We’re barely at the end of March 2020, and the world is going crazy! The coronavirus is causing outright panic, and one after another, countries are declaring a state of emergency. As the spread continues, the number of cities and whole countries going into lockdown is set to rise. Schools are closed, workplaces are empty, with more and more people practicing social distancing and having to work from home. And while the lack of stability and the unpredictability is indeed, very scary, there are some upsides to having to stay indoors, one of which is the extra time you can put into your podcast. With the number of valid podcasts fighting for our attention clocking in at over 930,000, now is a great time to put that extra work into your show to help it stand out from the crowd. And to help you in your endeavors, we’ve put together our top tips and strategies to help you and your show get noticed amongst the plethora of podcasts vying for downloads and air time.

1. Set Clear Goals

First and foremost, if you want your podcast to achieve success, you need to set out clear goals and objectives. Without these guiding you, you will be at a loss as to where you should put your focus, and your listeners will be just as confused as you are. Right from the start, clearly establish your show’s aims – you need to set clear goals, and then you need to stick to them – your show needs to deliver what you say it will deliver. This is the first step to making your show stand out from the crowd as it will help your podcast develop a reputation for giving it’s audience what they are looking for. This, in turn, will make you reliable, ensuring that your listeners keep coming back for more.

2. Consistently Create Content

Once you’ve established your goals and objectives, our next tip is that you should go about meeting these consistently. This means putting out your episodes on a regular, consistent basis. One of the best ways to do this is to plan your publishing schedule – and then make sure you meet your deadlines! A consistent publishing schedule is one of the key, but often overlooked, ways to gain traction and momentum in the podcast industry, as well as helping you gain and build a loyal fan base. Regularly publishing your podcast episodes not only improves your show’s discoverability, as there is always content for potential listeners to discover, but it always helps get you established on podcast directories. Not only this, but it also builds your credibility and so helps build a positive buzz around your show. 

Related read: 7 Tips for Creating Great Podcast Content

3. Dominate Your Niche

One way to dominate your niche is to understand, and then accentuate, your unique qualities. This can equate to knowing your story and knowing how that differentiates you from anyone else within your niche. Remember, your story is what makes your podcast unique and it is therefore what will help connect you with your listeners. Once you understand your show’s uniqueness within your niche, you should focus on these qualities, accentuate them, and allow what makes you unique to give you boosted confidence. This confidence in your story and your place within the industry can help build and strengthen your relationship with your listeners, thus further allowing you to dominate your niche and making your show the one listeners turn to and recommend.  

4. Keep Up The Quality

Following nicely from our tip of dominating your niche, comes perhaps our most important strategy for getting your show to shine brightly amongst all the others out there – keeping up the quality.  If you want your podcast to stand out from the crowd, then it is essential that you always strive to create high-quality, valuable content. If your episodes are full of sound information, golden nuggets of wisdom, and eye-opening insights, you’ll be the first place your listeners go for answers or advice. Take great care to ensure that each and every episode you create is of high-quality and you will find that your show’s reputation will grow in leaps and bounds.

Pro Tip: When we talk about “quality”, we’re not just talking about the quality of your show’s content, but also the quality of your sound and the audio production as a whole. Make sure that you’re getting the best quality recording you can, and that you’re putting effort into your editing and sound mixing. Listeners will keep coming back for more if your show sounds pleasing and professional, as well as being chock-full of valuable content. 

Related read: Busting 7 Podcast Editing Myths

5. Be Eye-Catching And Appealing

A sure way to get your show noticed on podcast directories is to be as eye-catching and visually-appealing as possible. Your show may sound great, but it’s also vitally important that it looks great too! We all know the saying “Don’t judge a book (or podcast!) by its cover,” but I’m here to tell you that people rarely follow this advice! And as such, you need to ensure that it is your podcast that catches the eye of any potential listeners as they are perusing for their next favorite podcast (i.e. YOURS!). But just how do you go about doing this? Well, first things first, you need to create an amazing logo! Ensure that any image you use is of high-quality, use eye-catching colors, and have your show’s name in a readable, yet attractive font. The other aspect to consider when you’re looking to get your podcast noticed is your description. This is what introduces you to your potential listener and so it needs to tell them who you are and what your show is about, but it needs to do more than that. Your description should give listeners a glimpse of your show’s personality and let them know what makes you unique. You want your logo and description to “jump out” at the listener and grab their attention, and then you can get them hooked on your great content.  

6. Focus On Promotion

Now that you’ve got a super-appealing, visually-attractive show, and episodes full of amazing content, it’s time to take steps to really get your show noticed. You’ve done what you can do to make your show a stellar stand-out, now you need to let potential listeners know all about it! Getting your show’s name consistently out there will help create buzz and momentum around your show, and this will help your show rise above the rest in its field. There are a variety of options available in terms of podcast promotion. You could create a website, write a blog, send out a newsletter, create an Instagram account – essentially, you can and should use any and all social or web-based platforms available to promote your podcast. Other avenues for podcast promotion include taking out advertising spots on well-known podcasts or exchanging ad space with other podcasters in your community. You could also investigate possible podcasters to have as guests on your show, or shows where you could potentially be a guest. These strategies will leverage other audiences and get more people talking about your show as you build your authority in your niche. (More on authority building in our next tip!)  

For more ideas for promoting your show, check out our post on the Best Places to Promote Your Podcast.

7. Amp Up Your Authority

As mentioned above, amping up your authority as a strategy coincides seamlessly with promoting your podcast. This is because the more authority you can build within your niche, the more people will be talking about your show. And while appearing as a guest on a number of podcasts is one way to establish your authority, there are also other strategies you can employ. Keeping well-informed and up-to-date with what’s going on in your field is another way to build your authority. The more you know, the greater the credibility you will have with your audience, and credibility and authority go hand in hand! You should also do all you can to hone your craft and fine-tune your podcasting skills. Not only will this improve the quality of your content, but it will also help establish your podcast as an authority in your chosen topic as your listeners develop trust in what you have to offer. 

For more info on building your authority, check out these 8 Strategies to Build Authority in Your Podcast Niche.

8. Rack Up Reviews

Another great tip for getting people to sit up and take notice of your show is to turn some of your attention to racking up listener reviews, since a number of high ratings could help push potential listeners to pick your podcast over another in your niche. As a way to gain more ratings, you could appeal directly to your listeners to review your show. As you’ve built a relationship with them and as you continue to give them high-quality content, most of your listeners will be more than happy to leave you a positive review. Reviews function like recommendations and can help acquaint potential listeners to your show through your loyal fans sharing their thoughts and opinions. This is all the more reason to always strive for excellence with each episode you make and put out into cyberspace. 

9. Keep It Fresh

Our last tip for making your podcast is to keep it fresh. I know we already said how important it is to be consistent and so this tip is seemingly contradictory, but there is a big difference between consistent and boring. There are many things you can do to keep your show feeling fresh. This may mean periodically introducing new segments or occasionally changing your format. It can also mean aiming for innovation by trying new things on your show or putting a new spin on a fan favorite. Ensuring that you’re always looking for ways to be innovative and inventive with your show, you will keep your listeners tuning in to your show and recommending your podcast to others because they are excited by what you offer. 

Closing Thoughts

So while the thought of competing with over 930,000 other podcasts might be a little overwhelming, getting your show to stand out from the crowd is more than plausible, it’s doable! Armed with these strategies and your sheer determination, you will have already positioned your podcast on a trajectory set for success. With consistent effort and a focus on producing a show of high-quality and full of valuable content, you’ll be able to get your show head and shoulders above the rest!