Incorporating the right segments into your podcast will help to make it stand out and increase engagement. But what segments should you include? We have pulled together some really great ideas that you can use to tailor your podcast. Try different ones until you find what brings you the best results.
1. Bring on the guests
Invite friends, family, experts, musicians, etc. to join your podcast. Get them involved in various activities that will entertain your audience. For example, ask one of your guests to give a lecture on a topic of interest. Or have them co-host an episode with you. The key here is to find creative ways to share the platform with your guests. Do something different from the standard interview.
2. Recommendations
Have a list of things you would like to recommend to your listeners? Share it with them! You can suggest things like songs, books, tools, games, movies, etc.
3. Focus on your sponsor
Find unique ways to showcase your sponsor to your audience. What about designing a puzzle that involves your sponsor in some way? Or even conducting an interview with the employees who work for your sponsor?
4. Reviews
Do you have a list of products, such as songs, events, or even movies that are relevant to your podcast. If so, why not write a review about them. Just think about any item or product that you know really well. Then come up with a list of pro’s and con’s for it. Listeners love a good review. .
5. Q & A
It is simple to do this! Just ask your listeners on social media to send in questions and randomly select a few to answer on your podcast.
6. Current news
Search for current news related to your podcast and talk about it. And why not include other exciting topics even if they are not directly related to your podcast. As long as they are relevant in some way to your overarching topic it’s fine. Plus, this can expand your reach.
7. Fact of the day
Naturally, people love listening to facts. So, if you have some facts or recently learned something new why not share it with your audience.
8. Quote of the day
A quote of the day is a fun segment to include in your podcast. Take it a step further by giving some context to it and your audience will love it. Maybe tell them how you found the quote, why it’s important to you, or even share the story of how that quote came into being (who wrote it).
9. Story of the day
Everybody love a great story. If you are stuck with ideas then why not try sharing a personal story with your listeners. It can be about anything. Talk about an important relationship in your life, share something about food, money, life in general, or anything you think your audience might want to hear. Stories are often the type of content that people want to share with others. So, make it a good one.
10. Advice of the day
Do you have any advice, tools, resources, or anything else that would greatly help your listeners? Please share it!
11. Preparation podcast
A preparation podcast helps someone get ready for a specific event, such as a triathlon, a University entry exam, etc. Share tips, insights and other relevant information to help that person. What do they need to know? How should they plan their time? What is important? Anything you can offer to someone preparing for an important event will be much appreciated.
12. Requests
This one is simple! Have your listeners, family and friends submit requests. This can be a topic they would like to hear you cover, or maybe something they want you to teach them, or even your views on some trending news.
13. Learn a new skill or hobby
Record yourself learning a new skill or hobby and share the experience with your audience. Make sure it is something that will be easy for them to replicate as well. Or even something that might spark a new passion for them.
14. Social media minute
Create a unique hashtag and share it on your podcast, social media posts and blog. Get your listeners involved in helping to get it trending. Ask them to share it on their social media sites as well.
15. Spotlight
A spotlight somewhat resembles a review except that it is based on factual information. Reviews tend to be more opinion based. Try to come up with ideas that you can research and feature on your podcast. Think about movies, artists, destinations or any topic that you can explore and talk about in depth.
16. Top 10 lists
No doubt, people love lists! It can be a list of movies, foods, songs, or really anything that interests you. There are no limitations when it comes to lists. Be creative and come up with as many amazing lists as possible.
17. Comedy podcast
This may not be for everyone, but if jokes and comedy fits in your wheelhouse then definitely give it a try. A podcast that includes jokes and humor is an excellent way to entertain your audience. You can incorporate funny stories, children’s humor, old school jokes, and anything else that falls within this spectrum. The key here is to have them rolling over with laugher.
18. Newspaper review
We are not suggesting that you review an entire newspaper, but rather an article or excerpt from one edition. Maybe there is a unique formula they are using to create their headlines, beautiful imagery, or even an article that grabs your attention. Talk about why it stood out for you. What makes it important.
19. Technology, food, pets…
There are things you love or hate for a particular reason. It could be a specific food, your pet, or technology, etc. Make a list and outline your likes or dislikes. Give examples. Share stories. Your followers will be keen to hear your thoughts. They may agree or disagree.
20. Crafting and DIY
There is so much you can talk about when it comes to crafts and DIY. The popularity of these types of podcast has been growing exponentially. The great thing is that you can go in a number of directions with DIY. Try to come up with ideas that will be easy for your audience to replicate. You can even include a downloadable guide, which will help to build your subscription list.
How to pick a good podcast topic
Choosing the right podcast topics can directly impact on the success of your show. That is why it is so important to come up with the right ideas. Here are some suggestions you might want to consider when choosing your topic:
Talk about subjects you enjoy
There’s nothing worse than choosing a topic that you have absolutely no interest in. Don’t even bother wasting your time. Instead write a list of your favorite topics. What subjects do you find you naturally talk about with friends and family. When you are passionate about something it becomes really easy to talk about it for the long haul.
Play to your strengths
Are you familiar with what you are talking about? It is much easier to record engaging podcasts when talking about something you have in-depth knowledge about. Otherwise, you might end up making unnecessary stops when recording, which is not good. So, stick to what you know!
Find your niche
Appealing to a smaller group makes it much easier for you to stand out quickly. As opposed to trying to engage a large group with a generic podcast. So, if you are looking to build a loyal audience within a short period, narrow down to specific niche topics.
Choose seasonal topics carefully
Incorporating a few segments that are not directly related to your topic is o.k. It should not become the norm, but can break up the regular flow of the podcast. This is especially helpful if you feel that you seem to be talking about the same subject over and over again. Seasonal topics can spice up your podcast. Try reporting on events, trending news, or anything current that is getting mass appeal. Feel free to incorporate different ideas and see how they work.
Wrapping up
Ready to start including new segments in your podcast? We’ve given you a number of different options to test. Try incorporating some into your next show. Modify them as needed.
Happy podcasting! And don’t forget to transcribe your podcasts using Designrr’s podcast transcription software.