Choosing the right niche is critical for your podcast's success. If you're considering starting a podcast, the thought of narrowing your focus might seem limiting. I understand the fear of running out of things to say or getting bored.
In this episode, we demystify the power of a niche and how it can transform your podcast from forgettable to memorable. My name is Jamie Kennedy, and I’m the executive podcast producer at Brave Moon Podcasts, where I help health and fitness professionals build successful podcasts from home.
A defined podcast niche helps you attract a loyal audience, as podcasts demand focused content due to listeners multitasking. I share insights on identifying your target listener and their pain points, emphasizing that a niche is a pathway to growth, not a limitation.
In this episode, we talk about…
The significance of having a podcast niche for success.
How to identify your dream listener and their struggles.
Tips for evolving your niche to stay relevant.
Transcribed Podcast Episode
You Need a Niche: How to Choose the Right Niche and Target Audience for Your Podcast
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve heard this phrase, “I don’t really want my podcast to have a niche; I just want to talk about a lot of things.” And believe me, I understand the draw. You’re multipassionate, you worry you’ll get bored easily or run out of things to say… When you’re launching your podcast, these are very real concerns.
Which is why I’m so glad you’re taking the time to listen to this episode. Because choosing the right niche for your podcast could actually be the deciding factor for your podcast’s level of success. And I couldn’t be more serious about this.
More so than any other medium, podcasts need a niche. Here’s why. Podcast listeners do not interact with podcasts the way those same people interact with other mediums, like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, etc. What sets podcasting apart is that it’s audio only, meaning that listeners listen while multi-tasking, which allows them to tune in a lot longer than they would a YouTube video, for example.
I’d say the only comparable medium would be TV shows and movies; however, a podcast is still different because it allows you to drive at the same time, cook at the same time, clean, workout, walk, go for a run… When you’re watching a TV show or movie, you can’t multitask can you? I’ll call out the elephant in the room, which is the cultural phenomenon of being on your phone and watching “inverted commas” TV at the same time.
So, back to podcasting. Unlike YouTube, where the average watching time is 2 ½ minutes, or Instagram, where the average watching time is 17 seconds, podcasting’s average listening time is 27 minutes. So what this means is your podcast listener is spending a lot more time with you. And all of that leads me to say, your podcast content better be well worth it. It better be content that the listener is excited to hear about. It better be relatable and intriguing to them personally. Which is where a strong niche comes in.
If you can niche your podcast down to something unique, you’ll become the go-to for every single person that can relate to it. They’ll bypass all the other podcasts out there and go directly to you. With a strong niche, you just went from forgettable to memorable. And that’s exactly what you want.
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, amazing wellbeing coaches and speakers, and many more.
I started this podcast to show you that creating your own podcast is entirely achievable. With just my Rode Podcaster mic and my dog Riggs at my feet, I bring you the best tools and techniques I've meticulously researched and tested, ensuring no guesswork on your part.
My goal is to set you up for podcasting success, whether you're a creator, a small business owner, or a wellness enthusiast. For a comprehensive list of the equipment and software my clients use, head to my website and grab the 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 choose the right niche for your podcast.
Did I mention this topic is so often overlooked but is absolutely critical? My mission is to help you show up, be brave, and speak up for what matters most to you. And choosing the right niche for your podcast is the first step in making that mission a reality.
If you’ve listened to me for awhile, you probably know that I harp on how unsaturated the podcasting market is. That said, just for your awareness, there are roughly 3 million podcasts out there as of 2023 when I recorded this podcast. 21% of those podcasts have posted an episode in the past 90 days. Which means 630,000 podcasts are posting episodes consistently.
Now that’s not a huge number by any means, certainly not compared to the number of YouTube channels or Instagram creators, but you’re still competing against 3 million podcasts - and so anything you can do to stand out from the beginning is going to be stellar. And a niche helps you do just that.
Selecting the right niche is like setting the compass for your podcast journey. It determines the direction your show will take, the audience it will attract, and the impact it can make.
So how do you choose the one that's perfect for you?
Well, think of it as the specific area or subject matter your podcast focuses on that appeals to a small, specialized section of the population. You need a niche because it helps you find the right listeners and the right listeners find you.
Let me just quickly squash a thought you may be having right now, which is, “I don’t want to limit myself to a niche”. I understand that and validate your concern. However, what’s amazing about a niche is that it does the exact opposite of limiting you.
By becoming an expert in a specific area, you gain greater credibility, authority, and influence. By attracting a more targeted audience, you’ll increase engagement, loyalty and a sense of strong community. A niche will give you focus and a direction, allowing you to dig deeper into a particular topic and develop a unique perspective. As a result, you can create content that is more valuable, relatable and insightful. Not to mention that by becoming known as an expert in a particular niche, you can attract attention from media outlets, influencers, and potential collaborators. In short, a niche is not a limitation, but rather a springboard for growth and success.
Your niche is composed of two things: your target audience aka dream listener and the struggle you’re helping them with. Here’s the formula I always use when helping a new podcast client come up with a niche.
The first element of the formula is your dream listener. Now this obviously depends on your industry, the size of your company, the product or service you sell, etc. But in general, I’d say for a health and fitness professional selling a service or product, you’re looking for a target audience aka dream listener with two layers of traits or characteristics. For example, women over 40. Or, men in their 30s. Or non-binary people in USA. Etc. You should always choose your dream listener based on research, ensuring that the size of your population is big enough to support the podcast community you want to build. So for example, I’m not going to make my niche, “Overcome IBS pain for women named Katie.” Feels a little silly to say out loud, plus that population is ridiculously small. But it wouldn’t be farfetched for me to say, “Overcome IBS pain for women over 40” right?
The second part of your niche is honing in on your dream listener’s main pain point or daily struggle. Something they want to overcome and your podcast can help them get there]. Things like overcoming IBS pain, weight loss struggles, muscle building, the sky’s the limit. We as humans are knowing to face quite a few struggles in this life. And y our goal is to find a away to help your dream listener with at least one of them.
You have to understand your dream listener’s interests, pain points, daily struggles and what they hope to overcome, in order for your podcast to meet them where they’re at, and become the solution they need. Remember… even the most lighthearted of podcasts are solving a problem for a person - either by simply entertaining them on their journey, giving them insight into a topic that fascinates them ie giving them endorphins they need, or by actually educating them on how to solve a pain point in their life. Every podcast should be able to have a niche.
Now that you’ve learned about the two elements that make up a niche, let’s dive into what your niche should be.
First and foremost, your podcast niche should be something you're passionate about. Consider your interests, hobbies, and expertise. What topics make you excited, curious, or even a bit obsessed? These are often the best places to start. Here’s a fun fact: you do not need to choose a niche that you are educated in. If you are very passionate about a subject and have a lot to learn about it, you can absolutely choose an interview-style podcast and help yourself and others learn about a niche at the exact same time. This works on so many levels, because you will ask the right questions that your listeners are curious about as well. Versus an expert interviewing an expert can sometimes get quite convoluted for a novice podcast listener!
Let’s come up with examples…
Let’s say you’re a personal trainer who loves helping people get in shape. Do you already have a dream listener in mind? If not, consider who you love to train the most. So your niche could become, “Get back to fit safely for postnatal women.” Or “Help build muscle for busy working professionals in America.”
Or, let’s say you’re a nutritionist and you love helping people eat well. Who do you like to help the most? So your niche could be, “Mastering healthy eating habits for men after 40”, or “Healthy eating habits for busy Moms.”
Once you’ve come up with a few ideas for you niche, you should take a look at statistics and trends happening in that area. I highly recommend checking out Google Gemini or Google Trends websites and asking Google for top volume searches within your niche. After all, you want to make sure that you’ve chosen a niche that people are searching for! This can also help you stumble on gaps that your podcast can fill.
Seeing a trending topic like college dorm meal recipes? Why not consider targeting college freshmen and helping them with nutritious meal plans they can make from their dorm room.
To find gaps, jump on the top podcast listening apps - like Spotify and Apple Podcasts - and search for your niche. What pops up? What’s not there already? This is where you’ll find your unique perspective and present your podcast in a way that will become very memorable to your dream listener.
Believe me, I know how intimidating market research can feel. But using Google Gemini and Google Trends should help simplify the process for you. And ultimately, validating your niche and finding those gaps in the current podcast space could very well define the difference between having a successful podcast and a not so successful one.
If you’re ready to take your brainstorming a bit deeper, and actually take these new lessons to the drawing board to come up with your niche, I have a brainstorming exercise that I think will prove useful to you. It also helps you with ideas for your podcast name! Find the link in my show notes.
Once you’ve solidified your niche, you’re ready to create episode topics and content that resonate with your dream listener. Something important to consider is that you never actually have to say your niche out loud to your listeners, unless you want to of course. Instead, you can use your niche as a tool to clarify how you speak to your dream listener.
For example, let’s say your podcast niche is “Healthy eating habits for busy Moms”. So in your main podcast description, you probably won’t say those exact words. Instead, you would say something like, “Tired of eating your toddler’s leftover mac ‘n cheese for dinner every night?” This is a great hook that’s extremely relatable and speaks directly to a busy Mom! Because they’ve probably experienced that exact scenario. That doesn’t mean you can’t say the niche in your podcast description, especially if it’s something you think your dream listener will love to hear. You could always continue the episode description to say, “Hi, I’m so-and-so, and I help busy mums develop healthier eating habits.” I pretty much just stated my niche but in slightly different words.
Now here’s 5 hacks to choosing the right niche for your podcast.
Hack #1
Your niche can, and should, evolve. As your audience grows, so will the different personalities and traits tuning in. That’s a nice progression to experience! So as you gain a deeper understanding of your audience through paying attention to your podcast analytics, you can adapt your content to meet their needs and interests. This will allow you to continue to provide value and stay relevant, while also keeping your content fresh and engaging. So don't be afraid to experiment and explore new ideas within your niche. The more you learn about your audience, the better equipped you will be to create content that resonates with them.
Hack #2
Harness the power of your past experiences. What have you been through in life that has shaped who you are today? What unique perspectives or insights can you share as a result of your experiences? By drawing on your own personal journey, you can identify niches that are both meaningful to you and likely to resonate with others. Remember, you can be your own dream listener! If you struggled with weight in your 20s, why not target people in their 20s who want to overcome weight issues the way you did?
Hack #3
I always say you should start an email list for your podcast, right? And the best way to do that is with a lead magnet that gives people a reason to give you their email address. So this hack is all about creating a lead magnet resource that meet your niche’s exact need. For example, for healthy meal plans for busy moms, you could create a lead magnet recipe guide called, “20 healthy meals under 10 minutes.” This lead magnet will attract your target audience who you can turn into your podcast listeners. Win, win!
Hack #4
Unsure what your niche is? Reach out to your current audience on social media, in person or email. This audience could be your clients or followers - and ask them to vote on their top pain point or struggle they face. You’ll see a pattern emerge which will help you decide on your niche.
Hack #5
Think outside the box. Don't be afraid to come up with unique and unconventional niche ideas. The most successful podcasts are often the ones that are different from anything else out there - or deep dive into something so interesting and specific - like the love of a show like Gilmore Girls or a specific diet like the Keto Diet or something. Don't be afraid to be creative and think outside the box.
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!
Are you ready to find your podcast niche and launch your show successfully?
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Happy podcasting!
