Ep #171: How to get unstuck and choose a podcast topic

In this episode, I talk about a common question from aspiring podcasters: how to choose the right podcast topic. I advise focusing on what the audience is already discussing and asking about. 

1. How to locate and analyze audience conversations by exploring Facebook groups and creating polls. 
2. Make sure the podcast your topic has enough content to sustain long-term production. 
3. Also validate your podcast idea through audience feedback, and surveys, and ensure your passion aligns with the chosen topic.

00:39 Understanding Your Audience
01:41 Using Facebook Groups for Research
03:32 Validating Your Podcast Idea
05:12 Ensuring Long-Term Content
06:19 Engaging with Your Audience
09:21 Recap and Final Tips
10:52 Conclusion: Keep the Momentum Going

Transcript

Microphone (Yeti Stereo Microphone)-1: 0:00

People always ask me, Candice, I have so many ideas for podcasts. I just don't know. Which one to start with first. And. My answer is always, what is your audience talking about? What are they asking? What are the conversations they having? And if you don't know in this episode, I'm actually going to tell you. How you can find your audience conversations. To find out what are they asking the most? So in this episode, this is how to get unstuck and choose a podcast topic. So the first thing, what you want to do is you want to be where your audience are. You want to hang out where they are and. If you have two separate niche that you want to talk about. So say for instance, if you have a niche on weight loss, You want to talk about weight loss? You want to give tips ideas, but weight loss is just so broad. So let's narrow it down. You want to have podcasts on keto, but you're like, okay. I have some ideas on different podcasts topics. That I want to share. But you're also like, I want to talk about. Let's say menopause. Okay. Cause I have a lot of health students. That I work with. So that's the reason why I always use these two examples. So you have the example of Quito. And you have the example of menopause. Okay. So you want to go. Into groups, particularly Facebook groups where those who audience are. And you want to go into a group where there's a lot of people in the group and they're posting constantly. Okay. And I actually show this, I show how to do this and my challenges and sometimes in my workshops as well, but go into the groups, use the search icon. So what you want to do is you want to search for Quito. Okay. You want to look at the conversations that they're having. If you can go into the group where it's like a private group, I actually request to join. Okay. But also look to see how many members in the group and also look to see how many post that they're doing per day. Okay. So if you only find a group that's doing maybe one or two posts a day and that's it, that's not the group for you. You want to go ahead and just find another group. If you find a group that has like thousands of members in the group and they're posting only says 20 times a day, you definitely want to look into that group. So there's a way that you can actually just, you know, search into the group and not be a part of the group and mainly it's public. Groups. So you go into the public groups. And you search for struggle, maybe struggle with ketosis. And you want to see what are the questions people are asking? What are they staying at? They're struggling with. So you want to look into their. If you can find at least 10 questions. Within maybe two or three posts. Then you have something there because what you want to do is you want to have enough content in your podcast to talk about those topics okay. So if you find that, okay, a lot of people are asking questions. And just this one Facebook group, and this is something that I can go with Pam. For the other topic. You want to search? Menopause groups. Go into the group, do the same exact thing. That I told you before going to the groups. Go and see what are people struggling with. Okay. So a lot of times, especially for menopause is the hormones. Is eating the right foods. It's exercising. It's how do I take supplements? You know? To control it. Hot flashes. Is those different things that people are asking constantly. So go into the menopause groups, check to see what exactly are they asking if you go in there, like the same thing we do with the Quito, and they're asking a lot of questions. You have the content for okay. If you're like, okay, Candice. Both groups asked a lot of questions. Both groups are like really active. And people are asking a ton of questions in these both subjects. My next question would be okay. What are you passionate about? Are you passionate about. Helping people with Quito. Are you more passionate about menopause? A particular topic or a particular subject. That we are. Trying to convey or that we are in the business of doing or it's our niece, or is what we do for a living. Oftentimes that turns into a podcast in itself. What is it that you could talk about for hours and create at least a year worth of content? That's the question that you need to be asking yourself. And can you continually talk about this topic? For years to come. Yes. Your podcast is going to pivot. Yes, your podcast probably would change name probably would change Brandon. Can you talk about this topic for years to come? Okay. The whole purpose of your podcast is to be a resource. It's to be something that people can listen to. Can take actionable steps, tangible, not just solicit to be listening, but a lot of people are listening to podcasts for information. They want resources, they want action steps. It's another form. Of education. it's another form of content. And podcasting is so beautifully laid out and well thought out that you are in your ideal client. Ears on a weekly basis. So again, go into Facebook groups where your audience is hanging out. Okay. If you have your own group accent. Create a poll. Ask them what they're struggling with how can I be of a resource to you? Do you like listen to podcasts? That's the next thing? Cause sometimes we start a podcast and we were like, oh, this would be great for our audience. And your audience is like, no, I'm not listening to podcasts. I'm actually on Instagram or I'm on Tik TOK. You want to meet your audience where they're at. Okay. You've want to ask them, are they listening to podcast? Okay. Kind of like gauge the room a little bit. And also, if you have an email list, I asked him. Email them, you know, give them an incentive for filling out a survey, because what you're trying to do is you're trying to get ideas. You're trying to validate. Your podcast topic to make sure that you'll have enough content and enough information to actually keep this podcast going. Hurricane example, I was doing a live, a Facebook live and Someone sent to comment through the Facebook live and say, they're working with their client and their client. Have a podcast and everything, but they go off topic. And the first thing that I think about, if someone is talking all topic, then what the podcast should be. Then they shouldn't be doing that topic. They don't have enough information or they don't have enough. Content. For that pot for that podcast. So, if you feel like you're going off topic from your podcast, you need to do a little bit more research before you even launch. I'm just going to be honest with you, do a little bit more research before you lodge. When I first started my podcast, I want to showcase authors, independent authors, who've written and published their own book. I want to showcase independent authors mainly Christian women. All my podcasts. That was the topic. And then as I started really getting into it, I say, well, authors are entrepreneurs as well. So let's extend this. But I was still interviewing authors. I still interview authors to this day. People who've written books, people who've spoken on stage. Who are in the entrepreneur space? And also have a book as well. So that's kind of been the theme for my podcast, from the get-go. I still do pretty much the same thing, but you want to make sure you have enough. Information of content that can last before you even launch. Okay. If you're like, oh, this is, you know, I have this idea. This would be great for a podcast. Hold on. The idea is awesome. But. Will it last. Will that idea last as far as a overall theme of your podcast. So let's recap go into Facebook groups where your audience is hanging out. You want to search in the groups. Different groups. It doesn't necessarily have to be groups that you've joined, but in different groups to see exactly what the conversation is, what they're struggling with, or they're talking about. You want to also go into your own group. If you have your own group. Ask your peers, ask your tribe. Hey, I have an idea for a podcast. have those conversations. If you need to get on the car with someone say, Hey, I'm interested in doing a podcast and this is what my podcast topic is going to be about. Have a conversation with them. You want to ask them questions? What are they struggling with? What did he need help with? Will resources. That's a good one. What resources would they like to listen to or hear on the podcast? And also go to your email is sent out an email. Okay. If you have one given incentive for filling out the form, you can have a contest. What you're doing is you're gathering enough data to see if. This podcast topic or your podcasts overall will be something that you can continue on for years. Yes. It's going to evolve. Yes. It's going to change. But you want to make sure that you have enough content and you're talking enough. On that particular topic so that your podcast can last and so that you can keep the momentum going. And so I hope this episode was helpful. I really enjoy doing this. This is so awesome. I teach this all the time and I want to make sure that you have enough content for your podcast for years to come. So I hope this was helpful. Have a wonderful day. Bye.