Podcast FAQ

having a successful podcast

by Dr. Madyson O'Reilly MD Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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5 Steps to a Successful Podcast

  1. Start with a mission. Just like anything else in business, a podcast should be underlaid with a specific purpose. ...
  2. Craft a clever name. With the overall mission of the podcast in mind, brainstorm names for the show. ...
  3. Secure interesting interviews. The best way to attract listeners to a new podcast is through interviews with relevant and compelling interviewees.
  4. Produce high-quality audio. Getting featured on the iTunes New and Noteworthy podcast list is key for a show to gain listeners, downloads and recognition.
  5. Attract sponsors. Once the podcast gets rolling with active listeners and regular downloads, the next step for many podcasters is to monetize the show so it can grow.

Tips for Creating Successful Podcasts
  1. Keep Your Podcast Focused. ...
  2. Picture Your Target Audience.
  3. Be Consistent.
  4. Plan Your Workflow.
  5. Use Music Segments, but Don't Infringe on Copyrights.
  6. Promote Your Podcast.

Full Answer

What are the most successful podcasts?

Podcasts Top 100. - August 22nd, 2021. Wks On Chart Peak. Crime Junkie audiochuck | Ashley Flowers. 113 1. Dateline NBC NBC News. 21 2. The Bobby Bones Show iHeartRadio. 104 3.

How to make a successful podcast?

On this Dying to Ask:

  • How Bruce developed a plan to stay sane during his Olympic quarantine
  • The logistics of teaching mountain rescues to people with a major language barrier
  • His advice for anyone who finds themselves in a strange place in need of a new routine

What are the top 10 podcasts?

The Top 10 Podcasts Right Now

  • The Top 10 Podcasts. Want to listen to a good podcast? ...
  • Radiolab. Podcast Summary: Focusing on topics of a scientific and philosophical nature, each episode weaves stories and science into sound and music-rich documentaries.
  • This American Life. ...
  • Criminal. ...
  • Hardcore History. ...
  • Serial. ...
  • S-Town. ...
  • 99% Invisible. ...
  • The Ezra Klein Show. ...
  • Stuff You Should Know. ...

More items...

What are the elements of a successful podcast?

What makes a good podcast?

  1. Focus on a central idea. Every podcast has something it's trying to convey to an audience. ...
  2. Play to an audience. The audience is king. ...
  3. Regular schedules. This might seem painfully obvious, but it’s also one of the most important. ...
  4. Show Structures. Listening to a new podcast is always a risk. ...
  5. Authenticity. ...

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What makes a podcast successful?

Keep the topic simple. A podcast with focus is going to be much easier for potential listeners to understand. You might think a wide appeal will get a wider audience but more often a narrow appeal means there's less likelihood others are doing the same thing. And the listeners you get will be very excited to find you.

How much money can you make from doing a podcast?

As an estimate, if your podcast has about 10,000 downloads per episode, you can expect to make between $500 – $900 per episode in affiliate sales.

Do successful podcasts make money?

While many podcasters earn very little initially, podcasting can be a lucrative career if you study effective monetization strategies and consistently put in the work. If you consistently engage your audience with valuable content, you could be the next high-earning podcaster.

Is it still worth starting a podcast?

It is still worth starting a podcast, but … Arguably the biggest downside is that podcasting – perhaps more than most other media – requires consistency for success. Launching a podcast is one thing, sustaining it over the long term is quite another.

Does Spotify pay you for podcasts?

Streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts pay out for streams, but the payout tends to be very low. Podcast sponsorships are one way, but for new podcasts, the likelihood of finding a high-paying sponsorship is slim unless you're already a well-established figure.

Do podcasts on Spotify make money?

The short answer is: No. Spotify does not pay for podcasts, but fret not! We have good news for you: There are many ways to monetize a Spotify podcast. You can make money on your podcasts through sponsorships, affiliate programs, ads, coaching, and more.

How much do beginner podcasters make?

So how much money can podcasters make? To be frank, most make $0. In fact, many podcasts have negative cash flow because they spend money buying equipment and paying hosting fees before they earn a single dollar. Creative work like podcasting doesn't make any money until people choose to watch you.

How many listeners do you need to make money on a podcast?

You usually need a larger audience of at least 5K or 10K listeners per month to work with them. One of the largest ad networks is Midroll, another popular network is Authentic, and many of the podcast hosting companies have their own networks as well.

How much money do small podcasts make?

A podcast that averages 5,000 downloads per episode and charges $18 CPM, the industry-standard rate as of 2022, for a 30-second ad will earn $90 in ad revenue for one episode that runs a single ad.

Why you shouldn't make a podcast?

You think it needs little time. Many people think that podcasting needs a bit of reading and a little bit of speaking, and anyone can record an episode quickly. And such people shouldn't start a podcast, because it is going to demand a lot more of your time.

Are podcasts still popular 2022?

Yes, podcasts are still popular in 2022. The number of active podcasts and podcast listeners is increasing daily. As of April 2021, there are a total number of 850,000 active podcasts with more than 48 million episodes in total.

How long does it take to make money from a podcast?

Relying on the experience of Marc Clair, a podcast host, and producer, it may take as long as 18 months before you start seeing results. That's if you produce a show weekly. In his words, things can be faster than stated if you have luck, a marketing budget, and irresistible content.

What is a successful podcast?

1 – Define a Successful Podcast. First thing's first: success means many different things to many different people. For some, it's about the big download numbers. Others dream of earning a full-time living from their shows. Many business podcasters see success as getting regular sales enquiries because of their content.

What happens when you run a podcast?

When you run a podcast, things don't always go to plan. Life can get in the way, hardware and software can break, files can vanish, and there's really no shortage of things that'll test your patience in the long run. When things go wrong, you really need to have a solid core reason for wanting to podcast. One that's big enough that it'll ...

How long does it take to build an audience for a podcast?

One podcast tip that many aspiring podcasters don't like to hear is that it can take years to build an audience. And in order to make a successful podcast you need to be prepared to turn up consistently and regularly over the next few years. That doesn't mean that you can't have short-term goals though.

What is the common mistake that podcasters make?

A common mistake many new podcasters make is to build their shows around an audience that doesn't yet exist. If your episodes are built around answering listener questions, or doing live shows, then I'd recommend going back to the planning stages. In the early days it falls on you and you alone to create your content.

What happens if you come out the gate asking for feedback?

If you come out the gate asking for feedback and direction, it can make you and the show seem poorly planned and lacking in purpose. If you've done your research in the planning stages, you know what your target audience want. So design a show that's going to serve them. Nail down an agenda in the early days.

Is it a good idea to run a podcast?

It's definitely a good idea to break down your main ambitions into smaller achievable aims. This can help give you a sense of progression. But hopefully you just enjoy the process of running a podcast. If you do, then you'll stand the best chance of sticking at it and growing an audience.

Is it easier to start a podcast?

After all, it's never been easier to actually launch a podcast. You don't need to spend a lot at all, and there are countless tools out there that can make things really easy for you. Once you've recorded a piece of audio and uploaded it to your media host, you can find your very first episode proudly sitting in places like iTunes ...

What makes a podcast successful?

In conclusion – stuff that makes podcast successful: The 4 key success elements deriving from history and origins of podcasting are (1) regular publishing schedule for new content, (2) the role of the host, (3) story flow within an episode, and (4) accessibility of old content.

How to make a podcast?

To be successful: you need to be talking about the things people want to hear, and through your narration, make them feel that your podcast is the best source of knowledge, entertainment, education, etc. A podcast needs preparing, just like a great blog post or video!

What are the benefits of podcasting?

Here are the tips to change those listeners’ benefits into a recipe for success. 1. Podcasts are flexible and allow you to consume a lot of content without reading.

How many podcasts are listened to in the 48 hours?

40% are listened to in the 48 hours of downloading, 80% within one week. ad revenue is growing each year – it will break thresholds of $800 million in 2020 and $1 billion in 2021. podcasts’ audience is well educated – 60% of regular podcast listeners have a 4-year college degree, postgraduate degree or advanced degree.

What to do when conducting a podcast interview?

If your podcast involves conducting an interview, prepare an interview guide with some key questions to guide the discussion. Of course, it is also essential to learn about the person that you will be interviewing: it avoids odd pauses, and it allows you to ask more qualitative questions!

How to make a podcast sound good?

Make sure you are not behind your competition. Use good audio software, like Adobe Audition ( check price – they have a 7-day trial) to record the podcast.

What are the elements of a successful podcast?

Elements of a successful podcast – deep analysis of the success factors. Common Benefits for Listeners – address what you need to do as a host to create a successful podcast. The workshop, mindset, and work effort that is required for success – stuff you need to do in order to have a successful podcast.

Have an Aim or Goal

Make sure your podcast has an overall goal or aim. For example, if you’re making a successful podcast about animals in rescue shelters, your overall aim could be to encourage people to adopt animals from shelters. If you have a passion for your podcast and a goal to get to, your listeners will share your passion too.

Consistency

If you pitch your podcast as being uploaded twice every week, stick to that. People like consistency, so if you know you won’t be able to cope with two episodes a week, narrow it down to one a week. Don’t be afraid to do less episodes if it means they are more manageable and better quality.

Audience Engagement

Your audience is the most important thing to bear in mind during podcast production. They should always be your priority, because if they don’t approve, you lose the trust of your listeners and your listening figures will see a sharp decline. Make an hour or so each day to interact with your audience.

Clear Audio and Editing

While you don’t necessarily need to fork out loads of money for a super expensive microphone and advanced editing software, you do need to have some awareness of the quality of what you’re publishing.

What is the point of a podcast?

The whole point of a podcast is that people listen to it, so give them a reason to click on one of your episodes. Make it clear to people what they will get from listening to your show. If you look on any podcast directory you will see shows with titles like “How To…”, “Five Tips For…” etc.

What is a podcast host?

Media or Podcast hosts are services that store your audio and allow your listeners to listen, download, and subscribe to your podcast. One common misconception when learning how to start a podcast is that you upload your podcast to places like iTunes. This actually isn’t the case.

How many episodes of a season of podcast?

When you start a seasonal podcast, each season will usually have a theme. You might create episodes based on that theme or topic for 6-12 episodes, then have a break. After a month or two, you’ll launch a new season (with another theme/topic) and repeat the process.

What makes a podcast successful?

A podcast may be successful when it's well-produced and effectively marketed, reaching a wide audience and maintaining a large sphere of influence among the public. For example, if a podcast has clear, high-quality audio and the marketing team produces consistent promotional content, it may have a higher success rate.

Why is it important to measure podcast success?

Measuring the success of a podcast is important because it can help podcast creators appeal to their audience more effectively. The particular level of success might be different for each podcast since success depends on the goals that the creators and producers develop.

8 methods for how to measure podcast success

Here's a list of eight methods you might use to measure the success of your podcast:

1. Determine your goal

When creating a strategy for your podcast, it's beneficial to know what your primary purpose is. Understanding what you hope to accomplish can help you develop effective plans to meet your goals. If you're a new podcast creator, you may have financial or professional goals, such as growing your listenership in order to monetize your podcast.

2. Follow your passion

Choosing a topic that you're passionate about is important when creating a podcast. When you care about the subject you cover, it's easier to speak about it and make interesting points because you're likely to have a deeper understanding of the issues you discuss.

3. Conduct market research to define your unique angle

Whether you're starting a new podcast or looking to improve the performance of an existing podcast, market research is a valuable tool you can use to identify ways to reach more listeners. If you have an idea for your podcast, search for similar podcasts.

4. Consider adding a video format

While many podcasts use an audio-only approach, it has become more common for creators to release versions of their podcasts on video streaming sites. This approach adds an extra element that can help you entice potential followers. It also allows you to expand the reach of your podcast by incorporating popular video sites.

5. Make smart decisions with your equipment and tools

Focus on the quality of your recordings so you can present clear content to your listeners. If you're just getting started, you may need to prioritize your spending on equipment. A microphone is the most important element of creating a high-quality recording.

6. Create an effective recording space

Another element that has a large part in the quality of your recordings is your recording room. You can make specific sound-proofing modifications to your room, such as by installing noise-reduction foam.

7. Set an achievable posting schedule

Creating a consistent schedule is important when building an audience as it allows listeners to plan for when your new episodes appear on their podcast listening app. When choosing how frequently to post new episodes, consider setting a schedule that you're sure you can maintain.

1. Build Your Audience Base

Your audience will always be the lifeblood of your show. So Strategy Numero Uno is to start growing your audience, even before your podcast goes live! Take some time to strategize about who your audience is, what would attract their attention, and how best to reach them.

2. Promote Your Podcast Launch Event

Now that you have begun to build your podcast platform, you should start to focus on promoting your launch event. Creating a great buzz around your launch event is arguably the most important part of your launch strategy, and there are a whole host of effective ways you can do this.

3. Launch With Multiple Episodes

Another great way to ensure, that not only your launch is successful but that your show finds success well beyond that is to launch with more than one episode.

5.Network, Network, Network

The old adage “It’s not about what you know but who you know” definitely applies to planning a successful podcast launch! To help create a buzz within the industry around the launch of your show, you will need to network with other influencers within the podcasting community.

6.Host Virtual Events

If this crazy time of quarantining and lockdowns have shown us anything, it’s that we can really get creative with how we virtually connect with people. From celebs putting on “at home” concerts to hosting virtual “meet-and-greets”, we’ve truly seen how the Internet can make us feel connected, even when we’re far apart.

7. Keep The Buzz Going Post-Launch

Lastly, it is important for the long-term success of your show that you include post-launch promotion as part of your launch strategy. The most effective way to do this is simply to carry on with all the strategies we’ve mentioned on this list tailored to your now-launched show.

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1 – Define A Successful Podcast

Image
First thing’s first: success means many different things to many different people. For some, it’s about the big download numbers. Others dream of earning a full-time living from their shows. Many business podcasters see success as getting regular sales enquiries because of their content. And for others, it’s simply a case of havi
See more on thepodcasthost.com

2 – Have A “Why”

  • When you run a podcast, things don’t always go to plan. Life can get in the way, hardware and software can break, files can vanish, and there’s really no shortage of things that’ll test your patiencein the long run. When things go wrong, you really need to have a solid core reason for wanting to podcast. One that’s big enough that it’ll never be overshadowed by any of the above. …
See more on thepodcasthost.com

3 – Play The Long Game

  • One podcast tip that many aspiring podcasters don’t like to hear is that it can take years to build an audience. And in order to make a successful podcast you need to be prepared to turn up consistently and regularly over the next few years. That doesn’t mean that you can’t have short-term goals though. It’s definitely a good idea to break down your main ambitions into smaller ac…
See more on thepodcasthost.com

4 – Make It Sustainable

  • A big part of enjoying the process of podcasting, is that it isn’t a complete battle to get new episodes done and out. In the planning stages it’s easy to have big plans about the time you can dedicate to your show each week. It’s also easy to create an episode template in your head that’s going to take a lot of work to produce on a regular basis. The key to making sure working on you…
See more on thepodcasthost.com

5 – Don’T Get Stuck on “The Launch”

  • I’ve already said quite a bit on the long-term nature of making a successful podcast. Unfortunately however, it’s the concept of a big explosive “Launch” that many aspiring podcasters choose to focus on instead. Another uncomfortable truth about your podcast before and during its launch, is that – unless you’re famous before your podcast goes live – nobody really cares about it. It shou…
See more on thepodcasthost.com

6 – Take Control

  • Long term, you’ll want to check in regularly with your audience and seek feedback from them. This is the difference between a podcast surviving and thriving. In the very early episodes though, you won’t have an established audience at all. These early listeners haven’t fully bought into your podcast yet, and with each episode, they’re weighing up whether or not to stick with you. So, on…
See more on thepodcasthost.com

7 – Don’T Rely on Audience Participation

  • A common mistake many new podcasters make is to build their shows around an audience that doesn’t yet exist. If your episodes are built around answering listener questions, or doing live shows, then I’d recommend going back to the planning stages. In the early days it falls on you and you alone to create your content. Anything else is only going to lead to disillusionment and disap…
See more on thepodcasthost.com

Looking For More Podcast Tips?

  • Hopefully you’ve taken a lot from these podcast tips, all aimed at helping you create a successful podcast. These are beyond the usual “What mic should I get?” and “What media host should I use?” questions, and show that you’re constantly looking to improve and take things to the next level. That’s not to say those mic and hosting questions aren’t valid or important, though. I’ve link…
See more on thepodcasthost.com

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