're Interviewing to Talk

One of the worse things you can do as an interviewer is take over the interview yourself. You've got to give the person you're interviewing a chance to communicate as much as possible without interruption. The more they talk the better.

It's important to engage in conversation, yes, but there's a line you can cross where it starts to become rude and/or just not valuable to your audience. Don’t interrupt. Remember, you are creating a space for them to share their story. It’s about them, and it’s about you facilitating the conversation for them.

5. Listen!

This may sound obvious, but you've got to listen!

Be engaged in the interview — not just a person who reads the questions aloud.

This is much tougher than it sounds. As an interviewer myself, it's extremely easy to “drift off” while the other person is talking. It's not that you become bored and uninterested (I hope), but you might “tune out” while you wait for them to finish so you can move on to your next question. Don't do that.

What helps is to think of your interview as not really an interview at all, but as a conversation that doesn’t follow a linear path. Sometimes, in tangential side stories, gold can be discovered.

Always listen actively — be engaged and present.

4. Actually Want to Understand Your Interviewee

Along the same lines, you must want to understand — and this can be done on different levels.

On the surface, it's just about understanding the situation or what's happening. What did this person do and why is it important to share?

On a deeper level, however, it becomes much more interesting, both for you as the interviewer and those who will eventually listen to it. On that deeper level, it becomes: why does this person do what they do, and how?

Pro interviewers like Andrew Warner from Mixergy and David Siteman Garland do a fantastic job of actually wanting to learn everything there is to learn about a person or a process — not just the what but also the how and why. I genuinely feel like it's because they want to fully understand everything, which is why their shows are so popular.

3. Strive for High-Quality Interview Production

Bad quality audio or video can ruin a fantastic interview. Some people won't even listen if the quality isn't there.

Do whatever possible (within your budget, of course) to conduct a high-quality interview.

I personally use a Heil PR-40 Microphone and conduct most of my interviews using Squadcast. I also like the CAD U49, ATR2100x (USA), and Samson Q2U microphones. I recommend the ATR and Samson in my How to Start a Podcast video class, which you get for free when you download the Podcast Cheat Sheet. [Disclaimer: The Squadcast and microphone links are affiliate links, which means I get paid a commission if you purchase through those links.]

Also, check out Auphonic, which is a free tool that makes sure both sides of the conversation are at the same volume level.

If you want to add an extra oomph to your recording quality, check out my video:

2. As an Interviewer, Never…

• Ask a Yes or No question.
• Ask more than one question at a time.
• Say “…and my next question is…”
• Allow for an awkward pause or dull moment.
• Be disrespectful to your audience and the person you're interviewing.
• Forget to be present with the person you’re interviewing.
• Rely too much on research or notes, as it takes away from your active listening.
• Keep your mouth on your microphone (or breath into the mic) while the other person is talking.
• Forget who you're serving.

1. Have Fun!

I know it's cliche to end a top 10 list with “have fun” — but in this case it will truly help your interview.

Having fun with it will actually make you and the person you're interviewing much more comfortable, which will lead to better content for your audience.

If you make it seem like a task or a chore, then it will reflect in the interview — and that's not what we want.

Have fun, enjoy the experience, develop new relationships, and generate some amazing content!

Ask the Audience: What Makes an Interview Exceptional to You?

What makes an interview exceptional and what makes an interview terrible?

Here's what some people had to say about it on the SPI Facebook Page [which has since closed down]:

Jennylou Raya says:

Exceptional is when they show genuine interest in the person, asks questions no one asks but others would be dying to know. Good is consistency from one interview to another without sounding like a broken record when you have a chance to listen to the interview archives all in one day. Terrible is when the interviewer is unprepared and has no clue who they are talking to or knows less than the audience.

Jason Bellomy says:

The main thing for me is that the person conducting the interview does not dominate the conversation. The goal should be to let the interviewee do most of the talking while the interviewer pushes the conversation in a direction where he feels his listening audience would benefit.

Brandon Figueroa says:

Exceptional: The interview is incredibly informative. Meaning, they ask lots of ‘meaty' questions (and none of that basic boring stuff) with lots of answers and perspectives that most people haven't thought of or seen before.

Terrible: Poor audio quality, no one cracks a joke, monotone, uptight, uninformative, repetitive stuff that people already know.

Awesome Interview (Bonus): it's ‘shareable'. Extremely entertaining AND informative at the same time…

The Ultimate Guide to Starting a Podcast

Check out our completely free guide to getting started with your podcast. It covers everything you need to know from start to finish, from equipment to getting your show out into the world.

If you want to take your podcasting one level further, you have to check out the All-Access Pass, which includes pathways of courses, workshops, and more to help you grow. Even better, it all happens within a welcoming, supportive community of likeminded entrepreneurs. We’re finding that community learning is the most powerful, impactful way to take meaningful action, and that goes for podcasting too. We’ll see you in there!

The post Top 10 Tips for Conducting an Exceptional Interview—UPDATED 2023! appeared first on Smart Passive Income.

Have trouble coming up with podcast episode ideas? Whether you release a new podcast episode every week or once a month, coming up with consistently high-quality episode ideas can feel like a lot of pressure. 

This demand for consistent content is one of the major players in the “podfade” phenomenon and a challenging aspect of being an independent podcaster. 

In this article, we'll…

• share 101+ examples of podcast topics, 
• lay the foundation for great content, 
• provide practical methods for coming up with new podcast episode ideas, 
• and outline ways to cultivate creativity throughout your podcasting journey.

And real quick before we dive in — if you're starting out and want to kick off your podcasting journey with aplomb, check out the SPI Community.

Contents

• Podcast Topics: 101 Ideas for Things to Talk About
• How to Find Topics for a Podcast
• Keep the Podcast Episode Ideas Coming

101 Podcast Topic Ideas

Starting your process to think up podcast ideas can feel intimidating, but don’t worry; you have a lot of options. Get your ideas flowing with these 101 topics to talk about on a podcast.

(And, if you're just starting out, don't miss out how to start a podcast guide seen by over 100,000 people!)

1. Learning a new skill

When brainstorming what to talk about on a podcast, why not record yourself learning a new skill you’ve been wanting to pick up?

Start a podcast about your journey learning to play the piano, paint, or sew—the list goes on. 

2. Events/groups

Consider making a podcast about specific events or groups, such as:

• Local or national political groups 
• Sporting events or festivals 
• Marathoners, bikers 

Good podcast topic ideas will often align with your own interests, allowing your enthusiasm to keep you motivated. So, pick an event or group that speaks to you.

3. Book reviews and summaries

Are you an avid reader? Let people know what you think of your latest picks with full reviews. 

Or, for the people who don’t have time to read the books themselves, put your storytelling skills to the test with engaging summaries. 

4. Book recommendations

Similarly, if you like books, you probably have a lot of recommendations. 

You could focus the podcast on a specific genre, do different genres for different segments, or take calls from your listeners and give recommendations based on their interests. 

5. Sports

If sports are more your thing, make a podcast recapping last night’s game, discussing industry news, talking about your favorite players, and more. 

Don’t be afraid to find an angle; you could discuss odd or underrated sports only or go the sports business route.

6. People who know nothing about sports

For another creative twist on a sports podcast, you could invite people who know nothing about a sport to try to explain it, narrate the big game, or bring little kids on to commentate.

7. Location-based

People spend a lot of time in locations like the gym, coffee shops, etc., so why not go super niche and target them directly? Create a podcast dedicated to a specific place that people frequent to help them pass their time there.

8. Time-based

Use your podcast to accompany people through the seasons, holidays, bedtimes, morning hours before work, etc. 

You could create a spooky-themed podcast during the month of October or a New Years’ self-help/resolutions-themed podcast. Or, if you want to go at a more regular pace, you could do a nightly bedtime story podcast. 

9. How-to

A how-to podcast can be as general or focused as you’d like it to be. You could focus the entire podcast teaching your listeners how to do something from start to finish, make each episode a new topic entirely, or take a broader focused topic, like getting a job, with relevant episodes like “how to make a killer cover letter.” 

10. Preparation

A preparation podcast is like a how-to podcast but with a preparatory focus. Discuss things like preparing for college applications, preparing for a big race, or even just how to prepare for social gatherings. 

11. Movie and TV review

If you’re someone who always catches new movie releases, give people the thumbs up or down on whether they should check them out too. 

Or, give TV show recaps and reviews after each episode airs, offering your opinions and speculating what will happen next.

12. All things cinema

For the cinephiles, start a podcast on all things movies. You could do your podcast on the history of cinema, on a specific film movement, or humorously cover all the worst movies you can find. 

13. POV

What better way to give your podcast a unique flair than by showcasing a popular story from a new perspective? 

Take a show’s season, a movie, a novel, etc., and go through the story from each character’s (or an unexpected favorite’s) point of view. 

14. Comedy

If you’ve always been praised for your sense of humor, give a comedy podcast a go. Tell funny stories, perform comedy sketches, or talk about current events with a dash of your winning humor.

15. Travel tips and recommendations

Tons of people love to travel, making it one of the best topics for a podcast. 

Give great traveling tips and recommendations, talk about travel gear, and more.

Don’t be afraid to pick a niche; you could do a luxury or budget theme, an outdoor excursion theme, or some combination of themes.

16. Travel storytelling

Allow listeners to travel along with you through your storytelling. Narrate your experiences, give funny anecdotes, and provide vivid descriptions of the places you go and the people you meet. 

17. Travel interviews

Make a podcast where you interview the people you meet on your travels; ask their opinions on the city they live in, recommendations, and any interesting information they might have.

Or, invite travelers to come and document their travel experiences on your podcast without even leaving your home. 

18. Expats

If you’re an expat, you’re familiar with how daunting it can be for those just getting started. Share your expat story, the steps others can follow, and provide advice. 

You can create a community in your new home country by inviting other expats to share their stories and inspire others too.

19. Fashion

If you’re known for your taste in fashion, share your opinions or advice through a podcast. 

Topics for podcasts in the fashion niche are extensive, too; you can talk about styling tips, where to shop, models, designers, funny red carpet mishaps, or runway reviews. 

20. Beauty

Likewise, podcast ideas in the beauty industry are endless.

Make a podcast about beauty brand news, holy grail products, products to avoid, curly hair tips, or how to manage common skin problems.

21. Politics

There’s always something to talk about with politics; share your thoughts on current events, invite interesting speakers, and discuss the latest news from a political standpoint. 

22. Pets

If you’re an animal lover, consider starting a podcast on pets. Pet-lovers will surely tune in if you provide them valuable pet care information, facts, and interviews from experts. 

23. Wild animals

Similarly, if you’re passionate about animals, make a podcast giving facts about wild animals and where to find them. Interview people who have worked with wildlife and have them tell their stories.  

24. History

You’ve got thousands of years of known human history to pick from, making history one of the most expansive topics for podcasts.

And if you’re already a history buff, you’re (at least) one step ahead. Choose an era you love to research and talk about, and do just that.

25. Street interviews with strangers

Love talking to anyone about anything? Interview strangers on the street on various topics. Here are a couple of podcast topic ideas you could try:

• Ask strangers their take on current events.
• Have your show’s listeners submit topics to interview strangers about.
• Interview people at mundane places, like outside the DMV. 

26. Tech

The beauty of a tech podcast is that the tech industry is one of the fastest moving around—you’ll never run out of podcast episode ideas. 

Keep people up-to-date on new products and advancements, security issues, or tech how-tos.

27. True crime

It’s no secret that true crime is one of the most popular podcast ideas. People love to speculate and search for the truth behind an interesting topic. 

Find a mystery and do some digging; interview people of interest, research facts, and make speculations from there.

28. Law

Want to put your law degree to another use? Start a legal podcast. Talk about odd or interesting laws, inform people on laws they should know, or discuss legal ethics. 

29. Celebrity news and gossip

There’s no shortage of celebrities, and they’re always up to something. Give people the gossip. 

Report the latest celebrity news, speculate the behind-the-scenes context, and snag some interviews.

30. The top 10

People love to rank and see things ranked. Give them something to talk about with top ten lists for anything and everything. You can rank musicians from Canada, TV ads, animes, and much, much more. 

31. Facing fears

Ever wanted to put your fears behind you? Make a podcast to share your journey.

Take things a step at a time; give your story, delve into the psychology behind the fear, invite specialists, and inspire others as you work to overcome it once and for all.

32. Nature

For the people who live in the city or don’t often find themselves outside, you could start a podcast that describes everything you see out in nature, amplifying the natural outdoor sounds for a serene effect. 

33. Time-crunch

For those who just don’t have the time or attention span to sit through a long podcast, give them some quick facts, short stories, or extremely condensed how-tos. 

34. You

So, you’re trying to figure out what to talk about on a podcast… why not talk about you? If you feel you have something to share, your unique experiences and perspectives, you might find that many people will relate. 

35. Educational

Are you an expert on a topic or want to learn it yourself? Do a load of research or round up the information you already know into bite-size pieces to teach others. 

36. Language learning

Give people a hand learning your native language, or another language you know fluently, with a language learning podcast! Share vocab and grammar tips, mistakes to avoid, and cultural tidbits. 

37. Perspectives by the generation

Each generation tends to view things a little differently than the one before them; start a podcast comparing and contrasting views from all different generations.

38. Acting

If you’re an experienced actor, younger actors could benefit from hearing about your insights, the challenges you’ve faced, auditioning stories, etc. 

Or, you might turn to interview other actors on their experiences and start a discussion from there. 

39. Local foodie

Are you really into your local food scene (or wanting an excuse to be)? Start a podcast taking listeners to restaurants, cafes, and food trucks around your city. 

Conduct some interviews, talk about the places, and review the food itself to create a full experience. 

40. Household chores

Everybody has to do chores—now and then, anyway. Consider making a podcast where you talk about household chores and hacks. 

You could talk about all things chores, record yourself doing your chores and have people guess what you’re doing, or simply give tips and hacks. 

41. Marketing

No doubt, the marketing industry is incredibly popular; if you have some insight or expertise from working in the industry, or find marketing data and trends fascinating, make an informative podcast about it. 

42. HR 

Start a podcast about what it takes to be in HR: the skills people need, the recruitment process, and difficulties they might face.

43. Live events

Go to live events solo or with a friend and chat about it—provide interesting, in-depth coverage with a full review. Interview people at the event and get their thoughts too. 

44. Business

Know a thing or two about running a business? More and more people are curious to start their own and could use some insight and actionable advice, so start a podcast with all the business know-how.

45. Medical

If you’re a health professional, why not start a podcast in your field? Answer questions, talk about fascinating medical conditions or discuss medical policies. 

46. Music

Does your life revolve around music? Make a podcast that dives into the lives of your favorite bands, discusses the industry, or gives your local indie bands a spotlight.

47. Self-Help

Make a podcast to help others on their self-improvement journey. Discuss topics like focus, stress, depression, and more. Provide tools and information to help overcome personal struggles and share inspirational stories. 

48. ASMR

ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, and many people find it relaxing to listen to. Whisper to your listeners on a variety of topics, providing them a calming experience or sleep aid.  

49. Freelance

Whether you’re a freelancing newbie or pro, invite people along on your freelance journey with a podcast. Share your experiences, advice on how to get clients, business and organization tips, and more. 

50. Investing

If investing is your thing, make a podcast discussing strategy, market news, and giving your best “this is not financial advice” speculations. 

Go for a penny stock, REIT, tech, or another niche to make your podcast a go-to place for specific topics.

51. Ads

Ads—love ‘em or hate ‘em, they often give us something to talk about. Rank the worst of the worst or the best ads out there, or provide some analysis and industry insight. 

52. Casual advice

Everybody needs a little advice sometimes. Let listeners call in, share what they need advice on, and give the advice yourself or bring someone else in to help. 

53. Quote of the day

Share a quote each day; this could be business, motivational, or literary quotes for people to start their mornings with. Analyze and dive into the quotes, and let people know where they can read more.   

54. Blogs and blogging

Blogging is still prevalent across the internet. However, it can be surprisingly difficult to find good ones. Make a podcast that covers the best blogs in one or more niches. 

Alternatively, create a podcast that helps bloggers get started with tips and other helpful information. 

55. Cooking/baking

There are a lot of different options for a culinary or baking podcast; you can give recipes, focus on the culture behind dishes, talk about food science, create peaceful ASMR baking sounds, and the list goes on.

56. Wedding

If you love weddings or are a wedding expert, share what you know for all the newlyweds-to-be. 

Or, share your best funny, dramatic, or sweet stories—basically, the podcast version of a 00’s romcom. 

57. Day trip

Take listeners with you through your steps to plan and go on day trips. Invite some friends or family and let the conversations flow. 

You could also let viewers pick or guess where you go to add extra engagement. 

58. Philosophy

If sitting under apple trees or questioning the absurdity of life sounds more like you, start a philosophy podcast. Discuss one or multiple philosophical schools, interview leading thinkers, and have healthy debates. 

59. A hiking/camping

Make a podcast about all things hiking and camping; talk gear, stories, and advice. Take listeners along with you for a peaceful or exciting experience. 

60. Astrology

If you’re an astrologer or simply into astrology, consider doing a podcast all about it. Analyze the birth charts of famous people, your listeners, or go deeper into the philosophy of astrology. 

61. DIY

Everybody wants to know how to do things themselves, so teach them how with a DIY podcast. You can focus on themes like organization, repairing clothes, or DIY crafts. 

62. Social media

Everyone and their mom is on social media, so consider taking advantage with a social media-themed podcast. You could discuss social media companies, hashtag trends, influencers, marketing, and more.

63. Musical instruments

Invite listeners to learn new instruments with you, share your knowledge on an instrument(s), or teach people how to play. 

64. Weather

Who says talking about the weather has to be boring. Make a podcast going in-depth about the weather. Discuss extreme or pleasant weather, science, forecasting, and how to prepare for certain weather conditions.

65. Adrenaline junkies

Take listeners along on courageous outdoor activities like skydiving, bungee jumping, paragliding, and more.  

66. Sailing

Make a podcast taking listeners out to sea with you, detail your sightings and experiences, or give educational how-tos.

67. On the road

Always on the road? Start a podcast narrating your experiences on the road, whether you’re just driving around for fun, for work, or you live on the go. 

68. Paranormal

Raise some hairs discussing paranormal phenomena. Invite people to share their close encounters, narrate ghost stories, and share your own spooky sightings.

69. Nutrition and weight loss

Make a podcast helping others with all things nutrition and weight loss. Share the science, helpful tools and information, meal ideas, foods to avoid, and more.

70. Home improvement

With some home improvement knowledge in your tool belt, start a podcast about all things home renovation and repair, home design, and general home DIYs. 

71. Gameshow

Get people involved with your very own gameshow podcast with tons of fun segments. 

For some gameshow podcast segment ideas, do one segment with a classic game (e.g., trivia), another where you take that classic but add an extreme twist, or try making your own whacky game for a segment.

72. Improv

What are some things to talk about on a podcast for improv? The beauty of this one is that you don’t have to plan much ahead. Start with any random topic and put your improv skills to the test from there. Consider inviting your listeners to join in the fun. 

73. Art

There’s no shortage of good podcast topics for an art-themed podcast. Talk art theory, art history, the modern industry, or place a spotlight on underrated or minority artists. 

74 Feminism

Make a podcast discussing current events and topics from a feminist perspective, talk about theory, and invite activists and authors on to your show.

75. Taxi/Uber driver interview

Many of us are familiar with the chit-chat you make with Uber and cab drivers—but what if you took the conversation a little deeper. Make a podcast interviewing drivers about their story and their experiences.

76. Mystery

Keep people guessing; create a podcast with a secret theme and hide clues within stories that seemingly have no rhyme or reason. Wait until the final episode of the season to reveal the theme and award listeners that got it right.  

77. Human rights

Take a more serious tone with your podcast and discuss human rights. Cover parts of the world in violation of these rights—in need of help—and create awareness with options to help out.

78. Gaming

To appeal to all the gamers out there, you could make a podcast about a specific game you love, review multiple games, cover new releases, talk trends, and so much more.

79. Short story/poetry

If you’re a writer or just a lover of short stories and poetry, create a podcast where you immerse your listeners through readings of short literature and poems.

80. Children’s stories

Similarly, if you have strong spoken narrative skills, make a podcast dedicated to reading out children’s stories to keep kids entertained on the bus, in the car, or as a bedtime story.

81. Dating

Make a podcast all about dating; share date night advice, activities, and invite listeners to share their funny, bad, or sweet dating stories.

82. Relationships

If you’re somewhat of a cupid or just like to play one, offer relationship advice to listeners and guests, or invite a professional to share their expertise.

Another option: create a podcast with couples games and let people share their experiences and funny anecdotes.

83. Wine

Turn your love of wine into a full podcasting gig. 

Wondering what to talk about on a podcast for wine? You could discuss wine varieties and pairings, rank and review wines, or even interview sommeliers. 

84. Coffee

If you’re a coffee enthusiast, share your passion and teach people about the world of coffee. Cover brewing techniques, bean fermentation, and all other coffee-related knowledge. 

85. Boozy

Give people a place to turn to when they have a glass at the end of the day. Talk about what you’re sipping, have a casual or lively chat with a guest or listener, and review the drink at the end. 

86. Documentary

Wanting to deep dive into an interesting topic? Start researching and conducting interviews for the inside scoop, and make an enthralling documentary podcast. 

87. A look into an industry

Take listeners behind the scenes of an industry, from publishing to farming, showcasing its inner workings. 

88. All things geeky

Start a podcast to geek out with your listeners about a topic(s) of your choice. Create a community of discussion around The Lord of the Rings lore, Doctor Who, programming, or grammar.  

89. Retirement

If you’ve retired yourself or know a lot about retirement, share wisdom on how people can set themselves up for a successful retirement. 

90. Meditation

Provide peaceful meditations to help your listeners relax. Your meditation podcast could be as short as 5 minutes or as long as a full night’s sleep. Pick a focused topic like stress, sadness, motivation, etc. 

91. Psychology

Create a space to discuss the human mind and behavior; focus on mental health, psychoanalyze fictional characters, or take a look at certain psychological phenomena. 

92. AMA

Take a page from Reddit’s book and create an “Ask Me Anything” podcast. You can answer questions as an industry professional, an author, or simply anything about you—or anything you’ve done—that people might want to know about. 

You could also add this to your list of good podcast segment ideas. 

93. Habits

Want to form better habits? As it turns out, so do a lot of people. Start a podcast where you can take your listeners on the journey of forming better habits together. 

94. Alternative living

There are several different kinds of alternative living out there. You could do your podcast on what it means to be a minimalist, a van-life person, or a WWOOFer. 

95. Bad bosses

A lot of us have had bad bosses, but at least they make for good stories, right? Yep, bad bosses are a podcast topic idea many can relate to, so you won’t have any shortage of listeners to tune in or share their stories.

96. A day in the life of the successful

We’re used to hearing the broad, vague answers on how successful people found their great success, but wouldn’t it be nice to know what they actually do on a daily basis? 

Interview the people who have it all figured out, following their day from breakfast to their nighttime routine to give listeners up-close inspiration. 

97. Spotlight

Want to put a movie, event, destination, artist, or anything else in the spotlight? Pick something amazing that’s underrated or trending to feature and go in-depth with all facts. The podcast episode ideas here are endless.

98. E-commerce shop owners

More and more people are getting into E-commerce. Get the inside scoop from shop owners to find out how they got their start, their favorite tools, tips, and more, and share it on your podcast.

99. Mythbusting

There are a lot of widely-believed myths floating around; explore these myths on topics like history, science, nutrition, etc., and reveal the truth to your listeners. 

100. News

Sure, there’s not much new about a news podcast, but there are several ways you can switch things up. For example, only discuss only good news or focus solely on environmental news. 

Or, try out some podcast segment ideas to switch things up, like a rapid-fire Q&A or a round of Mario Kart with your guest to keep things interesting or lighten things up.

101. Podcasting

Why not start a podcast on podcasting? The sky is really the limit for podcast topic ideas here. 

You can take people along on your own podcast journey, provide advice (tech tips, how-tos, etc.), talk about podcasting industry news, discuss other podcasts, and interview other podcasters. 

Ready to learn podcasting the smart way?

The SPI Community has the courses, resources, support, and accountability you need.

Learn more about the SPI Community

How to Find Topics for a Podcast

1. Lay the groundwork: Know your audience 

Ultimately, your content ideas won't get far without a solid understanding of your target audience and what they want to hear. And how well your ideas land once you choose them is heavily dependent on getting this step right.

So if you aren't already clear on the audience you want to reach, this is an essential place to start. 

Knowing your audience doesn't only help you develop more ideas for episodes but also keeps you from experiencing creative burnout. If you're trying to create content for an audience whose needs you aren't familiar with, you'll run dry pretty quickly. 

So if you don't already have a good read on your audience, start by asking yourself who you want to reach with your content, being as specific as you can. What's your target audience's age and geographic location? What are their struggles, goals, and interests? 

Some podcasters find it helpful to create an avatar to visualize who you want to reach.

A well-defined listener demographic narrows your focus, gives you invaluable insight, and goes a long way toward connecting you with a wealth of podcast topic ideas. 

2. Find out what's already been done 

Before you try to develop ideas for episodes, it's best to survey the land to see what's already been done with your podcast topic. From there, you have a strong foundation for coming up with your own unique angle on the issue.

If you don't yet have any ideas, researching the competition can help get your gears turning. And if you have a vague idea for a possible episode, you can use this research to see what other creators have done with the topic. Here are a couple of ways you can start.

Research competitors & fill in the gaps 

Researching episodes in your podcast's genre is a powerful tool for seeing what ground is already covered and what gaps still exist. The only way you can fill in said gaps is to consistently keep an eye on other podcasters' content and do something different from the rest.

Search out other shows and find ways to answer questions better than they've been before. You can also spin a topic that's been done a thousand times before with your own unique take.

You can go to Apple Podcasts > Browse > Categories to find your podcast's genre and search the top shows within its category, or just search a topic in the search bar. Browsing other podcast episodes is a great way to quickly survey your genre and see what kind of content is out there.

You can also run more specific searches using tools like Listen Notes for a deeper, more advanced search. This tool lets you tailor searches to quickly get an idea of the shows within your podcast's niche.

Search the topic on YouTube

Similar to researching the competition on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes) or Spotify, YouTube is a great way to see what people are already doing with your topic so that you can veer from it with your own take on the subject.

This method works best as a way to see what's already been done with your topic idea, vs. finding new ones—although you might end up finding some along the way.

Once you get an idea of what content exists around a topic, you'll have a sense of what you can do to stand out. From here, you can get more creative using tools to help generate specific ideas.

3. Use idea-generating tools and techniques 

Creativity isn't just about waiting for inspiration to strike; there are many tools and tactics you can employ to help get your gears turning. Here are ten methods you can use when you need some assistance brainstorming episode ideas.

Answer the Public 

Answer the Public takes the data from over 3 billion daily Google searches and puts them into one big well of data—and it's a treasure trove of episode ideas for podcasters. 

The tool works by taking data from search engines like Google and collecting every phrase and question the public asks about virtually any topic you can imagine. Let's say you have a podcast on entrepreneurship and are considering doing a podcast episode on getting started. Just enter “entrepreneurship” in the search bar (it's usually best to keep your search to one or two words vs. a phrase or question). 

The site breaks down your topic into questions related to the topic, comparisons to help you bring in other related issues, and even a list of common searches for each letter of the alphabet (i.e., “entrepreneurship books,” “entrepreneurship courses,” etc.).

“Google searches are the most important dataset ever collected on the human psyche.” — US data scientist Seth Stephens-Davidowitz 

Answer the Public gives non-paying customers one free search per day, and the good news is that's more than enough for podcasters. One search gives you hundreds of ideas per topic the first time around and enough to chew on for quite a while.

If you want unlimited searches and a deeper dive into other pro features, you can upgrade to the Pro plan for $99/month (and cancel anytime). Again, this isn't necessary for the vast majority of podcasters, and the free version should do just fine.

Google the alphabet 

In our opinion, Answer the Public is the best way to get an alphabetized list of searches on your topic. But what if you don't like the platform, feel stifled by the once-a-day search limit, or just want to do the research yourself? You can use the “Google the alphabet” technique to access some of the same information—with a little more footwork on your end.

Here’s how to do it. Open Google and enter your podcast’s topic. For example, you could enter “entrepreneurship for” or simply “entrepreneurship.”

Then, enter the first letter of the alphabet after your search phrase to let Autocomplete work its magic. Other ideas automatically generate when you type in “a,” letting you see what people search for related to your entry. 

Next, enter “b” and continue going through the alphabet until you get enough ideas jotted down. You can go back and alter your phrase or question to get more ideas or a slightly different slant on the topic, and this can usually get you pretty far.

Again, Answer the Public does this for you automatically, but it can be helpful to know how to do it yourself, too. 

Ask your social media followers 

Social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook have made it simple to run polls, take Q&As, and stay connected with your audience's struggles and questions. 

If you aren't already familiar with this feature, just take a picture or video in your stories, select the “poll” icon and place it in your post. You can ask questions like “What content do you want more of?” or “What's something you wonder about but are afraid to ask?”

You can also turn the tables and run a Q&A to let your audience ask you the questions. Running social media Q&As is a great way to get content ideas with little effort. 

Ask your podcast audience

If you don't have a big social media presence yet, you can directly poll your podcast audience instead. 

Asking questions via the podcast is an excellent way to reach your core audience and most loyal listeners—the people who care most about the content you create. 

One of the most direct ways to get feedback from your audience is by posting a survey in your show notes using a tool like Survey Monkey. You can announce the survey in your episode and even provide an incentive for completing it, like a free ebook, guide, or cheat sheet.

Researching your topic is great, but nothing beats getting feedback directly from your audience to use as inspiration for future content.

Search Reddit & Quora

Reddit and Quora are network communities featuring forums based around people's interests and exist for nearly every topic imaginable. 

These platforms are an excellent way for podcasters to get inside the heads of the public to get you brainstorming and help connect you with specific, niche questions you wouldn't find elsewhere.

Continuing with the entrepreneurship example, you can search these communities for related subreddits and see what kinds of questions the public has about it. 

Forums attract people passionate about the topic, making them great resources for finding those nitty-gritty questions and untapped topics.

As a bonus, if you have an episode that answers a question, you can freely promote your own podcast (in the form of an answer). So you might attract some new listeners in the process!

Make a list of all your ideas (good and bad)

Some of the best podcast ideas come from writing down all your ideas—without judgment or holding back. Just list out your thoughts until you hit a designated number, let's say 50. If you write 50 ideas, you'll not only get your creativity flowing, but you'll likely come up with several unique ideas you wouldn't have thought of otherwise.

If you prefer, you can set aside a designated time, say 20 minutes, to write as many ideas as you can on a sheet of paper or in your Notes app. 

The main takeaway here is to not second guess your thoughts, overthink, or hesitate to write them down. And when you find a good idea, you can flesh it out using a similar technique called freewriting. 

Take the idea you want to explore, and write out your stream-of-consciousness thoughts. Set a timer and write everything that pops in your head. You'll surprise yourself with the ideas you can generate when you relax, lower the stakes, and get your thinking brain out of the way.

Advanced searches on Google & Twitter 

Twitter can be an excellent tool for seeing what people are saying about a given topic, and a simple search on your subject matter can yield a lot of helpful results. For even more tailored results, you can use the advanced search filters to narrow your search by date, hashtags, accounts, and mentions.

You can use Twitter's search option as a time capsule to view past conversations or stay current with what's trending.

Google also has an advanced search tool that lets you tailor your search results with more exact parameters. Most people using Google results stop after the first one or two pages, and in podcasting, using the same sources can lead to a lot of repeated content.

Narrowing your focus using advanced search tools is key to finding highly relevant, relatively untapped podcast ideas.

Join Facebook groups

Like Quora and Reddit, Facebook groups serve as a helpful forum where people gather and discuss a given topic in more depth.

You can join a handful of Facebook groups related to your topic and occasionally browse the page to see what people are saying. You'll likely find a lot of questions, recognize some common themes, and get great podcast ideas from threads.

Consider the opposite viewpoint 

Also called asymmetrical thinking, studying the opposite viewpoint of a given topic is a mind-expanding practice that opens you up to a bigger picture and can prompt more ideas for your episodes.

You can also study different ways people approach the same topic, question, or problem. Taking in conflicting or paradoxical ideas can clarify your own thoughts on the issue and keep your content well-rounded and dynamic.

4. Cultivate the habit of creativity

The ideas listed above work best as part of a consistent habit versus a last-minute effort to develop podcast content. Here are a couple of tips to help you cultivate the habit of creativity and integrate it into your workflow.

Schedule time to brainstorm

Coming up with quality content ideas is probably the most critical aspect of creating a successful podcast, so it's a good idea to schedule time specifically dedicated to content idea generation and brainstorming. 

Scheduling blocks of time, or even an entire day, solely for coming up with content helps you stay one step ahead of the game and gets you in the habit of being creative instead of waiting for inspiration to strike.

Remember, as a podcast host, it's entirely up to you how often you publish new podcast episodes. You can build in scheduled gaps between episodes if you feel overwhelmed at the idea of posting new content every week.

Use a spreadsheet to stay organized 

Once you start coming up with podcast topic ideas, you'll need an organized way to keep track of them all. Using a spreadsheet really pays off here, and a little organization can free up valuable mental space you can use to focus on your content. 

Keep the Podcast Episode Ideas Coming

Now you have a ton of podcast ideas to get you started and the steps you need to keep the good ideas flowing.

To recap, coming up with podcast episode ideas takes a four-pronged approach:

• Know your audience
• Survey the competition
• Use the right research tools and methods
• Be persistent about cultivating the mental habit of creativity

Content generation is a big part of podcasting; whether you produce content about tech or the arts, it requires persistence and commitment. 

We hope these tips can help you integrate the practice into your workflow in a way that feels feasible for the long term!Haven't nailed down your podcast's overall concept yet? Check out SPI Media’s complete podcasting tutorial and our blog post on untapped podcast ideas for more content inspiration and podcasting tips.

Ready to learn podcasting the smart way?

The SPI Community has the resources you need.

Learn more about the SPI Community

The post Podcast Topics: 101 Ideas for Things to Talk About appeared first on Smart Passive Income.

Disclaimer: This article is designed to be very helpful, but please be aware that it is general information and not legal advice specific to you. Wesley Henderson recommends contacting an attorney for customized advice but hopes this information helps you in your business journey!

I was fresh out of law school, working for a big law firm when I first started listening to the Smart Passive Income podcast. I was immediately inspired because, like me, the host was a business professional who went from a “normal job” to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Every week I looked forward to hearing a new story, tip, or new way of thinking about entrepreneurship. Without SPI, I would likely have never even thought of starting my own law firm, but it has changed my entire career (and life).

Starting my own business has allowed me to choose employees who share my values and to follow other pursuits, including a non-profit, Driving for Downs, and a slew of other businesses. The entrepreneurial mindset has helped me grow professionally and personally, and it is all thanks to a simple podcast.

Combining my passion for the law and my interest in podcasts, I’ve delved into the legal aspects of operating a podcast, and I’ve learned a lot since opening my firm in 2014. This article outlines five steps to help you stay out of trouble.

Ready to learn podcasting the smart way?

The All-Access Pass has the courses, resources, support, and accountability you need.

Get Started with the All-Access Pass

Unique Challenges of Podcast Law

Historically, assets have been easily classified into subsections like inventory, equipment, property, etc. However, since the beginning of the digital age, classifications have become increasingly difficult. This led to the rise in intellectual property law, which focuses on protecting creators and their creative works, which is what primarily covers podcasts. 

Unlike other assets you can protect with door locks, security cameras, and insurance, podcasts should be protected by trademarks, copyrights, and contracts. This ensures creators are protected from others stealing their ideas or infringing on their creative rights. So, if you own a podcast, it’s crucial to review intellectual property law and other related laws.

Step 1: Protect Your Podcast Name with a Trademark

For months, you have spent endless hours on your podcast. Things are finally starting to come together until you receive a letter in the mail from a fancy law firm in California that says “CEASE AND DESIST” in using your podcast name. 

Do you have to rebrand, do you need an attorney, is all of your time for nothing?

This worst-case scenario, unfortunately, happens quite often. For example, you may want to start a podcast about crime scene cleanups and call it Crime Junkie, but that name already belongs to a podcast that talks about criminal cases from around the country. This small mistake can be quite costly and even require you to rebrand and pay an attorney

How do you prevent this from happening?

The good news is that it’s pretty easy to avoid infringing. You should start by researching names online, hashtags, etc on the United States Patent and Trademark Office website to ensure no one is already using your name in the same industry. To learn more about choosing your name, watch this video.

 If you haven’t picked a name for your podcast yet, then there are two aspects you should consider:

1. Make sure the name you choose is not already being used and/or trademarked. Your goal is to identify a name that can be yours and that has no confusion with any other podcast name. The more unique, the better. 
2. You will eventually want to register your trademark so no one else can use your name. When to register your trademark is a judgment call based on your budget, but the sooner, the better.

Step 2: Protect Your Business and your Personal Assets with an LLC

Whenever my wife and I go out to eat, we always scan the latest Google reviews. Even with the most well-liked restaurants, you inevitably find those two-star reviews that seem to always find something wrong and something to complain about. I believe that most people are good, but I also know all about these two-star reviewer personalities because I end up dealing with them many times in representing my clients (and they are largely what inspires this next step). 

Those difficult people are the same ones that write unwarranted bad reviews, file lawsuits, and threaten your business. So once you have a name picked, you need an LLC or its equivalent to protect your business and personal assets.

An LLC will separate you from your company and guard your personal assets. If your LLC gets sued by an individual for money, damages, or anything else, it is the LLC that will be sued and not you personally. That’s the magic of the LLC: it limits personal exposure even in the worst of scenarios. 

Starting an LLC may sound like a daunting task but it can be a very simple process. There are two things you should consider:

1. Create an Operating Agreement 

• With your LLC, you should create the governing document for it called an operating agreement. This private document establishes ownership percentages, operating rules, and other things. (To learn more about operating agreements, watch this video.) 

2. Separate Bank Account

• I also recommend that you get a separate bank account. This allows you to keep your business entirely separate. It’s a great business practice for your bookkeeping and helps ensure you maintain the liability protection you want from your LLC.
• Important Legal Tip — be sure to run all income and expenses for the business out of the LLC account, and do NOT use it for personal expenses!

If you have any questions about how to file an LLC, please visit our site, Drafted Legal, to learn more and get the help you need. 

Step 3: Use Contracts to Protect Your Money, Time, and Business 

As an attorney, I have received many phone calls with stories similar to this one:

Wesley, a person I met at Home Depot said he needed help with an irrigation issue. Since I own an irrigation business, I offered to come over and look. I went over and was able to fix the problem. But then he had another problem that he thought I said I would fix. He also disputed the price we agreed upon. So, not only does he want me to do more work than I agreed to but he hasn’t even paid me. What can I do?

Things get lost in communication. While oral contracts can be enforceable, it is always preferable to have a written contract because then you can concretely prove the terms of the agreement. 

The beauty of the contract is not just in making it easy to win a lawsuit but also it usually prevents the dispute from ever happening. When the parties take the time to put all their expectations on one document, it becomes quite clear what’s expected, so it avoids misunderstandings.

Contracts set expectations and make your life easier down the road. Here are some general tips when creating a contract:

• Take a few minutes to clarify anything that might not be obvious.
• Make sure you address things like money, deliverables, timeline, etc. 
• Make the contract easy to understand and as simple as it can be. 

This habit of clarifying expectations and then getting the agreement signed will dramatically reduce your chances of ending up in a dispute. You’ve already done the hard work to make sure you are on the same page (and you’ll have the signed agreement to prove it). 

In the wide world of contracts, here are a few your podcast business would benefit from:

Guest Release

The guest speaker signs a guest release, allowing you to use it how you see fit and make derivatives of it, whether it be shorts, reels, or YouTube content. This ensures you won’t have issues in the future with your guests, like the guest trying  to have you remove or attempt to control the content later.

For example, if you have a chef on your podcast and his episode blows up in popularity because of his beef tenderloin recipe, he may later want you to take it down with the hopes that he can get all that traffic to his website or podcast instead of yours. Well, if you had him sign a guest release, he cannot force you to take it down because you have a clear agreement. The release gives you permission to do exactly what you are doing (and it also releases you from any liability for doing so).

Employee and Independent Contractor

If you use independent contractors and/or employees, it’s important to lay out the terms of that relationship. This includes everything from payment to timelines to deliverables. These all need to be outlined as clearly as you can.

If you have independent contractors creating intellectual property for the business (such as logos, ebooks, etc.), your contracts need to state that the LLC owns this intellectual property. Inherently, an author owns their works of art, so you need to expressly state that it is a work for hire and that the ownership of such work is transferred to the LLC. Otherwise, you may end up with a dispute over intellectual property ownership down the road.

Sponsorship Agreement

You must have a written agreement if you have advertisers and/or sponsors. For example, suppose you hire a social media guru to market and advertise your business, and they overstep by using material that infringes on another company's trademark. You need the option to terminate the contract or limit liability. This is when a sponsorship agreement would come into play, because it should include termination terms, payment terms, delivery dates, etc. This ensures your business is protected.

Disclaimers

I’m a lawyer, and I’m giving general information here. It’s designed to help you do a better job with your legal framework, but it’s not customized to you personally. It’s still good and helpful. See what I did there? This is my disclaimer. My disclaimer is not obnoxious; just honest and highlights my limitations.

Disclaimers are necessary for your podcast to protect you from something said on the podcast. What people say can be misinterpreted or misused. For example, if you are a fitness coach operating a healthy lifestyle podcast, you should use a disclaimer such as the one I use above clarifying that the information and advice is general and not specific. Also, if you’re not trained as a physician or nutritionist, then just state that clearly. You’re trying to clearly explain any limitations your information may have. When drafting a disclaimer, it’s best to not assume people know those limitations, so state them clearly.

To purchase all the templates you need for your podcast, Drafted Legal has attorney-drafted templates here.

Step 4: Own Your Podcast Intro Music to Stay Out of Trouble

Although they say don’t judge a book by its cover, many judge a podcast by its intro. So while it may be tempting to play the theme song to Skyfall when talking about foreign intelligence or use the new Taylor Swift song when talking about her new album, this can be a dangerous minefield.

Using someone else’s material can be complicated and very expensive. So instead of going down the rabbit hole of how we can use these famous songs, we recommend that podcasts use original music or purchase music you have the rights to.

If your budget is not limited and you’ve identified a must-have song, go for it (and use an attorney to help with the process). 

However, if you’re on a budget, save that money and headache for another day and stick with something you own that you know will not cause you legal problems.

Step 5: Stay Compliant with the FTC as You Monetize Your Podcast

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) doesn’t regulate podcasts because they are not “broadcast radio;” however, they do regulate podcast endorsement. 

If you are reviewing, endorsing, advertising for, or sponsored by a product or service, then you need to disclose that under FTC regulations. For example, if you operate a podcast about cooking appliances and a company pays you and sends you a box of utensils to try and rate, you should disclose that you did not pay for the products. In general, if someone pays you to say something or sell something, disclose it.

A good rule of thumb is to be upfront with your audience, whether it’s a sponsor or an affiliate link. Learn more here from the FTC. 

Let’s Simplify:  A Legal Checklist for Podcasts

To summarize: if you follow these important legal steps, your podcast will be off to a great start with a proper foundation: 

1. Pick a Podcast Name (that you can own)
2. Get an LLC (with an operating agreement and bank account)
3. Own your intro music
4. Use Contracts
5. Comply with the FTC 

Much of this can be done on a budget with some research and know-how (but if you have the budget, you can also get a lawyer to help) or with a reputable online legal services company like Drafted Legal. Try to use attorney-drafted templates and websites with reliable information. You can always submit questions on Drafted Legal’s website too! 

We hope this article clarifies what you need to do legally so you can hit record. Best of luck!

The post 5 Steps to Protect Your Podcast appeared first on Smart Passive Income.

One of the most important characteristics of a successful podcast is consistency. Keeping up with a publishing schedule is vital for building fans who eventually make it a routine to listen to your show. 

Unfortunately — and I know this from experience — traveling can throw off your podcast recording schedule bigtime. 

So what’s the best way to solve this problem?

Hit the record button while you’re traveling! And not just because you want to keep up with that schedule, but because some of the best conversations you’ll ever have are while you’re on the road and in person with people. 

These are golden opportunities often wasted, but not anymore, because I’m going to tell you everything you need to make it work, and make it easy. 

[Full Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. As an affiliate, I receive compensation if you purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. You can read my complete disclosure statement here.]

Equipment

Before you head out, it’s important to gather and pack the right equipment for your on-the-go recording sessions. In most cases, you’re not going to bring your normal, at-home podcast setup with you on the road.

With that said, if your normal setup includes a relatively small, all-in-one production console such as the Rodecaster Pro II, then that may be worth packing along with a couple of microphones and an SD card to meet your needs.

In most cases, however, a portable but powerful recording setup is what you’ll be looking for. Here are some options:

Rode SmartLav+ with Mobile Interface

The smallest and cheapest option combines a wired lavalier microphone and an interface to a device you likely already have access to: your mobile phone.

Whether you’re an iPhone or Android user, a Rode SmartLav+ microphone setup can connect directly to your device. Because it’s small, you can even attach it to a t-shirt or blouse and it’s completely out of the way. 

I use this setup while on the go for both solo episodes and interviews. If you’re going to be doing an interview, be sure to get a dual mobile interface so you can plug in two microphones to record simultaneously. 

This setup is limited in post-edit capability since it all records onto one track, but it’s the easiest and most flexible. 

For a quick demo, watch this video that I recorded with my son a few years ago:

Zoom H6N

The Zoom H6N is the ultimate portable recorder that allows you to capture the best sound quality while you’re out. There are built-in microphones (and ones that you can swap out for different recording styles), and 4 microphone inputs for different XLR or TRS cables, which is awesome for group interviews.

This means you can have up to four different people, on four different microphones, recording into four different tracks at the same time. Instead of using your phone to record, this device uses an SD card to record your files, and it’s easy to import back into a computer when you get home or back to your hotel room. 

This is the device I typically use when I’m on the go. I bring two microphones — such as the Samson Q2U — that connect via XLR, hit record, and the show is on. Be sure to also bring a couple of XLR cables as those are not usually included with USB-specific microphones that have XLR compatibility.

I don’t do any adding of intro songs or voiceovers while recording on this device — that all comes in post-edit. The ease of use and handheld portability is awesome. Also, I love the ability to see the tracks and the sound levels from each microphone so I know one isn’t too loud or too soft. 

Quick tip: don’t forget your SD card! Trust me. 

Headphones

Headphones are usually overlooked when it comes to recording on the go, but because you will likely not be in a sound booth or studio, and potentially in a crowded or trafficked area, it’s important to have headphones to be able to monitor the sound. 

Is it too loud? Too soft? Is there too much background noise? The only way to really know is by listening to the audio as it’s coming in. 

My absolute favorite are the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro studio headphones. I use these in my home studio, and also while I’m out and about.

They’re soft, comfortable, and sound amazing. They aren’t noise canceling, but they do the job when it comes to monitoring your sound in an environment that you might not be familiar with or have a lot of control over. 

It’s up to you if you want to keep the headphones on while recording, but at the very least, test your audio with headphones on before you hit record. It would be a shame to have poor audio quality on your podcast when it could have been avoided with one quick test.

Video Camera

I won’t go too in-depth here, but video podcasts are becoming so popular, it’s pretty standard to turn on the camera when conducting an interview on the go. The audio is already taken care of, which is nice, but a nice shot with one camera (or more) can allow you to repurpose that opportunity — often in an interesting and visually appealing environment — onto a platform like YouTube, or perhaps in an online course.

The biggest concern for video is definitely lighting, and we don’t really want to bring heavy duty lights with us, do we?

If you’re going to be indoors, the best scenario would be to set up the interview space close to a window with indirect light and have the camera pointing away from it. This will put a nice wash of light on you and your interviewee. 

If you’re outdoors, somewhere that has constant shade is nice. However, the environment and weather can make it difficult to keep everything consistent. But filming outdoors is pretty awesome, so it may be worth the sacrifice. 

Finally, as far as which camera to use, use one that you’re familiar with already, if possible. A phone could work, or a point-and-shoot camera like a Sony ZV-1 with a tripod to screw it into (maybe even a SwitchPod). 

Planning

When possible, try to plan an interview or recording session ahead of time. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been to events where a friend and I say we’re going to record “at some point,” only to have it never happen because the time got away from us.

Here’s a quick order of operations:

1. In an ideal scenario, connect before the travel or event happens. Yes, you can always meet new people and plan a podcast session ad hoc, but for the sake of your time and calendar, planning ahead is always best.
2. Coordinate a time and place to meet. Scope out the spaces available for you to record that are as quiet and as echo-free as possible. Be sure you have permission to record in those spaces if they are in event areas. I once found an empty breakout room at an event, which was great, until a crowd of people came in mid-interview to prepare for the next presentation in that space.
3. Get your interviewee’s contact information. This way, if plans change or someone is having trouble finding the other person, contact can be made and a solution can be found.

Some of my colleagues have gone so far as to rent a space for interviews. This could be a conference room, hotel room, or dedicated studio space at the facility that’s used all day just for this purpose. 

Michael Hyatt, one of my mentors, once interviewed a dozen people, one after another, in a single hotel room. It took all day, but afterward, he had 12 interviews filmed and recorded for later use. It was a great use of his time. 

Quick tip: bring spare batteries or a battery bank! The last thing you want to have happen is run out of power for the interview(s) you have scheduled.

Quick tip #2: Sometimes environmental noise is actually great for a podcast; it adds a different flavor and feel to the listening experience. If you are able to capture the sound of the space you’re in before your scheduled sessions, make a test recording first so that you can determine whether or not it’s going to work. 

Recording the Conversation

Whether it’s a single recorded conversation or a dozen interviews in a single day like Michael Hyatt, it’s important to remember who you’re recording for. Your podcast listeners will soon hit play and engage (or disengage) with the conversation you’re having at that moment. So, be in the moment! 

The reason I say this is because it can be very easy to become distracted when recording in a different environment, especially if it’s unfamiliar to you. So here’s the trick:

Be curious, and enjoy the conversation. 

I always start my interview at home, before I hit record, by saying this to myself: “It’ll be like the two of us are at a coffee shop, just having a conversation.” You have the opportunity to do just that!

(Although I’ve learned that coffee shops are not actually the best for interviews. The espresso maker is a common nuisance that tends to dominate the conversation.)

The best thing about meeting and talking with people in person is that there’s a level of energy that you just cannot get in an interview over the internet. When you’re in the moment, the audience will feel like they’re there with you. Now, with a microphone in hand (or attached to a shirt) you can have a fantastic conversation, in real-time, and capture all of that great energy for them.

After the Interview

There are some items to take care of after the conversation is over. Typically, I do my best to upload files to Dropbox as soon as I can, that way they’re safe and can’t be stolen or lost.

Second, I also take notes from the interview itself (or dictate them) so I can remember the highlights. This is important because typically I’m recording the intros and outros to these episodes at home; if I wait too long, I’ll forget all the great stuff we chatted about.

Beyond the tech and the audio files, there’s one more important aspect of podcasting while traveling that I want to leave you with.

It’s easy to finish an interview, say your goodbyes, and move on. But here’s the thing: you just sat and had an in-depth conversation with someone in person! Real relationships can be built from that, especially for people who you’ve never really met before. 

So don’t end the conversation when the record button gets pressed. Keep the conversation going when you can, perhaps during a coffee the next morning, dinner later on, or follow-up online later. Use this opportunity to nurture the connection you made — it might grow into something amazing!

The post How to Record a Podcast While Traveling appeared first on Smart Passive Income.

My aim, right here, is to help you to create a podcast in the shortest time possible.

And I’m not just talking about any old podcast. I mean a great podcast. Your best possible podcast!

Because this is where so many people get caught out. It’s where shows go to die. The podcaster spends too much time making every episode. So much that it just doesn't fit into their week or even their life. By that point, it just drains all the fun and value out of the entire show!

Of course, it’s worth noting that different types of shows take different amounts of time to produce (go ask an audio drama producer how much time they spend on dialogue editing alone!). And sometimes, spending more time on your show can improve the quality, or what you get out of it. But, that’s only if you spend that time on the right stuff. And I believe it’s possible to do those right things in far less time than you think.

So that's what I’ll do in this article: show you the best of those “right things” and help you create the best possible product in the least possible time.

Who I Am and What You’ll Learn

By way of a quick “who the heck’s this guy?”: my name is Colin Gray, and I’m a podcaster, writer, teacher, and general dogsbody at The Podcast Host. We create a network of our own shows and help thousands of others produce their own through our content.

Plus, we run a podcast maker tool called Alitu. The whole purpose behind Alitu is to offer recording, editing, and publishing tools that automate and simplify, making it far quicker and easier to create your show. And a lot of that is based on the “right ways” that I’ll talk about here.

Over the past ten years, I've gone from fitting a podcast around a completely different normal job (teaching teachers how to teach — meta, huh?), to trying to fit as many podcasts as possible into my current job and designing tools to help others do it quicker!

It was all about cutting out the cruft and figuring out what’s really worthwhile in creating a high-quality, successful show. I’ll talk about all those insights here, including:

• How to plan content in the minimum time, and in a way that makes it easy to deliver
• How to get the most from everything you do create
• Recording & editing tricks to save time
• How to find and learn the tools that cut down on processing time

So, let’s get into it. Time to apply a little lightning to your podcast!

Why Seasons are Rocketfuel for You and your Audience

Seasons-based podcasting is the most underrated workflow hack in the industry. And, even better, it’s a massive driver of listener success, loyalty, and audience growth, too.

How? Well, there are three reasons. 

Planning Nirvana

You know when you turn up at your desk for recording time and think: “Alrighty … podcast time. I’ve got an hour to get this baby recorded! Soooo … what shall I talk about … ”

An hour later, you’re still only halfway through planning the episode. Or even worse, you’re still staring at a blank screen, trying to think of an idea.

Well, here’s a new tack: take an hour of your life and think about your next season instead. 

Take a question you often get from your listeners, or a topic you know you want to cover, and then break it down. One of the biggest mistakes we make as podcasters is trying to fit too much into an episode. We do it because we care. We want to give a lot of value, but actually, it’s shortchanging your listeners, often missing details, or giving them too much to think about all at once. Instead, break that topic down into its component parts. 

I did a season on podcast equipment a while back. I could have easily covered it in one episode but it’s better to break it down. One episode on microphones, one on mixers, one on recording software, and one on editing software. 

Normally I can work this out in less than ten minutes for a topic I know well. Maybe 20 to 30 if I need to do a bit of research. I’ll end up with a list of maybe six or seven episodes, sometimes up to 15 or 20. 

Then, I’ll take another 20 minutes to put some meat on them bones, and do a set of five to ten bullet points within each main topic, outlining what I’ll cover. 

By the end of the hour (or less!) I’ve got a plan for an entire season’s worth of content, often two or three months long, maybe more. 

So now, instead of the usual, “Oh no! What do I talk about this week!”, next time you open up that season plan, check out the next episode’s script and hit record. Easy!

And yes, this can still work for interview shows. Do all of the above, and only THEN start to think about guests. This makes for far better content. Instead of just picking out random pseudo-famous people in your niche, just for their name, choose based on expertise and knowledge. 

Search around for blog posts covering the topics you have in your plan. Find people with interesting angles on those topics, and then invite them on the show. You’ll create far better, much more focused content as a result.

Better Batching

With a season plan, you can really easily take advantage of another huge timesaver: batch recording.

Matthew is my co-host on our “how to podcast” show, Podcraft. It’s a seasons-based show, and we’ve long recorded it in batches. We co-host the podcast, so we can plan a season together, and then we’ll record two to three episodes at a time. 

I know people who can do four episodes in one sitting, but we always find we hit a wall around three. Still, that means we only have to arrange recording time every two or three weeks, rather than every single week.

Editing can be batched, too. As anyone who has to do a lot of task switching knows, doing a few of them all together takes far less time than three separate editing sessions.

Listener-Powered Content

Every podcaster knows they should be getting their listeners more involved with their show. It drives engagement, loyalty, and huge listener growth. But, it’s a big time suck … monitoring emails, social media, and voicemails every single week can be draining. 

Seasons put something brand new in your toolbox: a break!

At the end of the season, you say: “Okay, thanks for listening! We’ll be back in 6 weeks, on August 1st. During that time, though, here’s what I want you to do. We’re going to cover podcast equipment on the next season. Tell me, what gear are you using right now? What gear have you tried that was rubbish? What are your biggest struggles or questions with equipment that I can answer? Send me a tweet,or an email, or (best of all) leave a voicemail at ..”

Then you take a well-earned break! 

Towards the end of the break, you can batch-process all of this. Take an afternoon to collect it all together, collate the tweets and the emails, and process the audio recordings so it’s all ready for the new season. This is so much easier and more efficient than doing little drips and drabs every few days. 

Even better, this can power the planning we mentioned above. The questions will direct your episodes, and you can plan ahead, including all the relevant questions in the right episode. In that way, you include and involve your listeners in the show and drive a huge amount of value and loyalty. Plus, you create better content because it’s based on the thoughts of real people.

Fly Solo (At Least a Little)

This one makes people a little nervous, at least for those that normally fly with a guest! Recording alone is one of the biggest time-saving moves you can make, particularly if you’re a regular interviewee on other shows.

If you’ve never tried it, imagine a world where you don’t have to coordinate calendars to find a time that suits everyone. Imagine planning the episode yourself, knowing that you don’t have to prompt your co-host or think of a few backup questions in case that interview goes awry. Imagine having 100 percent control over what’s said (because you’re doing the saying!), so there are no tangents, no fluff and no … editing? Imagine just deciding to record, off the cuff, and 20 minutes later, you have an episode in the bag. 

All of that’s possible with solo recording, plus the added benefit of showcasing your own knowledge and talent for a change, rather than your guest (I’m talking about interview shows in particular). 

If you haven’t tried it, take one episode a month and fly solo. See how much time it saves you and how your listeners might like to hear what you think, for a change. 

The Minimum Effective Editing Process

Okay, we’ve planned it out and we’ve recorded an episode. Now comes the most dangerous of potential time-eaters: editing. 

I still come across so many people who spend 2x or 3x the length of their show in editing. For example, taking two or three hours to edit a one-hour recording. I even meet people who spend 5x to 10x the length of their show in production! It’s just unsustainable. 

Part of that is dialogue editing, listening through the whole thing to find and eradicate their mistakes. Painful! We’ll tackle that in the next tactic. 

The other part is audio engineering; namely audio cleanup, adding music or ads, layering tracks, and exporting the whole thing.

So, how do we make it easy? By adding constraints. You can do so much less by applying the right mindset to your editing. I’ve got two processes here for you to try. 

MEE (Minimum Effective Editing)

This is perfect for early-stage podcasters. I often recommend following this for your first 10 to 20 episodes, at a minimum. There’s so much you’re learning during those first months, and editing really is low on the impact list. There’s so much more value in working on your presentation and content design skills. (Really, you could extend this mindset to any podcaster at any stage.)

Simply cut editing down to two things, and two things only:

1. Trim
2. Normalize

Trim means trimming the start and the end only. Usually that means cutting out the silence and the paper rustling after you hit record and before you start speaking. Then, do the same for the end. 

Normalize means leveling out the volume of your show. This is the one and only “audio engineering” task that’s essential. It means your show won’t be too quiet, and the volume of the different speakers should be relatively even so you don’t have your listeners reaching for their volume control every time the speaker changes.

Most editing tools have normalization features included, such as Audacity.

Notice that this doesn’t include dialogue editing at all. So, you can’t cut out mistakes! That’s a constraint that has a few benefits:

• You can’t use editing as a crutch, so you learn to improve the way you speak, fast! Learn to drop the ums and ahs while you speak, not afterward.
• You avoid this time-warp rabbit hole altogether because even a little “Oh I’ll just remove that one thing” can turn into an hour of editing.
• You sound more human. “Oh, sorry, that’s not what I meant! <laugh> Let me say that again.” This is honest. Open. Relatable. People identify with you more closely.

Instead, record with a “live broadcast” mindset. Pretend you’re live on air, the show has to go on. There’s a chance you’ve done that very thing — Facebook, YouTube, Instagram — and survived! So take it into your podcasting, and reap the time-saving benefits. even if just for your first few episodes.  

MEE-V2

Later in your podcasting career, you might decide you do want to add a bit more polish. Whether that’s episode 20 or 200, here’s the 2nd level: MEE-V2.

1. Trim
2. Click Edit
3. Noise Reduction
4. Limit and Normalize
5. Add Music
6. Overlap and Fades

That polish comes mainly in the form of music: adding your own audio branding, and putting in some pro-sounding overlaps and fades.

MEE-V2 also includes an extra couple of audio engineering steps. A hard limit helps to improve your audio leveling, and noise reduction is a big help for most of us who are recording in bog-standard rooms rather than recording studios. 

We’re not delving into a lot of the audio engineering that you’ll find around the podcasting web, such as EQ, compression, de-essing, or plosive removal. Those are useful in their place, sure, polish for your audio — but they’re non-essential.

Finally, you’ll notice the mention of a click edit. Yes, I hear you breathe a sigh of relief: now you can remove a few mistakes from your audio. But only the big ones that really can’t stay in! We still want to maintain that live-recording mindset to stay human, and we’ll use a click-edit process that slashes the time required to complete. You’ll see that in the next tactic.

MEE-V3?

Before we move on, I’ll mention another possibility here. You can automate a whole lot of MEE-2 and add even more polish using the right tools. 

I came up with MEE years ago in an attempt to help our readers defeat the monster that is editing. But, even then, it was still a task that dragged shows under. 

So, we built our own tool, Alitu, to automate MEE-2, and then to add a whole lot more polish and assistance on top. 

For example, inside Alitu you can record a solo episode, or use our call recorder to bring in a guest. That recording is then automatically cleaned up — noise reduction, limiting, normalization, EQ, de-essing, plosive removal, the whole nine yards. Then it’s popped into the episode builder, which adds your music, overlaps and fades automatically. You can add in any intros or outros required there, too, or any ads or inserts for the episode. 

All that’s left is to use Alitu’s audio editor to search out your clicks with 2x speed control (more on this below), highlight the edits, and then hit publish. You can even publish to Alitu’s in-built hosting if you don’t have hosting set up yet, so it’s all in one place.

 Alitu offers a week-long free trial to test out the platform before purchasing.

Click Editing

Now, to click editing!

It’s a classic, but always worth including since it’s a revelation to anyone who hasn’t heard it. It tackles the dreaded task of combing through a podcast episode, minute by minute, to track down those mistakes that you know have to be removed. 

Instead, with click editing, I would normally edit our 30-minute average Podcraft episode in less than 5 minutes. Here’s how it works:

When I make a mistake in my show, I create a visual marker in the waveform by clicking my tongue three times. You can also clap, or snap your fingers. They all work. The goal is to create something that’s really easy to see on the waveform when you get into your editing package. 

You’re speaking. You make a mistake or trip over your tongue, or need to cough. So, you stop. You pause for a few seconds. Click. Click. Click. You pause for another few seconds. Then you start speaking again. 

This is very visible on the waveform, as shown highlighted in red. 

That means, when you get to editing, you just get down to a reasonable zoom level and scan the waveform, looking for these signals. 

Then you highlight the end of the sentence before the mistake, right through to the point before you restart, and delete. Mistake eradicated!

Pro Tip: You can quite easily get in the habit of remembering the start of the sentence before you made your mistake, and then restarting with the same first few words. This means that when I find a mistake in editing, I listen to the re-start first, and then go back a bit and find the same few words before the mistake. I know that’s where I have to start the edit. That saves another few seconds, every time!

Take Control of Errant Interviewees

Let’s finish up with a tactic that not only comes under the category of “time saver,” both in recording and editing, but also bleeds into “improved content.” It’s the simple concept of taking ownership of your show, and your content.

The thing is, interview shows are great when done well. But, they’re often not done well. That can lead to sub-par content, sure, but even worse, it leads to a whole lot of extra time in your process. 

It takes more time to record because the guest goes off on tangents. Or they don’t stay on point and fail to answer questions. That all means more time editing, trying to cut the fluff, and elevating the quality.

Instead, take control, and give some guidelines before you start. Here are a few of the things I might say:

1. I’d love to share a few bits of guidance. I know my audience really well, and I’ve learned that these can help you come across in the best possible way with them. 
2. We like to keep this show really conversational. So, try to keep answers short and sharp, less than a minute, two at most. 
3. Don’t worry, we’ll get into detail, but I’ll ask about the parts I know my audience loves. 
4. Always feel free to ask me questions back, so we’re both involved, and it flows well. 
5. I will interrupt you from time to time. Not because your content’s bad, but because I know what my audience wants and I’ll keep us tracking with that. 

Keep emphasizing that this is in their best interests. This makes them look good! You know your audience, and if the guest wants to make a great impression, then you can help them do that. But, only if they work with you, and let you guide the conversation (#3).

That primarily means shorter answers (#2), and being prepared to be interrupted (#5 — and this is so much easier when you mention it before you start).

I’ve also found that #4 is a really interesting hack, for two reasons. First, conversations are much better when it’s two ways. And second, asking questions just puts people into conversation-mode rather than monologue-mode. (It also helps avoid the 5-minute solo tangents that are the bane of any interviewer’s life!)

How Will You Cut Your Production Time?

To me, there are two big ideas to this. 

First, simple routines and purposeful tools. That means: 

• Keep your weekly routine as simple and as regular as possible.
• Use seasons to simplify your planning.
• Go solo to simplify the logistics.
• Record as if you’re live and commit to really simple editing.

Make it your goal to find those routines that repeat so that you can fit the entire workflow easily into your week. 

Secondly, it means using tools with real purpose. As podcasters, we can be guilty of adding in on-trend tools or tactics that take up more time, rather than save it. Instead, pick fewer, better tools, and go deep with them.

The click trick is a tool, use it to save hours in editing. Alitu is a tool that works great alongside it, and adds more features to annihilate the time spent editing and engineering. If they don’t work for you, though, there are dozens of choices. Find just a few that fit you, personally, and go deep.

Above all, use these tactics to hone your personal routine, find the methods that work for you, and offer up all that extra time to the content itself. Use it to talk to your listeners. What do they like? What do they not like? Find out what they really want from you. That’s what makes the big difference. Not an extra pass of compression, or a jot of noise reduction. Instead, get simple, get tooled up, and then you can really start thriving as a podcaster.

The post How the Best Podcasters Do Their Work Faster appeared first on Smart Passive Income.

Podcast guesting is an increasingly popular—and effective—way to gain exposure and grow your business.

Whatever the focus of your brand or business, there are thousands of podcasts out there in your niche with built-in audiences. And if you can serve those audiences by being a guest on those podcasts, you can build your own audience and brand—and have fun doing it!

Take it from Shane Sams, founder of Flipped Lifestyle, a business he runs with his wife, Jocelyn. By making an effort to guest on at least two podcasts a week, their business has blossomed from the connections they’ve made, the audience members they’ve attracted, and the opportunities they’ve found.

Shane details his strategy for how to be a guest on a podcast—and how to use guest podcasting to grow your business—in his talk at SPI’s Audience Driven Summit in October 2021.

In this post, I’ll share Shane’s three keys to help you consistently land yourself as a guest on podcasts in your niche. You'll learn the key steps to finding podcasts that match, how to ask to be on a podcast, and how to make your guest podcast interview a success.

If you're craving even more detail on being a successful podcast guest, be sure to check out Shane’s talk, as well as SPI 547 with Ray Blakney of Podcast Hawk.

Table of Contents

• Step 1: Find Some Podcasts to Be a Guest On
  • Meet people
  • Make your “80/20 list” of podcast targets
  • Explore other places to find podcasts that fit
  • Look outside your niche (but not too far)
• Step 2: Get Your Outreach Emails Ready
  • Build rapport
  • Make the ask
  • Suggest some topic ideas
  • Show your value
  • Offer to promote it
  • Ask about the next step
  • Say thanks (and offer to return the favor)
• Step 3: Be a Great Podcast Guest
  • Be entertaining
  • Give the host what they're asking for
  • Be on time
  • Don’t be a stranger
• Bonus Step: Ask for a Referral
• Unlock the Possibilities of Podcast Guesting

Step 1: Find Some Podcasts to Be a Guest On

There are a lot of podcasts out there to be a guest on—and several ways to find the best ones for you.

Meet people

Internet research is a great way to find podcasters to connect with—and we'll get to that in a second.

But the best way to get on other people's shows is to make a personal connection—in person if possible. Because if you can meet someone in real life, shake their hands, and have a conversation, it's a lot easier to get on their show and start to build a lasting relationship.

Your best bet for that is to check out in-person conferences, especially ones geared toward podcasters, like Podcast Movement and Podfest. And other conferences like Fincon and Social Media Marketing World are places where dozens if not hundreds of podcasters hang out.

Now, things are obviously still tricky with COVID, and traveling isn’t always easy, so keep an eye out for virtual events for podcasters too. 

Thankfully, events aren't the only way to find guest podcasting opportunities. Let’s explore a few research strategies you can put to work from the comfort of your home office!

Make your “80/20 list” of podcast targets

The first step is to make a list of all the podcasts you want to be on. These should be divided up in 80/20 fashion: 80 percent should be smaller podcasts that may not have access to the bigger guests but still have a substantial audience.

The other 20 percent should be your dream podcasts, the ones that make you think, I don't know if I could ever get on that podcast… but it sure would be cool.

How do you start filling out your 80/20 list? The first place to go is Apple Podcasts and other podcast directories like Spotify and Google Podcasts. Look at your show’s category, and write down the top 100 podcasts in that category.

Explore other places to find podcasts that fit

Another cool trick to find podcasts to be a guest on: In your podcast app, go to your podcast and scroll down to the section at the bottom that tells you which podcasts other people also listen to. Those shows can be great targets as well.

You can even find Facebook groups where people are looking for podcast guests. And there are tools designed to connect podcasters with potential guests, including Podcast Hawk and PodMatch.

Look outside your niche (but not too far)

When you’re looking for podcasts to guest on, you don’t have to stick to just one category of shows—look at adjacent audiences too. If your business is about email marketing, but it’s also focused on work-life balance and parenting, look in those podcasting categories too.

Just make sure that the podcasts you’re thinking of targeting have audiences that are similar enough—you don't want to just reach out to any old podcast. If your brand is all about outer space, a podcast about pet care might not be the best fit.

The podcasts you target don’t have to be a perfect match. But they should be in the ballpark.

Do all of the above, and you should have a list of a few hundred podcasts with similar (enough) audiences to start reaching out to!

Step 2: Get Your Outreach Emails Ready

Once you’ve got your list of podcasts to target, you need to start reaching out—and email is the best way to do that.

This is where you’ve got to gin up a little courage and not be shy. If you don't ask, you don't get, so you’re going to have to reach out to tell people who you are, why you want to be on their show, and what you can do for them and their audience.

Your outreach email needs to show them that you’re a worthwhile guest who’s going to bring their audience a ton of value.

Here’s how to write that email.

Build rapport

The first line of your podcast guest outreach email should state a point of connection you may have with the person. Maybe you listen to their podcast, maybe you've retweeted them, maybe you have a mutual friend.

Start your email with that, so you can build rapport right away.

Make the ask

The next line of your email should explain why you’re writing it in the first place. Ask if you can be on their show!

This can be as simple as, “I was wondering, are you looking for podcast guests? I would love to serve your audience.”

Suggest some topic ideas

Then, tell them what you can talk about and the value you’ll bring. Suggest three or four topics—and this is super important—that are aligned with the content they produce. You might have to do a little research here, so listen to one or two of their episodes to see what they're creating. 

Show your value

Next, don’t be afraid to brag about yourself a little bit (without making it all about you). Tell them why it’ll be valuable to them to have you on the podcast. If you've already done a few guest podcast appearances, or you have some other media appearances, go ahead and list them.

Offer to promote it

Then, tell them how you can support the success of the podcast episode, and of their podcast in general. Do you have a big Facebook following? A large email list? A great Twitter account? Show that you're willing to help make the episode be as successful as it can be.  

Ask about the next step

Next, ask how to book your appearance. Do you need to fill out a form? Is there a booking calendar you can use? Doing this will demonstrate that you’re serious and excited to take the next step.

Say thanks (and offer to return the favor)

Finally, thank them and sign off. And this is key—finish with a PS that says, “I'd love to have you on my show.” If you have one, of course. If their podcast aligns with yours, then you should be happy to introduce them to your audience just like you're asking them to introduce you to theirs.

Step 3: Be a Great Podcast Guest

Nice job! You’ve applied the above advice for how to be a guest on a podcast, and landed an interview on a great show. Now you need to make the most of the opportunity. If you’re wondering how to be a good podcast guest, put these tips By being an awesome guest.

Be on time

It goes without saying, but don't be late to the recording session. Be on time (or a little early), so you can relax into the episode and create something great. Your host will appreciate your punctuality, and the content you create will be all the better for it.

Be entertaining

Have fun with it. Bring some energy to the interview. Don’t rush or feel like you have to prove everything you know in a forty-five-minute interview. But whatever you do, talk about it in a great story. Being an awesome storyteller is one of the best ways to be remembered and get shared.

Give the host what they're asking for

Remember, it's not about you—you’re going on this show to make the host look great. You want the host to love that episode and share it wide and far.

So go in with some humility. Remember that someone is allowing you to go in front of their audience. That's incredible.

Answer their questions. Tell them what they want to know. If the host asks you a question about your biggest failure, don't turn it around into your biggest success. Tell them how you fell on your face. It’s their show, so honor and respect the opportunity they’ve created for you.

Don’t be a stranger

Last but not least, keep in touch! Don't just go on a show and leave and never talk to that person again. Stay in contact with them and build the relationship. And do what you promised, so if you said you’d share the episode on social media and your email list, do it.

Bonus Step: Ask for a Referral

One last tip for you—and granted, this is one that will benefit you at least as much as it will your host.

After your guest appearance, ask them, “Have you been on any great shows yourself lately? One that might be looking for more guests? Or do you have any friends in the podcast world you could connect me with? I'd love to go out and be on some other shows.”

Most people will be happy to connect you with somebody else who could be the host of your next podcast guest appearance.

Unlock the Possibilities of Podcast Guesting

It bears repeating, but the more you focus on making connections and building relationships—whether IRL or online—the better your chances of getting on someone’s show.

If you’re excited about the possibilities of podcasting guesting, be sure to watch Shane’s full talk from Audience Driven over on the Team SPI YouTube channel.

Shane has also graciously offered a full nuts-and-bolts breakdown of his entire strategy for finding shows and booking yourself as a podcast guest. Just visit Flipped Lifestyle and grab those resources for free.

I also mentioned SPI 547 with Ray Blakney, founder of Podcast Hawk, a great paid solution that takes a lot of the work out of getting booked as a guest on podcasts.

Pat’s interview with Ray has a ton of great advice for succeeding with guest podcasting, including customizing and optimizing your email campaign, more prep tips for your guest appearance, pitfalls to be aware of as a podcast guest, tech tips for getting great audio quality, and more.

You can put Podcast Hawk through its paces using our affiliate link at PodcastHawk.com/spi.

The post How to Be a Guest on a Podcast appeared first on Smart Passive Income.

So you want to start a podcast? There's so much potential in podcasting—and a few ways to get majorly tripped up. Today, I want to talk about how to navigate three of the biggest podcasting mistakes or traps that might get in the way of your podcasting success.

Podcasting Mistake #1: Trying to Be Perfect

Let's be honest. The first episodes of your brand-new podcast are probably going to be… not so great. But you can't get to the good stuff until you get through the muck.

As you learned last Friday on SPI 546, Pat’s first episode of the SPI Podcast was a disaster.

The published version of the episode was his third take. He recorded the first one speaking off the cuff. He didn’t like that, so he tried scripting the whole thing. That didn’t work either. He finally got something passable on the third try. (But what’s with that music? Woof.)

All that’s to say, create something lousy at first because you will improve. It’s unavoidable, to be honest.

The first few podcast episodes you produce might be something you look back at and cringe. But the more often you do it, and the more consistent you are, the better you'll become.

We’ve seen it every time we’ve created a new podcast here at SPI, whether it’s Flops, or The Community Experience (or some future show TBD).

For the very first episode of Flops, I had to go back and rerecord parts of my interview with John Vuong (thanks, John!) because I just didn’t do a great job interviewing him the first time around.

But I got better as the season progressed. I didn’t turn into the world’s most amazing interviewer, but I improved. And you will too.

This may be a tough pill to swallow, especially if you're a perfectionist. But once you can accept it, you’ll be well on your way to a successful podcasting career.

So publish your first episodes without regret. Even though they might kinda suck.

Podcasting Mistake #2: Worrying That Your Audience Might Be Too Small

Let’s say you operate in a pretty small niche. What if you’re worried that your audience is too small to create a successful podcast?

When you’re creating a podcast, you want the widest possible audience, right?

Wrong. 

Take Phil Lichtenberger, who has a successful podcast in a small niche—the handheld radio hobby—called Scanner School.

Phil created the podcast because he just loved the hobby so much and wanted to connect with other hobbyists. And now guess what? He has superfans, people who show up on every single live stream and listen to every single podcast episode. He's got companies reaching out to him. All that, despite creating a podcast in a tiny niche.

But what if you’ve actually seen other podcasts come and go in your niche, and you’re worried there’s just not enough interest in a show like yours? 

Here’s the key. Just because there are other podcasts in your niche that have run out of steam, doesn’t mean yours will.

The most important thing is committing. Find a topic you’re excited about and can hold yourself to creating a podcast around.

Commit, commit, commit. There’s a reason it’s the very first piece of advice in our How to Start a Podcast guide.

Podcasting Mistake #3: Thinking You’ve “Started Too Late”

One more thing you might be worried about right now: that podcasting has become “too popular,” and you're too late to the game.

Let me share some numbers that will give you a little perspective on why that's definitely not true.

There are over 500 million active blogs. There are over 50 million active YouTube channels.

How many podcasts are there? About two million. That's it.

There’s still so much room for this medium to grow. If blogging and online video are any clue, the rest of the 2020s are likely to see huge and rapid growth in podcasting.

You’re not too late for the podcasting boom.

Okay. Maybe you’re willing to accept that podcasting itself still has room to grow. But what if the show you want to create already seems to have a lot of competition out there?

You might be thinking, “It’s no use creating a show because there’s already another one like it out there.”

Just remember that even in what seems to be a crowded space, there are ways to stand out. 

Here's some wisdom from Buzzsprout cofounder Kevin Finn in SPI Podcast session 395:

You've said, ‘Hey, I'm interested in creating a podcast that speaks to entrepreneurs.’ Well, there’s thousands of podcasts that speak to entrepreneurs, but what's your unique flavor? What's your unique spin on that? What do you have to say that other people aren't saying? That will always break out from the noise because it's unique, and it's your voice, and it's your perspective.

Kevin Finn, SPI Podcast session 395

So, Ready to Create Your Show?

If any of the three fears or mistakes we've talked about have been keeping you from starting your podcast, I hope this post has helped you realize how much potential there is to create a successful show!

You're still early for the podcasting boom, and you can succeed even with a show in a small niche—as long as you’re willing to commit to the process.

If you’re ready to get started with your podcast, head on over to our How to Start a Podcast guide.

And if you need a little more hand-holding, our Power-Up Podcasting 2.0 course is just the ticket. It'll help you cut through the confusion—to not only learn how to properly plan and launch your podcast, but make sure it gets found, too.

The post 3 Podcasting Mistakes You Need to Avoid appeared first on Smart Passive Income.

In this post, I'll share some of the key trends in podcasting right now, and highlight some ideas for growing your podcast in 2022 and beyond. And keep reading for the opportunity to enter our Pitch Your Pod contest by January 16 and a chance to turn your podcast dream into a reality!

Table of Contents

• Podcasting Industry Growth Means Opportunity
• For Podcasters, Consistency Is (Still) Key
• Growing Your Podcast Audience Takes Active Marketing
  • Strategy #1: Getting Exposure on High-Growth Video Channels (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube)
  • Strategy #2: Guesting on Other Podcasts
  • Strategy #3: Paid Advertising and Sponsorships
• How to Reduce Podcasting Overwhelm and Avoid Burnout
• Engage with Your Listeners and Build Podcast Superfans
• Turn Your Podcast Dream into a Reality!

[Note: This post contains affiliate links. Read our full affiliate disclosure here.]

Podcasting Industry Growth Means Opportunity

According to data from Buzzsprout, the podcast industry has grown significantly—from roughly 60,000 shows in 2014 to more than two million today.

But this massive growth doesn’t mean prospective podcasters have missed the boat. Far from it. The podcast industry is still growing.

Plus, a lot of the people who started podcasts in early COVID have dropped off. That means a lot of listeners are out there right now, looking for their next show.

Which means an opportunity for you, aspiring podcaster—or existing podcaster who wants to up your game and grow your show. 

For Podcasters, Consistency Is (Still) Key

The key to taking advantage of this podcasting opportunity is consistency.

As one example, Pat went live on YouTube every day for a year with the Income Stream show. 

You don’t have to do the same thing with your podcast (and we wouldn’t recommend it!).

But in general, the more you show up for your audience, the more you’ll become a part of their life and tuning in to your show will become a habit for them. 

Not to mention, all that practice is going to make you a lot better at creating your podcast content.

So how consistent should you be, at least at the start of your podcasting journey?

The podcasts that Buzzsprout sees sticking with it are the ones that make it past the ten-week mark.

“Once they hit that ten-week point,” says Alban Brooke, “it’s a game-changer for whether or not they stick with it long term.”

That’s why he tells people to start by committing to releasing an episode every week for ten weeks. Succeeding with that will put you in a group of roughly 600,000 active podcasts that have produced at least ten episodes.

Oh, and of course, if you haven't started your podcast yet, that's the first step! Click here to start your podcast using our free how to podcast guide.

Growing Your Podcast Audience Takes Active Marketing

What if you’ve pushed through your first ten episodes, seen some early growth, and… that growth has slowed, or even stagnated? A lot of podcasters find that an early growth spurt leads to a frustrating plateau.

Unfortunately, a lot of podcasters—and content creators in general—also take an “If you build it, they will come” approach.

But that won’t work today. You have to actively market your show.

Here are some strategies that can help you push your listenership back on the incline slope. 

Strategy #1: Getting Exposure on High-Growth Video Channels (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube)

A number of successful podcast creators have grown their shows by sharing content on high-growth channels like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and even YouTube. They're leveraging the algorithms on these channels to get exposure they can redirect to their podcast.

The basic strategy is to create a short piece of video content that borrows from your podcast episode, then invite viewers to the podcast to hear the full story.

Once in a while, one of these videos may even go viral. You can find case studies about podcasters who have gained thousands of new listeners based on just one viral TikTok video or Instagram Reel.

And a number of famous podcasters have used YouTube clips to attract listeners and then direct them to their podcast feeds.

The key is that the video content has to be related to the podcast episode you’re driving people to. You need to tell a story that’ll hook people in to want to hear the rest of the episode.

It sounds simple, but you’d be surprised how many creators get tripped up by not following this crucial point.

How do you pick a high-growth platform to pull off this strategy? Alban always encourages creators to find the platform they understand and can create great content for. 

Strategy #2: Guesting on Other Podcasts

It helps to remember the big principle behind successfully growing your show, which is finding audiences that don't know you already.

Repurposing your podcast episodes and putting them on your Twitter or Facebook feed is fine, but by and large they're going to be seen by people who already know you exist.

So how do you get your podcast in front of new ears?

Guesting on other podcasts is a tried-and-true and still very effective option.

(If you’re looking for a way to scale your podcast-guesting outreach, we like what Podcast Hawk has to offer.)

Another is including your podcast episodes in blog posts on your site, which helps people find your show via Google’s search algorithm.

If you write a blog post about a topic you’ve already covered on the podcast, link to that episode in the post itself.

Like this!

Strategy #3: Paid Advertising and Sponsorships

What about paid acquisition? Is it something podcasters should be thinking about? 

The short answer is yes, and there are two main strategies here: paid ads and sponsorships.

Paid ads are definitely a viable strategy for growing your show. Just know that there's a right way, and a wrong way to do it.

The wrong way is to put ads directly on Facebook or Google and hope that a cold audience will start clicking and listening.

The experts at Buzzsprout have never seen anybody successfully grow a podcast that way. There’s just too much friction in the way of getting someone from the ad to your show.

As Alban says, they’ve “only seen people lose a lot of money” this way.

So how do you reduce the friction and do podcast ads the right way? The key is to advertise on apps that already have a captive audience of listeners—apps like Overcast, Pocket Casts, and Podcast Addict.

You could also look into sponsoring another podcast—paying a fellow podcaster to give you a shoutout.

Trying this on some of the bigger shows could get expensive, but there are a lot of small, fast-growing podcasts looking to monetize that might be a better fit.

For a deeper dive on monetizing your podcast, check out this post by Heather Osgood of True Native Media on getting started with podcast ads.

How to Reduce Podcasting Overwhelm and Avoid Burnout

As content creators, consistency is key. But burnout is also real.

That’s why you need to set a game plan for creating and marketing your show that’s sustainable.

A lot of people hear stories of the most successful content creators—like John Lee Dumas, who started Entrepreneurs on Fire by doing a daily show—and they think I'll do the same thing. But that just doesn’t work for most people, especially if you've got a full-time gig or have kids at home.

So find a content creation cadence that fits your life, and that you’ll be excited to do. For a lot of people, allocating one day a week to creating your episode is a good choice.

Since “If you build it, they will come” doesn't work, you also need to carve out time for marketing. There’s almost always more you can do to market your show, but start with putting just an hour aside each week for marketing.

If you’re on TikTok, maybe that means spending an hour making a video to promote your latest episode and engaging with people on TikTok. If you’re on LinkedIn, it’s writing a post that ties into the content in your episode.

Start small, and stay consistent.

Engage with Your Listeners and Build Podcast Superfans

Podcasting is a long game. The podcasters who stick with it for years are most likely to find the success (and download numbers) they’re looking for.

The average new podcaster, though, is getting roughly thirty-seven plays per episode. That may sound small, and it is.

But small can be mighty.

That’s because each of those thirty-seven people is a real human being. And one of the superpowers you have when you're small is that you actually can engage with every one of them.

Ask people to reach out, and then honor it when they do. If someone sends you an email, mention it on the podcast. If you get a positive review, read it on the air and thank the listener. If a fan posts something about your podcast on social, like it and thank them for sharing it.

Elevate your superfans. Connect with them and learn more about them, so you can better serve them and attract more just like them.

Turn Your Podcast Dream into a Reality!

We've all asked the question, “You know what would make a great podcast?” — and most likely nothing ever comes of it.

What if SPI could help turn that question into reality? Your very own podcast!

Introducing Pitch Your Pod: a brand new, first-of-its-kind competition where you “pitch” SPI on the amazing podcast you've always wanted to make, but for whatever reason never have!

The Pitch Your Pod contest is open to anyone who submits an entry by midnight Pacific on January 16. Enter now!

By the way, a lot of the insights in this post were taken from Pat Flynn’s conversation with Alban Brooke, head of marketing at Buzzsprout, during SPI’s first Audience Driven Summit in October 2021, our two-day deep-dive into the most effective, relevant ways to build an audience today.

Click here to watch the recording of Pat’s full conversation with Alban.

The post The Keys to Podcasting Success in 2022 appeared first on Smart Passive Income.