A Stellar Podcast Needs These 3 Things
The secret to making a hit show even if you’re starting from scratch
There are over a million shows on Apple Podcasts (and counting). Let’s be honest, the overwhelming majority of them will never be smash hits, in fact, a very small sliver receive a disproportionately large share of listens. That’s okay; you don’t need a hit or a big following to have a profitable podcast. But you do need three qualities that the best shows all share. If you incorporate these qualities in your burgeoning show, you significantly increase your chances of becoming a mogul over your own little media empire.
Stellar shows are: entertaining, educational, and inspirational.
Stellar podcasts are entertaining.
This point is pretty self-explanatory. If it’s not enjoyable, nobody will come back for a second helping. From those that top the charts to smaller niche podcasts, stellar shows give the audience a little dopamine hit each time they hit play.
Stellar podcasts are educational.
Good shows teach us something new. They broaden our worldview, give us fun facts to share with others, or keep us updated on the latest news and pop culture.
Think about all the shows you listen to on a weekly basis. Most comedy, news, crime, or fictional dramas fulfill these two conditions. I listen to several sports podcasts every week because I learn the latest sports news, and each host’s unique perspective gives me context, which enriches my understanding even further. These shows are entertaining too, or I wouldn’t waste my time. Shows like The Herd, Outkick the Coverage, or Pardon My Take are good examples. The same goes for top comedy shows that discuss news or pop culture — Bill Burr’s podcast, the Flagrant 2, or Call Her Daddy.
Then you have shows like Serial, Dr. Death, or fictional stories like Tanis. In either case, you’re being led through a story — real or imagined — and you learn interesting things about solving crimes or, in the case of Tanis, the world of conspiracy, mysticism and the occult.
So far we’ve covered the two attributes that most of the chart-topping shows have in common. But many of them don’t share the third ingredient — the one that is most applicable to you, the aspiring showmaker.
Stellar shows are inspirational.
Providing inspiration to your audience is key. It is a weapon in your arsenal that the big boys and girls can’t easily replicate. Bigger shows appeal to a broader audience, so it’s difficult for them to tailor all their content to one kind of person. Leveraging inspiration will give you a higher likelihood of success, even if you have a small niche audience.
In this context, “inspirational” means the show speaks to who you are and who you want to become. It speaks to that innate part of you that wants to manifest outwardly and impact the world. To be inspirational means speaking to a certain type of person with specific interests and dreams. It necessitates filtering out most of the general listenership. This is why it’s difficult (but not impossible) for a mainstream show to be inspirational.
A stellar podcast speaks to your soul. After listening to one episode, you’re ready to join the Facebook group or buy the online course. These shows usually have some sort of community around them.
Seth Godin’s Akimbo podcast nails all three criteria for me personally. His weekly 30-ish minute episodes speak directly to creatives who are self-employed or entrepreneurial. In each episode, he interweaves story (entertainment), business lessons (education), and examples of success (inspiration). Seth also offers online communities and courses.
Even certain episodes of the Tim Ferriss Show, Brene Brown, or Joe Rogan can be stellar when the guest appeals directly to you, but it’s difficult for them to inspire one specific type of person with every episode they produce. This is why they rotate the kinds of guests they interview.
Stellar podcasts create connection
When a show embodies all three qualities, the by-product is connection. As showmakers, it is our job to create this kind of belonging for our listeners. We make shows for people like us because it’s the only kind of person we truly understand. When we do, we have a group of raving fans that will share you with other like-minded people, and a movement is born.
My podcast is for aspiring showmakers who want to work for themselves, be the face of their brand, and make a living off their show — either directly or indirectly. If this sounds like you, join the community.
Common life experiences also create connection
Your stellar show doesn’t always have to be for a certain type of person with a certain set of goals or dreams. It can be for someone who is going through a specific and relatable life experience: a quarter- or mid-life crisis, planning a wedding, dealing with divorce, raising their first child, or preparing for their first solo backpacking expedition. In any case, combining a specific type of person with a specific life experience creates a remarkable show that gains traction.
For example, raising your first kid while living as an ex-pat in Asia, solo backpacking through Europe in your 20s, planning a destination wedding on a budget, or going through a quarter-life crisis as a corporate worker who wants to strike out on their own. If you’re in one of these groups and you come across this show, you won’t be able to resist listening. And if it’s entertaining and has useful knowledge, you’ll keep coming back for more.
The bottom line
A stellar show doesn’t require a big advertising budget, a huge audience, or even expensive production equipment. Just be interesting, provide useful information, and speak to people like you who have similar hopes and dreams (or are going through the same life experience). Put your show in front of them and they spread the word like wildfire.
