To create a high-quality podcast, you need the right essential elements: a high level of originality, great personality, freshness, consistency, and specificity. When you combine these elements, you end up with a podcast that will appeal to your listeners, bring them back for more content, and encourage them to share your content with their friends.
Originality
In a perfect world, you would be able to cover entirely original content: something that has never been done before. However, in today’s society, content creation occurs at an incredibly fast rate. Sometimes, you cannot help but speak on familiar topics.
Even so, you must provide a unique take on the topic. Offer something that listeners cannot find anywhere else. Strive to them coming back to you for expert information or a perspective they would not get elsewhere.
Personality
Over time, listeners should grow a connection to the podcaster. They should feel as though the personality they're listening to is someone they would want to be around in real life: someone with an appealing, outgoing, and friendly personality.
Savvy podcasters are relatable, someone that listeners feel that they can connect with on a deeper level. That personality reflects on your brand. It is what sets your podcast apart.
Do you offer a humorous look at your industry or your information? An expert take? The personality you portray could be the difference between a bland, boring podcast, and one that stands out.
Freshness
Everyone has their favorite topics in their industries: those little niche pieces that you simply enjoy more than any other.
While it's okay to talk about the things that interest you, you should not retread old ground. Your new content needs to bring a fresh spin to the topics you're covering, not just go over the same topics you've covered in prior episodes.
If you do go back to a previous topic, make sure you have something fresh and new to say. For instance, take a look at how current changes in the world impact your industry. Stay up-to-date on the latest news. Avoid going over old territory just for the sake of having something to say.
Keep in mind that if your content becomes repetitive, you will quickly lose your listeners’ interest.
Consistency
Freshness is not the same as randomness; listeners should know what to expect from a podcast from week to week. They shouldn't receive unnecessary or unexpected surprises, especially those that completely transform what they expected from the podcast.
Listeners typically tune in for future episodes because they liked what they heard from you initially and want to hear more of it. That means your content should not vary much in terms of format and personality. Your listeners will develop a deeper connection with you when they know what to expect as they interact with your brand.
Specificity
Your podcast should fit into a specific niche. Who is it that you want to reach?
Before you start creating your podcast, make sure you have a solid understanding of your listening audience and what you want to accomplish with the podcast. Then, tailor each episode toward those individuals.
A podcast can help generate interest in your brand and expand awareness of what you have to offer, but you have to be sure that you're getting these elements right. If listeners don't like your podcast, they're likely to to move on to something else quickly.
Twenty-two percent of listeners will give a new podcast just one episode before deciding whether they like it and plan to continue listening. Twenty-seven percent will give your podcast only five minutes, while 28.9% will give it up to fifteen minutes.
You want each episode to hook your listeners: to deliver the quality content they want from the first few minutes. Originality and personality help draw in your listeners while consistency and freshness will keep them coming back to see what you have to offer. When these four elements combined with specificity, your podcast gains the potential to grow as large as you like.
