contactEveryone has a different creative hobby that appeals to them. Some people paint, others write, and others create podcasts. Are you considering launching your own podcast. Before you do so, you'll have to choose a podcast niche, which is a specialized topic or genre that your project will cover.
This article will tell you everything you know to choose your own podcast niche.
Why Do You Need a Podcast Niche?
You may wonder why choosing a podcast niche is the first step to how to start a podcast. Do you even need it?
It's common to think that you can go into podcasting with a general topic, and build your specialization from there. You may consider that it would be easier to appeal to more people.
However, if you don't already have a following, a general podcast will not stand out. You won't have a unique selling point for your audiences, whereas a niche will show that you have greater expertise and deeper knowledge of a certain topic. People who are curious about the subject will then listen to your podcast knowing you have something insightful to share.
Steps to Finding a Podcast Niche
Finding a podcast niche is easier said than done. If you are a person who has a lot of interests, this may be a particularly difficult decision. These are some steps you can apply to find your chosen genre.
1. Pick a Subject You Love
Before you consider anything else, think about what you truly enjoy. Maintaining a podcast can be difficult and time-consuming, so you will have to make sure you will choose something that you will be happy about spending time working on.
It may be tempting to choose a particularly successful niche, but if you don't have any interest in it, you may end up abandoning the project halfway. Know that you are in the podcast project for the long haul, so find something you are genuinely passionate about.
2. Concentrate on Your Strengths
If you have more than one interest area (or are not particularly passionate about anything), the next step is to consider what your strengths are. Maybe you took a Bachelor's Degree in History and have never had a chance to apply your knowledge at work. You can start a podcast that dives into the history of a certain region and explain why it may impact current political developments.
Choosing something that you are already somewhat knowledgeable about will make the research process a lot easier and more enjoyable.
3. Select a Topic That People Will Enjoy
A podcast is not just about what you want to talk about; it's also about what people want to listen to. The best podcasts out there understand their intended audience and know what their listeners want to know.
What happens if you have a niche that you truly enjoy, but you don't think anyone wants to listen to it? Unfortunately, you'll have to give this idea a hard pass. You'll have to reach a balance between talking about something you love and choosing a niche that has a sizable audience.
This is an especially important point if you want to monetize your podcast somewhere along the road.
4. Avoid Niches With Too Much Competition
Some niches are just saturated with competition. If this is the case, it may be harder for you to establish your uniqueness and will mean you have to work harder to succeed.
If you do want to go with a famous niche, you'll have to consider whether to narrow it down, or consider how you can add something new to the table. For instance, if you want to do a true crime podcast, you can focus on unsolved mysteries across the globe instead of on every single interesting crime case.
The way you can settle on your own unique take to a popular niche is to first understand your competition. Go through their podcasts and see what they do well, and which areas they don't adequately cover. If you find that there is a space for you to enter the market through this, it will sharpen the focus of your niche.
Otherwise, you will know early on that it will be nearly impossible to reach a greater audience, and you can choose a different podcast niche.
5. Consider How You Can Broaden the Topic in the Future
While it's great to focus on something narrow now, you may come to a point in the future when you don't know what else to talk about. This is why, when you choose a podcast niche, it's also important to consider how you may broaden the topic in a few years' time. Otherwise, you may end up with a podcast that just keeps getting less exciting for your audiences.
You can think about this along the way as well. When you carry out the podcast, you can begin to understand the sort of content that your followers enjoy. This will provide you with more ideas to diversify the focus.
Choosing a Podcast Niche
It's an exciting thing to start a podcast project! Before you do so, though, make sure you take the time to choose a podcast niche. This is not something to take lightly, because you will have to stick with the niche for a very long time.
Consider the subjects you love and have expertise in, but also think about what your audience will enjoy. Make sure you understand the overall competition and how you can keep your podcast going in the long run.
