5 Podcast Trends I’m Loving Right Now
When we listen to podcasts we’re looking for connection, relatability, and to walk away feeling more educated or empowered. With so many podcasts going live each week, the way to stand out is to be as unique as you are, and lean into your point of view. Your audience listens because they connect with you and your reason for creating your show. Don’t be afraid to infuse your opinions, ideas, struggles and takeaways in real time! This is how you create a relationship with your listeners and find a community that will hit play every week.
In addition to leaning into your authentic point of view, know what your listeners are looking for: entertainment or tips to implement into their lives today. Keep it personal and light giving life updates or Q&As to give advice to your listeners, or keep it super actionable through best-of or round-up episodes that highlight your top guests and most downloaded episodes. This also allows you to build in breaks from recording! I recommend batching 2-3 episodes that are evergreen or can be set live any time in case you get sick or want to go on a vacation. These are great themes for batched episodes!
Overall, these 5 trends I’m seeing across the podcasts I listen to and write for result in building an engaged and connected listener base! Every show and host is different, so choose one or all of these trends to incorporate into your upcoming schedule and see how they land with your unique audience.
Best of episodes from top guests
Guest round-ups on a specific category
Get personal: relate to your guests & be vulnerable
Throw out the title formula & focus on the big picture takeaway
Listener Q&As
1. Best of episodes: Highlight top moments and keep your audience engaged with easy-to-digest content. This is great for podcast milestones like 50 or 100 episodes or yearly anniversaries! Example: Working Hard, Hardly Working Ep.100! The 10 Pieces of Advice You NEED To Improve Your Life
2. Guest round-ups on a specific category: Bring together expert tips on one topic from multiple episodes, making it a valuable resource for your listeners that they can come back to over and over. Then, break them up into clips by topic or guest for social media! Example: Pursuit of Wellness Best In Class: Motivation, Mindset, Productivity & Manifestation
3. Get personal: Top episodes are usually the most personal. Audiences crave truth and connection more than ever. We see this trend across social media too. But how do you build that authenticity into your podcast?
Ask questions you're genuinely interested in: Your curiosity will fuel the conversation.
Answer questions with a story: Storytelling resonates far more than just sharing facts or data.
Relate to your guest's experiences: If something they say strikes a chord with you, mention it. That connection deepens the conversation.
Share something vulnerable: Your own vulnerability helps build trust with your audience.
Example: Transform Shoot the Shit: Wedding Prep, Italy Vacations, and BIG Life Updates!
4. Throw out the title formula: Focus on summarizing the big picture – what will listeners learn or take away from this episode? Example: Real Pod what i'm working on in therapy: addressing my perfectionism... This one actually nails the vulnerability being shared by the host & the big picture takeaway that’s relatable for listeners.
5. Listener Q&As: this is a great opportunity to connect with your community, build rapport, and get insight into what they are dealing with and need help with! This can inform your guests and show topics, as well as show your audience what a valuable resource you are. Example: Real Pod Life Advice with Vic! Q&A on Acceptance, Navigating Breakups, & Career Transitions
Bonus tip: Repurpose your content across social media, YouTube, your website, and email to expand your reach. Create 60 second bite sized clips from your podcast video and upload them to YouTube Shorts and as Instagram Reels. Use Opus AI to add audio captions and choose viral clips easily! Use your podcast description and show notes to build out a newsletter and create a new web page on your website for each episode. This will increase SEO!
Need help with this? That’s what I do! Don’t hesitate to reach out to me and schedule a podcast consultation call to take your show to the next level. I hope one of these tips inspires you and helps you grow your community!
