We’ve already talked about your audience and community, but there’s another group of people who can make a huge impact on your podcasting success – your fellow podcasters! While some podcasters like to keep to themselves, we encourage you to reach out and build connections with others.
Your fellow podcasters know exactly what you’re going through. Everyone struggles to build an audience at first. Everyone wonders how to do it. Swapping ideas and feelings with other podcasters can really help. Even podcasters who have big audiences now remember the days when they had none, and are often happy to give advice.
But it’s not just about moral support. Fellow podcasters can also give you advice on everything from equipment to music to structuring your introduction to draw people in. As you learn and become a veteran yourself, you’ll be able to do the same for others.
One concern many podcasters have is that they don’t want to talk to other podcasters in their space because they see them as competition. As we mentioned earlier, though, every podcast and podcaster is different. Everyone is trying to make an impact in those few short spare hours they have each week, which makes podcasting a very friendly community.
So, how do you make these connections?
First, make a list of people you’d like to get to know as part of your personal network. Include everyone from fellow newcomers to experienced podcasters you want to connect with one day.
Next, think about what they need. What problems might they be facing? Do they need guests that you might know and can refer to them? Have you spotted an event in your space you could both go to?
Podcasters often share a bit about themselves at the start and end of shows. It may not even have anything to do with their show. So listen carefully to see if they are saying something you could offer to help with.
If you can’t find anything, consider giving some constructive feedback on what you liked about their show. You’d be surprised at how little good quality feedback even top podcasters get, and people value it. Don’t just say “I like your show.” Listen to what they do, and jot down some notes on what aspects worked for you and why. When you’ve been podcasting for a bit, you’ll start to get used to people reaching out to you saying something like, “I love your show,” and then asking you for something or trying to sell you something. So, go into some depth to demonstrate that your approach is sincere.
If all else fails, one of our team members has had a lot of success just asking people for favors right away. They might say that they’re planning to cover a particular topic soon and wonder if anyone they know might be able to help, or that they’re considering covering a topic in a certain way and would love to get their perspective on that approach.
Once you’ve connected with people, don’t stop there. Keep looking for opportunities to reinforce those relationships. Think about ways to help build and support your mutual audience too. Maybe the audience for the sailing podcast overlaps with your accountancy podcast. How can you help each other grow? Maybe you can invite each other on each other’s shows or work on a joint project together? In short, help them, and they’ll probably help you.
Take a moment to jot down a list of all the podcasters you’d love to meet, from up-and-coming talents to big stars. Don’t worry if you can’t think of everyone right now! You can always add more later.
Once you’ve made your list, pick someone who is just a bit ahead of you in terms of audience and profile. Give their show a listen, and take some notes on what they say that you think you could help with. Also, make sure to note down what you liked about the show and why it worked so well.
Then, think about who you know that they might want to connect with. Do you have a great guest or fellow podcaster in mind? If so, make that connection! Most podcasters are more than happy to share their contact information, so send them a message and let them know how you can help them out.
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