Creating a deeper connection with your podcast listeners is key to retaining and growing your audience.
If you haven't read my previous article about Why You're Alienating Your Listener, take a moment to read it first.
Hi, I'm Jamie Kennedy, the Executive Podcast Producer at Brave Moon Podcasts. In this episode, I explore the critical importance of connecting intimately with my podcast listeners.
With 88% of podcast listeners tuning in alone and dedicating an average of 27 minutes per episode, I recognise the need to create a sense of intimacy to foster loyalty. I share some of my personal struggles and emphasise that listeners crave authenticity over perfection.
By addressing each listener as an individual and avoiding alienating habits, I aim to deepen those connections. I also highlight five practical hacks that can enhance listener engagement, including maintaining a consistent publishing schedule and speaking from the heart. Tune in to learn how to cultivate a loyal audience and enrich your podcasting journey.
In this episode, we talk about…
The significance of creating intimacy with podcast listeners.
How to avoid alienating your audience through language and content.
Five effective hacks to enhance listener engagement and connection.
Transcribed Podcast Episode
88% of podcast listeners tune into podcasts when they're alone.
And the average podcast listener is loyal to 8 shows a week and listens to a majority of every episode they listen to, no matter the episode length.
So what does this teach us?
Competition for attention is fierce on other content channels like Instagram, Facebook, etc., where the average engagement length is 20 seconds.
But a podcast listener devotes an average of 27 minutes or longer to each podcast episode. And unlike a TV show or Instagram that numbs the mind, a podcast is a conversation that stimulates instead.
A podcast accompanies us in our daily activities (commuting, cooking, working out or taking a walk).
This creates an intimacy unparalleled by anything else we know today.
And guess what? The listener craves that intimacy.
In fact, in one study conducted in 2020, 66% of podcast listeners said that listening to podcasts made them feel less lonely.
Therefore, you should do everything humanly possible to create that intimacy the listener desires. Because if you don't, there are many other podcasts that a listener might devote their time to instead.
This is why you, as the podcast host, must do everything you can to stop alienating your listeners and instead, start connecting with your listeners.
Thank you for joining me today. I'm Jamie Kennedy, Executive Podcast Producer at Brave Moon Podcasts. We’ve produced podcasts for Virgin Active health clubs, Functional Training Institute, wellbeing coaches and speakers, and many more.
I started this podcast to show you that creating your own podcast from home is entirely achievable. No, really. I’m recording and editing this podcast, my very first solo podcast, from the comfort of my home, with my Rode Podcaster mic, my trusty MacBook, and my dog Riggs at my feet.
My goal is to share everything I’m learning from this podcast, that will ultimately help you produce your own podcast. Plus I’m including all the insider secrets I’ve learned along the way being a podcast producer for some of the top health and fitness brands on the charts today.
So whether you're a small business owner, health and fitness professional or a wellness enthusiast looking to boost your brand through podcasting, this podcast is for you.
For a comprehensive list of the equipment and software my clients use, head to my website and grab my free Start-a-Podcast guide. I've condensed months of research into this guide, offering you the industry's best choices. Download it today; the link is in the show notes!
Now, let’s jump into it: how to connect better to your audience.
When you’re thinking about connecting with your audience, you might feel the desire to assure your listeners of your status. You might feel that you need to somehow validate your skills or popularity. It's our natural instinct to look desirable.
So it can be a tough pill to swallow when you discover the fastest way to grow is by… eliminating all of those natural instincts.
The new way to show up is to focus on authenticity and speaking from the heart. Podcast listeners want you to share your hardships and challenging days.
Listeners don't want perfect; they want normal.
They want to know they're not alone in their thoughts, desires and beliefs. They want a podcast that "gets them". They want to know your quirks. Your deepest desires. Your struggles. All of it.
Okay, I know what you’re wondering about right now. What are YOUR quirks, Jamie? What are your deepest desires and struggles?
I’m not going to go into too much of a tangent here, but I think it’s important, in the spirit of this topic, to share something with you about me. I won’t get too off track here, I promise. But I will share this.
I have spent most of my life feeling I’m not smart enough. I wanted to be a lawyer when I was a kid, but I squashed that idea when I got my first B. I mean, it wasn’t the B that did it; I think it was deeply engraved in me that I somehow wasn’t smart enough. Whether nature or nurture, on the playground or at home, I started to believe that I wasn’t smart enough to be a lawyer - or be in a quote/unquote smart career. I honestly think that’s why I’ve chosen such an unconventional career path, often trying on new career hats to see which one fits best.
To this day, I admit, I have a lot of moments where I realize on reflection that I was being defensive or preserving my self-image, simply because I didn’t want to look, for lack of a better word, stupid. I’d like to share here that it’s a struggle I’ve overcome, but the truth is I’m still in the throes of it.
Some days I feel like an imposter, sharing with you everything I know about podcasting. Not because I don’t believe that I know a lot about podcasting, but because I’m afraid that someone out there knows it way better than me.
Phew. There you have it. [Big breath.] I think when we share our struggles with each other, we find spaces where we can heal together. If you can relate at all, I invite you to send me a DM. One thing about podcasting is it can get a bit lonely on this side of mic, unsure of the full effect you’re having, so please feel free to share your own experiences and if you can relate. I’d love to hear about it.
And I promised you I wouldn’t get too off-track here, so I’m putting us back on the rails.
So, yes, introducing your quirks, struggles and flaws is a wonderful way to connect with your audience.
Now let's talk about the ways you might be alienating your listener without realising it.
You should start saying 'Listener' instead of 'Listeners' plural. It feels natural to say 'listeners' and other plural nouns like "you guys". And I'm sure you've heard it countless times on podcasts before.
But that doesn't mean it's the right wording.
A listener who is alone subconsciously believes they are having an intimate experience with you, the host.
When you use the word 'listeners', a listener will detach for a moment from the story and pull away. Anything you can do to keep a listener engaged is best. So try switching the singular nouns, such as 'listener' and 'you'.
Don't be afraid to get intimate and speak as if it's only you and the listener. "Hey, it's you and me here, chatting about [insert podcast subject]."
Another way you might be alienating your listener is if you’re posting a live session without giving context. What I mean by live session is that you either recorded a live event, such as at a conference, or interviewed someone on social media live, for example.
I love multipurpose content as much as any good content creator does. But a prerecorded "live" session will turn off a listener, especially without context.
Therefore, it is my recommendation that you do not use live sessions as podcast episodes at all.
So if you can re record content specifically for your podcast, that's best. But I completely understand that's not always possible. Sometimes the content is too good to pass. A perfect example of this is when you have a special guest that was at a live event.
If you decide to use a live session as a podcast, then start the podcast episode with an introduction. Explain what's coming and why it's essential to include the live session in your episode.
Finish with an outro summarising takeaways from the live session. Watch your listener retention rate increase after you provide more intimate context.
Another way you might be alienating your listener is by alienating a certain gender, age or personal belief as someone who shouldn't listen to your podcast.
Ouch. Nothing hurts a listener more than falling in love with a podcast and then discovering the host doesn't think you're the one listening.
Every podcast should indeed know who its target audience is. And you can speak to your target audience, absolutely. But unless you're from a polarising group that must define their audience as separate from others, don't single out a person different from your target audience. It is the fastest way to lose a loyal listener.
One other simple way you may be alienating your listener without realizing it is by discussing the day, time and weather of a singular place.
See, you record your podcast in one location, but you may have a listener tuning in from across the globe.
Incredible, right? We can post an episode that anyone in the world can listen to. But it's never a good idea to speak about your environment as if all listeners are experiencing the same. For example, don't start an episode with "Good morning." unless your podcast is literally called, “Good morning” or the podcast should be listened to in the morning, like a morning meditation or something.
Other than that case, identifying your time of day, the listener will immediately feel alienated if they're listening to your episode at any other time of day. It's okay to call out the rainy weather you're having, but remember to counter that with how the listener might experience something different.
An example could be, "We've had the worst rain here in Sydney this week, so I hope it's sunnier where you're listening from. If not, at least we can commiserate together under rain clouds!"
Remove these alienating habits and begin to see improvements in your listener loyalty.
Now I'll share five hacks you can work toward creating connection and intimacy with your podcast listeners.
Hack #1
Be consistent with your publishing schedule. A listener wants to rely on your podcast like a friend. So, like two friends who grab a coffee on a Tuesday morning, publish your episode at the same time every week. Your listener will start to build your new episode into their weekly or biweekly routine. This consistency creates an unspoken agreement between your listener and your podcast. That's huge.
Hack #2
Solve problems and entertain. Your podcast is not about your brand or services. Your podcast is about the problems your brand solves. Think of your target audience and imagine a problem that the listener might be having. For example, if you're a personal trainer for women in their 40s, what issues do they face? Does your listener have trouble prioritising the gym with her kid's schedule? Work toward solving that problem in your episode. If you’re struggling to come up with your dream listener’s biggest struggles, check out my podcast niche brainstorming worksheet. It’s free to download and will help you to generate ideas and come with ideas about your target audience. Link in show notes.
Hack #3
Give your listener a nickname. One simple technique that works well is establishing an endearment term for your audience. Instead of saying, "Hey guys", or "Hey podcast listeners", come up with a new (singular) identifier. A couple of examples are, "Hello dear one," "Hi pod friend, or "Hey mate." These are singular terms of endearment that help a listener feel connected with you.
Hack #4
Include a review, testimonial or voicemail from a listener. This simple act drops the curtain between the host and the audience. It lets the listener be more than just a listener. A great example of a podcast doing this well is the Shameless podcast based in Australia. Each week, they feature a voicemail from a listener sharing their opinion about a podcast topic. It's a brilliant show of intimacy. You can use a platform like Telbee to request listeners leave voicemails. Link in show notes.
Hack #5
Speak from the heart and with authenticity. This might sound the vaguest of all my recommendations, but it is by far the most important. People love realness. They don't want to hear how perfect your life is or how easy it is to do big things. Instead, they want to hear your survival stories so they can learn and grow from your experience as if it was their own. So don't be afraid to share your hard truths along with your wins. If you show up with authentic opinions and advice, your listeners will look at you as trustworthy. And the more trust they have in you, the more intimate the podcast experience becomes.
And there you have it!
Thank you again so much for joining me on your podcasting journey. Don't forget to subscribe, and if you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review.
Until the next episode, keep those conversations flowing, and keep being the amazing powerhouse that you are. And as always, remember that consistency, authenticity, and promoting your podcast are key to your success!
If you'd love to learn more about how we at Brave Moon Podcasts can help your podcast grow, reach out today. We look forward to hearing from you!
Ready to boost your podcast's audience and connect with listeners? Download the "Podcast Launch" guide now for expert tips and watch your podcast thrive! Click here to get started.
Happy podcasting.
