As you learn the ropes of starting your podcast, you’ll want to make sure you’re growing your podcast with fresh and new content. Podcast audiences are growing and gaining momentum all the time, and learning how to get people to listen to your podcast in a very tight digital marketplace is an ongoing challenge.
In the world of podcasting, content is king.
This is why you need great podcast ideas that help you stay motivated and increase your podcast audience engagement.
From social media podcast shout-outs to giving back some love to the folks that keep up podcasting, Libsyn’s tried and true 10 podcast ideas will help grow your podcast and increase audience engagement.
The tips we are sharing aren’t exclusively limited to just thanking your podcast audience, but really about using great podcast ideas to boost engagement and increase one’s audience.
Who knows? You might end up with awesome content for your show!
1. Offer a personal audio “Thank You” shout-out
You know how we LOOOOVE to get audio feedback from our audience? Imagine how your audience would feel if they got a personal audio message from YOU!
We can give back some love to the folks that keep us podcasting with personal audio feedback. Podcasting would not be where it is now if it weren’t for our audience. They are the ones that make podcasting go round.
This is about a personal shout-out to a handful of your super-fans, those who email YOU with consistent feedback for your podcast.
Attach a short voice memo and send it to them! This is how you get people to listen to your podcast – one episode at a time.
2. Retweet your audience
Is your Twitter account just collecting dust?
Check out the Twitter followers who regularly engage with your show. See if there’s anything they are looking to amplify. Tap on that re-tweet and give them some love. This is an undervalued podcasting tip that shows you care. You might even end up getting additional Twitter podcast followers because of it!
3. Create podcast Instagram Stories
Maybe you’re not quite into Twitter and tend to hang out more on Instagram. Check out some of the folks who like or leave comments on your podcast Instagram stories.
See if there’s something lovely and surprising about them and create a dedicated Instagram story with your shout-out. This effort will forge a deep and human connection that is much needed in the world.
Your first podcast Instagram Story post could be something simple, like “We love our audience! Here are some incredible people who are part of our podcast community.”
4. Social media shout-outs OR a special thank you episode!
Social media shout-outs are possibly the number one way most podcasters say “Thank You” to their audience.
Look back at your audience’s interactions on social media or their email responses. Compile a list and do a social media shout-out during a specially dedicated segment of your show. Instagram shout-outs are another great podcast social media strategy.
Another good idea for a podcast segment is a dedicated show thanking your audience around the theme of gratitude and giving thanks. Of course, this idea is determined by the amount of content that you could add into a dedicated episode – and it could be a simple 5 minutes of all love to your audience with some added stories.
Here are some podcast content ideas for building a podcast audience:
- Have memorable digital interactions with your audience: the first piece of feedback, meaningful comment on a Facebook post, wonderful shares of your show to their community, a positive review that touched you, etc.
- Create memorable, real interactions with your audience: a story of having a listener recognize your voice while you were out and about, your first listener meet-up, etc.
- Looking back at your audience feedback and replaying some of the best audio feedback you’ve gotten in the past.
5. Conduct a podcast interview with a listener (or have them co-host the show with you)
This could be part of #4.
In addition to the podcast content ideas above, you can beef up the length of the special gratitude episode by having one of your audience be part of the show! You can conduct a podcast interview with them and make it all about them, or you can invite them to co-host an episode of your show, giving them the opportunity to create content with you.
6. LIVE time!
An idea for a podcast segment and to grow your audience is going live on a social platform to interact with the audience.
If you have a co-hosted show, you could do a playful episode designed to interact with your audience, maybe even covering topics that are generally not part of your podcast. You can also add fun podcast segments that you wouldn’t put out on your regular show.
Instagram Live has great features that allow those watching to ask questions and even be brought into the Live itself! This is a great way to learn how to create an entertaining podcast while building a podcast audience.
With an app like Streamyard, you can go live on so many different platforms at once, manage interactions and get to know your community from a super clean interface.
7. Do a podcast giveaway
Everyone loves presents!
Podcast giveaways don’t have to be complicated. A simple giveaway idea could be giving away a $20 Amazon Gift Card or some swag that you might already have for the show.
8. BTS (Behind The Scenes) podcast segment
A neat podcast content idea to help build a podcast audience is to create a “behind-the-scenes.”
Everyone loves behind the scenes! Our peeps enjoy seeing what’s going on, when we are on, what it takes to set up a podcast episode or even giving a walkthrough of what it takes to put your show out time after time. On a popular holiday like Thanksgiving, “behind-the-scenes” podcast segments can provide your audience an opportunity to see how you are celebrating it or fun activities you have planned for the holiday.
Depending on how comfortable you are, you can also have some of your family members give their own behind-the-scenes on what it takes to live with a podcaster.
9. Create a podcast playlist with Spotify
Who doesn’t love music (or podcasts)? Spotify makes it so easy to create playlists of both music and now podcasts. Why not create a podcast playlist with Spotify specifically for your people?
You can create a theme that reflects your show’s topic and curate an experience for your audience to entertain them. Of course, you can also include a couple of good “thank you” type songs.
10. Sell special holiday swag
At Libsyn, we use TeePublic to create special t-shirt designs to commemorate holidays and birthdays.
Yes, your podcast audience would have to buy something. But swag merchandise and other branded promotional merchandise is always an excellent way for your podcast audience to give back and show their support! I cannot tell you how many times I’ve bought special swag merchandise when my favorite shows offer it! I’m thankful for the designs, even though it’s coming out of my wallet. Podcast audiences love tangible items and promotional merchandise, so don’t overlook it to build brand awareness and grow a podcast audience.
I hope that you enjoyed reading this list of podcast ideas and if you put any of them into action, please tag @libsyn on Twitter or Instagram and let us know what you did!
Thank you so much for your voice and for choosing Libsyn. We so appreciate you!