How To Improve Your Podcast

As a podcast host, it’s important to continuously strive to improve your podcast content. But what’s the best way to do that??? You’ve probably looked it up before and either find overly-technical steps, unrealistic standards, or things that just… don’t make sense. Here at Dear Media, we WANT to help you succeed and thrive. And honestly, the podcasting industry is growing and evolving each and every day. This makes it even more important to keep up with new trends and make content that your listeners want to hear. 

But, the truth is: it’s hard! There are so many current events, trends, products, and so on. Even the most creative content creators can sometimes find themselves struggling to stay inspired. Although keeping your podcast content fresh, relevant, and engaging can take a ton of time, planning, and effort, it’s the key to building and maintaining a loyal following.

So, today, we’re sharing some practical and creative tips to help you produce high-quality content every time you get behind the mic. No intense planning or overly-complicated steps necessary—just a little patience and a lot of creativity. Though it may be tedious at first, these tips will help you improve your podcast and soar into success.

How To Improve Your Podcast

Talk about topics you are passionate about.

Listeners crave authenticity. This is why it’s important to only choose episode topics that really interest you. Otherwise, your listeners will pick up on your lack of passion and will be less interested in hearing what you have to say about that topic. 

Create good episode outlines. 

When it comes to creating outlines, the more information you can include, the better. Every episode outline should include a catchy introduction, a breakdown of your main points, quotes, stories, jokes, etc., and then an intriguing outro. Your outro can include a call-to-action, listener resources, or a preview of next week’s episode. 

Focus on your target audience.

To record podcast episodes that your audience wants to hear, you have to first know your audience. Take some to research your target audience, their likes and dislikes, their favorite topics, their frequently asked questions, and more. Then, cater your episode topics to their wants and needs. 

Use humor and/or tell stories.

Podcast listeners love a good joke, anecdote, or story. Especially if that joke, anecdote or story is relatable. It makes them feel more connected to you, the podcast host, and makes them want to listen even more. 

Stay on topic and maintain episode flow. 

Your listeners are listening to your podcast for a reason – because they are interested in the topics you discuss. So, as you create each episode, try not to veer off topic too much. When podcast hosts switch topics too quickly, it can interrupt episode flow and deter listeners. 

Invite unique experts to your show.

Inviting unique professionals and experts to be featured on your podcast is an excellent way to increase your podcast’s credibility. Listeners want to know they can trust what you say and with the backing of experts, they can rest easy knowing the information they get from your podcast is reliable. 

Perfect your interview process. 

Hosting a podcast interview is about more than just having a conversation with your guest. Knowing how to host a good interview can help set your podcast apart from the rest. To perfect your process, check out these tips for how to conduct a good podcast interview. And, if you need a little inspiration for your next interview, check out this list of the best questions to ask in a podcast interview.

Improve your audio quality. 

Audio quality is one of the most important characteristics of a good podcast. If your listeners can’t hear you, or if there are too many pauses or awkward silences, they will move on to the next podcast. To improve your audio quality and listener experience, check out our equipment recommendations here: Everything You Need to Launch Your Podcast. 

Post show notes. 

Before diving into a new podcast episode, listeners like to read show notes. Show notes are a quick breakdown of your podcast episode that tells your listeners what to expect and builds suspense that, in turn, makes them want to listen to the full episode. When it comes to show notes, remember to practice good search engine optimization (SEO). To learn more about creating good show notes, click here.

Post transcripts of your episodes.

In addition to show notes, listeners also enjoy reading transcripts of your podcast episodes. Plus, there are tons of people who are interested in your content, but prefer reading over listening. So, a great way to improve your podcast is to add transcripts to your podcast’s website. And, be sure to include SEO keywords so that your transcript appears higher on the search engine results. 

Use unique music and sound effects.

The more unique your podcast, the better. This is why using special music and sound effects is a great way to grow your podcast’s popularity. Plus, using these special effects is a great way to break up your episode into smaller segments that are easier to listen to and follow along with. Small breaks here and there will help your listeners learn and remember more from your podcast, making them more likely to come back for more. 

Looking for good platforms to find your music and sound effects on? Look no further than this post.

Create a captivating intro and outro. 

Creating a captivating intro and outro is one of the best ways to retain loyal listeners. After all, the intro and outro will be the first and last things you listeners hear when they listen to your podcast. So, the more unique and memorable, the more likely your listeners will return. To create a good intro/outro, consider using a call-to-action, a catch-phrase, or humor. And don’t forget to add in your music and sound effects. 

Utilize social media. 

Social media channels like Instagram, Twitter, Tiktok, and even Youtube videos, are some of the best avenues to digitally market your podcast. And thus, increase your audience and podcast popularity. Every social media channel is different, meaning there are a plethora of ways to better reach your target audience via social networks. To learn how to promote your podcast on social media, click here. 

Reflect on your podcast performance. 

Measuring your podcast performance and reflecting on your podcast analytics is essential when it comes to improving your podcast. Use your podcast analytics to see which episodes your listeners liked and which they didn’t. Then, from there, create episode outlines that are more similar to the episodes that your listeners enjoyed and avoid the topics they didn’t enjoy. 

Learn from your competition. 

Last, but certainly not least, learn from your competition. Pay attention to what other podcasters in your niche are releasing and ask yourself: What topics are they discussing? Which special guests are being featured? Is their sound quality better than mine? What is unique about their podcast? Do their episodes flow better than mine? Then, use this information to make improvements to your podcast. 

Use these tips to make sure your podcast doesn’t fall flat in this crazy world of podcasting! 

With more and more podcast’s being created and released everyday, it can be hard to keep up. But, with the help of these simple tips, you can make sure your podcast stays relevant, interesting, and popular in the ever-evolving world of podcasting. We’re here to make it easy and attainable, because you deserve to make your mark in the ever-growing podcast world!

Check out the Dear Media blog for any and all of your podcast needs. We also cover everything from the latest pop culture updates to essential relationship advice. And, don’t forget to check out the DM shop for tons of must-have products! This “For the Content” tee would look great on you in one of your new episodes—just sayin’!