Developing a Strategy for Podcasting
The show is not about you and what you want to talk about… It’s about adding value, showing up, and being in my highest level of service to the people who I want to support and contribute to their success. It’s about what they need and making them the star of the show.”
Tara Newman, Host of The Bold Money Revolution Podcast
Berk, Watto, & Williams (2020) suggest twelve tips to empower educators to utilize podcasts as a means to provide high quality opportunities for learners at all levels of education. Here are some of things to consider during pre-production:
Audience
Creating listener-centred content is key to success. You need to target your audience and get to know your listeners’ interests the best you can. It is important to determine how your content will benefit the audience or which gaps it intends to cover. Targeting the audience will allow you to anticipate their questions and create more relevant content.
Experts also suggest creating an ‘avatar’, ‘persona’ or ‘ideal listener’ to help you create meaningful content and build a relationship with your audience.
| Additional resource: How to Create a Value Proposition for Your Podcast (Or Any Content!) |
Format
“The structure and duration of a podcast is one of the first major decisions” (Berk, Watto, & Williams, 2020, p. 1222). There are various formats, but the choice will rely on your goals, your preferences and those from your audience. Here are some of the most common formats:
- Interview
- Monologue
- Co-Hosted / Conversational
- Panel / Roundtable
- Storytelling
- Repurposed Content / Educational
- Live
| Additional resource: 8 Podcast Formats To Consider For Your Show |
Distribution Model
Generally, there is a monthly cost associated with distribution services. Before beginning your podcast, research the different servers and the benefits they offer, such as ads integration, embedding players into websites, or customer support. You will also need to work on the show’s description, logo and notes for each episode. If you want to pursue a broader audience, you may also wish to pay attention to Search Engine Optimization (SEO) (Berk, Watto, & Williams, 2020).
| Additional resource: Podcasts SEO: How to Make Your Podcast Rank |
Engage the Audience
Do not hesitate to use social media to engage with your audience, build a network, and promote your podcasts. Those platforms allow your listeners to engage directly with you. Riddell et al. (2020, as cited in Berk, Watto, & Williams, 2020) suggest that a sense of community can build around podcasts. You can also use social media to provide supplemental materials to your podcast’s content.
| Additional resource: How to Use Social Media to Promote Your Podcast |