The One About Niches

Today, we’re talking about niches. But buckle up! This may get controversial…

Any time you meet someone and discover they’re a podcaster, what’s your go-to follow-up question? For me, it's, “That’s amazing! What is your podcast about?”

Now, I’m going to be real honest with you, I get a little twitchy anytime someone responds with, “Oh, it’s for everyone.”

Because while that does sound like a pretty great thing in theory, in practice, it rarely is.

Obviously, I don’t say that to the person I just met...but I do think it.

I think about it so much that I have to write about it, so now, here we are.

We’re digging into niches.

We talk about niches A LOT in the podcasting space. One of the first pieces of advice we dish out to newbie or wannabe podcasters is, “Find your niche.”

But the thing about niches is that getting them right is tricky. And this is because we often confuse ‘topic’ with ‘niche’.

Your topic is that broad, general subject that your podcast focuses on. Your niche is that very specific area of that topic that your podcast deals with.

So, how then do you find your niche…

There are lots of great strategies out there, but today, I want to focus on a strategy that may be a little controversial, but is very specific.

Very niche you might say 😉...

Defining Your Anti-Listener

Wait?! What’s an anti-listener? While I may or may not have made up that word, the reasoning behind it is not.

As almost anyone who shares in the podcasting space will tell you, as you prepare to launch your podcast, you need to define your target audience. And they’re not wrong. You should have a very clear, very specific understanding of who your ideal listener is.

But I want to propose that if you’re really looking to zero in on your podcast niche, you need to also clearly define who your ideal listener is not.

Because the real thing about niches…the part that we don’t really talk about…is that if you do really want to hone in on your unique niche, then there are going to be tons of people who your podcast is now NOT going to be for.

And that’s okay. Actually, that’s great! Because by offering content that is very specific, and knowing who you are - and who you are not - appealing to, you will attract a specific, dedicated audience who will LOVE what you do.

And it’s here where the podcast magic happens. Because those are the listeners who will become part of your loyal podcast community. They’re the ones who are going to be constantly talking about your show with their friends, and they’re the ones who will share it far and wide.

The hard truth? You’re probably not going to get there if you keep making a podcast that’s “for everyone.”

So dig deep, niche down, and get specific! Create a podcast your target audience will LOVE.

- Jennay

PS. And, if you're looking for a little inspo when it comes to your unique podcast topic, check out this post. 👇 In it, we compiled 10 unique podcast topics that could help set you apart as you set out on your podcasting journey.

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Behind the Scenes...and Beyond the Mic

Another exciting episode of Business Beyond the Mic went live this week! This week, Carli sat down with Kristi Bridges. Kristi is the President and CEO of The Sawtooth Group. She’s a speaker, consultant, strategist, and host of The Irresistible Factor Podcast, a show that focuses on brands in the health and wellness space that want to become irresistible to consumers, investors, and retailers.

During their conversation, Kristi opens up about her podcasting journey, and how she's created an incredible platform for honest conversations. And, amongst so many great takeaways, what ignited her passion for building a community centered on connection, where her guests can connect organically.

Check out the full episode here: Creating a Platform for Honest Conversations with Kristi Bridges. 🎧

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Links Worth A Look...

• News from Spotify for Podcasters: the platform has launched a new Get ready for 2023 Wrapped microsite to help podcasters take part in the annual phenomenon. 🎧
• Fresh signs on the dotted line ✍️: PodcastOne Signs Multiyear Extension of Top Performing Podcasts LadyGang, Gals on the Go, and Melissa Gorga On Display.
• Congratulations to all the winners of the Independent Podcast Awards! 🏆Podnews has compiled a list of the winners.

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Founder's Corner

While on the topic of finding your podcast "niche", I wanted to dive into a term I heard someone use recently:

► personal niche 💡

Often times we confuse the terms personal brand and content creator. The difference?

►A personal brand is something you build when you are trying to further your career, grow your network, share your journey, and find new opportunities.

►A content creator is someone who is trying to become known for a specific topic or expertise with the goal of monetization.

Now, what if you are both?

Enter.... personal niche! An intersection of the personal brand and content creator.

Time and again we are told to be authentic and vulnerable because that is where the ✨magic✨ happens. But what does that actually look like?

When you establish a personal niche you are able to build your credibility and expertise on a specific topic, while also being authentic, relatable and... human!

And that is what you call the sweet spot for you and your podcast! 🎙🎙

While the "expert" topics you put out to your audience should still take up the bulk of your content, when you infuse what makes you human into that, it will allow for a deeper connection to your audience and enable your podcast to stand out among the others.

If you've been around here, you know that I talk a lot about why putting out valuable content matters now more than ever.

Truth? With the shift in the way people are consuming content and the rapid development of AI, positioning yourself as an expert while ALSO connecting on a deeper, more personal level will allow you to build real community.

Let's say it again... a personal niche.

A few weeks ago we discussed the benefit of a content flywheel and how it can help you build momentum when creating content.

When it comes to building your personal niche, another valuable tool in your content creation belt is the 4E framework, which can be easily adapted to your podcast.

The 4E's for creating your podcast content include: educate, engage, entertain, and empower.

Now let's briefly dig into what that looks like.

Educate

This is the section of your content where you talk about your topic of expertise. This often includes specific skills you have, what people come to you for advice on, or simply a topic that you can speak about at length.

The core? What your podcast was truly created for.

Engage

This is the content that encourages your audience to engage and truly join the conversation through active participation. Whether this is signing up for a course, subscribing to a newsletter, or even joining your community.

Remember… An audience watches, but a community engages.

Entertain

This involves the more “human” aspect of the content that you put out and can include things like behind-the-scenes, and real problems that you’ve had to overcome, so simply a "day in the life of" that you can share with your audience.

Note: allow yourself to connect on a deeper level with your audience while also respecting the boundaries that you’ve set for yourself.

Empower

This is where you dig deep, giving your audience real, actionable steps that they can implement in their own lives today to get the results you talk about.

The goal? To empower your audience to find their own success by using your tried and true methods for success within your specific niche.

As you continue on this journey of continuing to create valuable content for your podcast and building your personal brand, remember your personal niche!

► Work through the 4E framework

► Adapt it to your podcast.

► And just keep going!

Some episodes will truly resonate and others may fall flat. But keep showing up for your listeners!

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Before we go...

We obviously love Friends here at The Podcast Playbook - our subject lines alone give that away. The world lost an icon this week...and we feel like we lost a friend. 💔

Farewell, Matthew Perry, thanks for the laughs, the love...and for being our friend! 😢

Until next week...

The Team at We Edit Podcasts

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