Coming up with an idea for a podcast can be very difficult, especially if you have many competing interests. What can you say that is unique to you? The best topics are those that come from deep love and care.
How do you start a podcast? You should consider your passions, hobbies, and desires. Since you can talk about this topic for years, choose one that means something to you.
- Identify your hobbies. What do you enjoy doing in your free time? What can you talk about for hours? What do you read books or listen to podcasts about? What are your hobbies? Think of anything that drives you or that you have a passionate interest in and write it down. Even if these ideas seem ridiculous or like something you would never do a podcast about, put them on the list;
- Define your expertise. A list of everything you do well is the best way to how to create your podcast. For example, you’re good at public speaking, great at teaching or entertaining people, great with kids, know a lot about a certain topic, an interesting interviewer, etc. Think about what people are always asking you. Maybe you are often asked to talk about crochet patterns or asked to do a natal chart? Or maybe you’re allergic to certain foods and are asked for advice on what you can cook from a list of allowed foods? It’s easy to underestimate your knowledge when something comes easy to you. But if people ask you questions, it’s usually a good sign that you have knowledge worth sharing. It’s pretty hard to define your expertise if it’s related to something you’re not getting paid for, so try to think broadly;
- Find the place where your passion and experience intersect. Finding this combination will be the perfect point for your podcast idea because you’ll have the knowledge to deliver content and the passion to keep doing it for a long period of time;
- Pick your top three podcast ideas and come up with content. Write each of the ideas on a separate piece of paper. For example, interview a well-known blogger in town or share recipes for natural dog food. For each podcast, write as many topic ideas as you can. If you get to 10 or 20, then – great idea. If you’re struggling to come up with two, that’s a sign that the idea has no foundation. This approach will show you where content opportunities lie and which ideas aren’t as alive as you thought;
- Think about what your audience wants. Ask friends and family about topics they’d like to know more about. Scour online forums and social media for hot topics not already discussed on podcasts. Listen to the people around you to find ideas that may be popular among your peers. Not only will this bring you closer to your audience and give them exactly what they’re asking for, but it also shifts some of the work of idea generation to them.