There’s a lot to gain and little to lose from starting a business podcast. But beyond grasping how podcasting works, the benefits, and some common podcasting for business pitfalls to avoid, you need to have an identity to succeed. Knowing the genre and type of podcast you’d like to explore is a step in the right direction—but you must go further.
What is your podcast niche?
Who is your ideal listener?
It’s easy and quite common to assume broader is better; that you can pick a general podcast topic/theme and run with it. Perhaps with the belief that you’ll get to appeal to more people. Sure, maybe this is possible in a perfect world where all your stars align with microscopic precision. Not to be pessimistic, but you can’t be everything to everyone in the real world.
This post is the 4th in a series of “Podcasting Mastered” chapters designed to help you launch and grow an enterprise lead-generating podcast.
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“Only someone wishing to disappear would ever strive to ‘fit in’.”
Knowing and targeting the right audience is an essential factor to the success of your podcast. You can’t afford to lean on a vague podcasting approach, whether you already have a show running or this is your first rodeo at podcasting for business.
So, how do you find your niche?
Here’s more on why you need a podcast niche, finding your ideal listener, some podcast niche ideas, and how to choose the best niche for your B2B podcast.
Why is a Niche Podcast Important?
Did you know that there are around 2.5 million podcasts out there? And according to estimates by Grand View Research, the global podcasting market is expected to experience a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 31.1% between 2021 and 2028.
These statistics give you a glimpse of the level of competition that is out there. With millions of brands trying to carve a space out for themselves, you need to set your show apart—and this is where niche podcasts come in.
A key part of learning how to start a B2B podcast, is understanding that finding an appropriate niche is the linchpin for success.
Niching down is the process of focusing on a smaller, specialized section of a larger market. For example, let’s say you want to create a B2B podcast where you share business tips that could help listeners improve their bottom line. A good niche podcast for this subject would be something like “Business tips for eCommerce entrepreneurs.”
Here are some benefits of finding a podcast niche:
- Business podcast audiences and potential clients typically want assurance that you understand the subtle nuances in their industry. A niche podcast is one way to win them over.
- Focusing on a niche saves you time, effort, and money.
- Cut the amount of competition on your path—giving you better odds of standing out.
- Gives you an opportunity to establish yourself as an authority.
- Helps you more easily define your content.
- Exploring a well-defined topic provides listeners with compelling information and allows you to connect with them.
- Allows you to attract the right audience for improved engagement. These are people with high odds of happily sliding down your sales funnel and converting into loyal clients.
- You get to align your marketing efforts to match your ideal target client or customer.
Fun fact: $37 billion is washed down the drain every year because of failed targeting.
Takeaway: You can’t expect to build a loyal audience around your show by attempting to appeal to everyone. The only exception to this rule is if you’re a celebrity.
When you have an already established profile, YOU are the podcast niche. People are actively looking for you—and you can get away with basing your show on a general topic.
How to Choose a Podcast Niche – What Should My Podcast Be About?
The benefits of a niche podcast are clear. But how do you find your niche? You’ve got to find a topic that is narrow enough to attract and engage the right listeners but broad enough that you don’t run out of content within the first few episodes.
There are a number of factors and ideas for a podcast for you to explore. For this reason, finding the best niche for your B2B podcast can feel arduous if you don’t have a clue on where to start—but it doesn’t have to. Here are some tips to help you find your niche:
1. Look Within.
The internet is littered with countless ideas for a podcast niche. And while these podcast niche ideas are great for inspiration or as a compass to guide you on the right path, the question of “What should my podcast be about?” is subjective.
It’s easy to lean towards a niche that has earned other business podcasts a great ROI. But it’s important to understand that the best podcast niche is the one where you can bring your own special sauce to it. And one that appeals to the pain points or needs of your ideal listeners/client.
“In a crowd do not lose your individuality, and in your individuality do not lose the crowd.”
The perfect podcast niche blends what you love, what you already know, and where you want to go. Here are some questions to help you come up with a great idea for a podcast niche:
What is your business about?
What are your organization’s goals?
- Think about the insights you can bring to your B2B podcast that no one else can. What makes you different? What is that ace up your sleeve or unique angle that can make you stand out?
- What is your expertise? What do you have experience in?
- What do people or other businesses come to you for help with?
Brainstorm and write down all podcast niche ideas you think of – keeping in mind that no idea is too small or too big. You can also canvas Spotify podcasts, Apple podcasts, or any other directory to spark your creative juices and get your brain turning.
2. Define Your Target Audience – Who is Your Ideal Podcast Listener?
Who is the podcast for? And how does it address their pain points?
An effective way to develop great ideas for a podcast is to shift your attention to the listeners. Your audience is everything. The success of your business podcast is hinged on targeting the right audience and shelling out compelling content to keep them coming back for more.
You likely have a vague idea of who your ideal listener is. But ‘vague’ doesn’t cut it. You need to grasp the subtle nuances that define your listeners. Have a crystal-clear picture of who the person on the other side of the podcast is—beyond basic demographics like gender, age, and race.
Your ideal listener (or your podcast avatar) is the person you’re recording every episode for. It’s the person who needs and wants the content you’re putting out on your B2B podcast.
3. Scope Out the Competition.
Got an idea for a podcast niche? With a couple of podcast niche ideas in hand, it’s time to take a peek at the enemy camp.
Podcasting for business is a competitive industry, and it’s essential to play your cards right. You need to understand where your target audience is going and where they might go.
Scope out your major competitors and take notes on what works and what doesn’t. And don’t shy from digging deep. Listen to their podcasts to understand the format, approach, and what makes them popular. Browse their website. Follow their social media feeds. Even get on their email list.
After the reconnaissance, implement your findings into your business podcast. Think about what you can do differently to stand out. What value do you offer that similar podcasts in your niche don’t? There are 2 million podcasts out there. Why would someone pick your podcast from the horde of other B2B podcasts?
Takeaway – Giving Your Business Podcast an Identity.
Finding your podcast niche is among the easiest and most effective ways to stand out from the crowd and grow your podcast. Niche podcasts set you up on a path to success.
As discussed, it’s about leaning on your expertise and experience, identifying and targeting your ideal listener, and scoping out the competition. This is the trifecta formula to answer the question: “What should my podcast be about?”
And remember, your niche is not a straightjacket. It’s not meant to be a prison. You can tinker around and experiment with different podcast niche ideas until you find one that’s a perfect fit.
Not sure where to start with podcasting for business? Check out the “Podcasting Mastered” course to learn how to start a podcast free, and keep an eye on the next piece where we talk about picking a podcast name.
Don’t know where to begin? Well, we advise you to start by understanding the common podcasting myths and pitfalls to ensure you don’t fall into the traps that lead to so many unsuccessful podcasts.
We talk more about this in the next post of our “Podcasting Mastered” series.
