How to Generate Content Ideas for Your Podcast
Get rid of podcaster’s block for good
Are you getting podcaster’s block?
It’s really a thing and can be more common than you think!
When I first launched my podcast, I went through guest droughts. I tied to fill in the gaps with solo episodes but found myself struggling to develop ideas for content that could last at least ten minutes or more.
When we start podcasts, we have all these great ideas about what we want to talk about, but as our episode count creeps higher, we can get stuck with what to talk about next.
Over the last few years, I found a few methods that helped me generate content for podcasts. Here are five that are particularly helpful:
Poll your audience
Our podcasts aren’t for us but are for our audience. So why not ask them what they want to hear?
When you know your target audience well enough, you might have an idea of the topics they’re interested in, but we want to produce content that resonates with them. The best way to do that is to go directly to them.
Here are a few methods for polling your audience:
Use the Q&A or poll feature on Instagram stories
Create a simple survey through Google Forms or Typeform and either email it or post it to your Facebook page
Include a question form on your podcast website
Add a CTA to your episodes for your audience to email you topics they want to learn more about
Asking your audience to submit questions or topics they want to learn more about will keep them actively engaged and coming back for more.
Keep a list of client questions
Your clients tell you what they need help with or want to learn more about through your discovery or coaching calls, so why not take some of those points and use them on your podcast?
As you go through discovery calls and coaching calls, keep track of the questions your clients ask. Take note of their pain points and how you help resolve them.
People on the streets may also ask you questions about your profession, topic, or niche. When I tell someone I’m a podcast manager and launch consultant, they usually ask questions about starting a podcast, the equipment I use, whether or not I record in a studio, and how to grow a podcast audience.
I take those questions, turn them into blog articles, and use them in an upcoming podcast about podcasting.
Lead, client, and personal interactions are a goldmine for content ideas, so take note when you catch a question or issue!
Search your topic on Answer the Public
Answer the Public is a fun website to browse and brainstorm content ideas.
Search your podcast topic or niche or an idea you may want to refine. Answer the Public then searches autocomplete data from sites like Google to provide questions or phrases people ask around that topic. If people are asking it, they want to know more about it.
For example, if I search “podcast content,” I’ll receive results like:
How to plan podcast content
How to write podcast content
How to organize podcast content
Over time you’ll learn the sweet spot of not being too broad or too narrow with your search phrase (podcast content ideas generated 0 results when I searched).
Browse Quora
Quora, short for Question or Answer, is a platform where users ask questions and other users provide the answer. Sometimes it feels like the platform has a lot of noise, but you can still draw nuggets of ideas.
People ask about nearly everything from recommendations to how to do something. While the people asking the questions might not be in your target market, like Answer the Public, Quora can be a great place to brainstorm content ideas.
When I log into Quora to generate content ideas, I open a Google Doc or grab a pen and paper and write down all the questions relevant to my podcast or area of interest. After I finish, I go back through my document and mark which questions I can answer on the podcast or through an article.
Take some of the questions and answers with a grain of salt (it’s an open platform after all), but it can certainly help get the creative juices flowing.
Search Facebook groups
Active Facebook groups in your topic or niche are another great way to source content ideas for your podcast episodes. Moderators post questions to engage with the group, and members will often post questions looking for advice or help.
Make sure to join groups with varying topics around your profession or niche to expand your ideas beyond one specific subject matter. Though I’m a podcast manager, I’m in the following groups:
Podcast editors
Virtual assistants
Entrepreneurs
Medium writers
Digital nomads
Marketing for entrepreneurs
Investing and finances
Once you join a group, be sure to adhere to their rules regarding posting content or promoting yourself. I find I get the most out of these groups by answering questions and using the search function with specific keywords to find particular questions.
If you’re in active groups with your target market or ideal customer avatar, you can generate content ideas that speak directly to them. And who knows, when it comes to a moderated promo day, you might be able to pick up a few podcast listeners or clients!
Final Thoughts
Drawing a blank when you’re content planning or getting ready to record is one of the worst feelings for a podcaster. You want to share your message, but what message is that?
Using these five methods to generate content, I can put together strong content that resonates with my audience. To ban podcaster’s block, try:
Polling your audience
Keeping a list of client questions
Searching your topic on Answer the Public
Browsing Quora
Searching Facebook groups
Ready to start your podcast but need some guidance? Download my FREE DIY Your Podcast Roadmap and get ready to launch!
**Originally posted to Medium.com