Making Your Mark: How to Stand Out in the Ever-Growing World of Podcasting

The podcasting landscape is ever growing and ever expanding, especially in recent years. A booming industry such as this has millions of people vying for the ears of the listener. This presents both a major challenge and opportunity for podcast creators: how can you stand out from the crowd, establish an audience, and win their support for your podcast? Let’s explore strategies and tactics of how to make your mark in the podcasting world so that you can stand out from the competition.

Identify your unique value proposition and developing a brand identity

Most podcast creators will experience the challenge of identifying their unique value proposition (UVP) in an effort to develop a brand identity that’s completely…well, unique. It’s super important to define what these mean to you and how they build your brand as a podcast so you know exactly how to curate your content. Consider asking yourself the following questions:

What sets me apart from other podcasts in the same category?
Who is my target audience and what attracts them?
What format am I going to use so I stay consistent? (Because as we know, consistency is key to podcasting success.)

If you haven’t answered these questions yet when creating your own podcast, try looking at your show from an outsider’s perspective. What is attractive about the podcast? What will reel in this target listener? What would make me loyal to a particular podcast, when there are millions of others? Answering these questions and thinking about the show from your audience’s point of view can help you as a creator to gain valuable insights and to set up your show correctly.

Too many podcasters record episodes without giving much thought to who they’re targeting, how they’ll make the podcast grow over time, and what direction they’ll take the podcast in the future. Every host or creator would be wise to keep value in mind as an end goal. This means creating content in a way that displays your UVP so potential listeners get hooked. This is accomplished by becoming the authority on your chosen topic in your niche.

Becoming the authority entails knowing your target audience, doing your research on episode topics so the audience feels like you actually know what you’re talking about, and lastly, staying original and true to yourself.

Displaying your UVP goes hand in hand with developing a distinct brand identity, which is crucial for helping your show stand out in a crowded marketplace. Your brand identity encompasses various elements, such as your podcast name, logo, cover art, and the tone and style of your content.

It’s absolutely worth investing a lot of time and effort into creating a cohesive and visually appealing brand identity that reflects your podcast's UVP. Perhaps this could be expressed through podcast cover art or an ear-catching episode intro that hooks listeners right away.

Invest in high-quality production

Something that can help you make your mark in the world of podcasting is to invest in some high-quality production gear. Looking to deliver a polished final product? Here’s our guide for the gear you need to boost your production value.

The reason we advise not just our clients, but everyone starting a podcast, to invest in quality equipment is because listeners expect a quality audio experience - nothing short of crisp audio, thoughtful sound design, and seamless editing. Listeners are quick to point out bad podcasting production and have been known to leave bad reviews for it. That being said, why not eliminate those bad reviews before they ever have a chance to happen? Invest in good equipment and stay thoughtful throughout the recording and editing process, and you’ll likely be rewarded with compliments rather than negative reviews.

Master the art of storytelling

Compelling storytelling is at the heart of many successful podcasts and is something you are capable of! You can do this even if you aren’t confident in your storytelling skills quite yet. You’ve already got the first step down and that’s wanting to create a podcast. That means you have the drive and if you have that, you can learn to be a great storyteller.

There are many different ways to tell an excellent story through podcasting depending on the vibe you’re trying to portray to your audience and the genre of your show. Make sure to check out our guide for finding the right podcasting genre for you!

Whether your podcast focuses on interviews, educational content, or narrative-driven stories, honing your storytelling skills can help you captivate your audience and create an emotional connection with your listeners. This is a skill so many creators strive for but ultimately end up falling flat because they don’t stick to one particular style of storytelling. This can be really confusing for the audience. For example, if you have a true crime podcast and format every episode like a scripted television series but suddenly shift to an interview narrative, this will inevitably throw off your audience. Say it one more time: consistency is key to podcasting success!

Luckily, there are numerous audio formats to pick from like narrative, interview, fully scripted, partially scripted, and much more. If you aren’t sure what to pick, try listening to a few podcasts in your category and jot down the details of what you like and dislike about their storytelling style. Who knows, you might come up with something completely unique that will help you make your mark!

Here are some additional tips for mastering the art of podcast storytelling:

Keep a notepad close by with key points so you don’t forget to talk about them.
Script your content if needed.
Listen to yourself speak in the recording and make note of what you want to keep and change for the next episode.
Use descriptive language to build vivid imagery. Since this is audio entertainment, verbally paint the picture for your audience.
Refrain from using too many filler words like “um” or “like” to keep a good flow.
Varying your pacing, tone, and vocal delivery to create an engaging and dynamic listening experience.

Build a strong online presence

Now that you’ve created an incredible podcast, it’s time to enhance your visibility by establishing a strong online presence! Something you should consider doing is make a social media account(s) for your podcast so potential listeners can find you from various platforms. This is a great opportunity to get creative with your branding.

Some of our clients prefer to use Instagram as a way to promote their podcast for free. Instagram allows you to curate your feed to look any specific way you’d like. You can create stories, add hashtags to draw attention and use music to express your desired tone.

Other platforms worth looking into are Reddit, Facebook, and YouTube depending on the demographics of your audience.

No matter your platforms of choice it’s important to develop your own strategy for posts and content updates. How often do you want to post? What kind of content are you posting? When and how are you going to interact with your online audience?

Additionally, building a strong online presence includes fostering a loyal and engaged community for your podcast. This looks like participating in online forums and groups dedicated to the topics you discuss. This also entails connecting with your audience and acting on their feedback.

For example, if they like a particular episode, take that into consideration when creating new content. What did they like about it and how can you replicate a similar response? What about that episode made them more inclined to tune in? Was it a particular guest or topic? Asking questions like these can help you to understand your audience and following through will show your listeners that you’re actively engaged with their interests.

Other tactics for building a strong podcast community include:

Encouraging listener feedback and incorporating their suggestions into your content.
Sharing stories or reviews sent in by your listeners on the show.
Creating opportunities for interaction, such as live events, Q&A sessions, or online discussion forums.
Showcasing listener-generated content and stories to make your audience feel valued and appreciated.

Leverage strategic collaboration and innovative marketing tactics

Collaborating with other podcasters, influencers, and industry experts is a great way to build your audience because their reach can extend to you! If you’re looking to amplify your podcast’s visibility in the social media sphere, this is a great way to get started. Try inviting people with larger social media followings to listen to your podcast and to share it. Perhaps invite them on the show for an interview and ask if they would be willing to post about the episode collaboration with their following with a link to your podcast. It doesn’t hurt to ask because you never know who would be willing to work with you!

If your show has a large enough following and a bank of content, you can also try looking for brand sponsorships. You know how some of your favorite podcasts have an ad lib for the “sponsor of today’s episode” with an attached discount code? This could be you!

Try reaching out to brands you love, particularly local companies or brands with products and services similar to the vibe of your content. An example would be a podcast about environmentalism might be sponsored by a reusable water bottle company. Or a gardening podcast could be sponsored by a local gardening supply store. The possibilities are endless!

These tactics all work together nicely, especially when you employ innovative marketing strategies like giveaways and other contests that help build traction for your show. Some podcasters choose to have exclusive bonus content that only paid subscribers get access to. This is a great way to earn extra money, add value and intrigue to your show, and to incentivize loyal listeners.

Conclusion

Making your mark in the ever-growing world of podcasting requires a combination of strategic planning and high-quality production, as well as innovative collaborations and thoughtful storytelling. Yes, it’s a long list, but it’s something that you can absolutely achieve if you put your mind to it.

By identifying your UVP, this acts as a guide throughout the lifetime of your podcast, helping you to curate content and build audience loyalty. Standing out from the competition starts with establishing your distinctive brand identity and building an online presence so your potential listeners can’t miss out on your podcast.

At LPM, we're here to support you on your podcasting journey and provide the resources, expertise, and guidance you need to create a standout podcast. Don't hesitate to reach out if you'd like to learn more about how we can help you achieve your podcasting goals!