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How To Find Podcast Topics
One challenge to podcasting is coming up with topics for every episode. However, topics are everywhere. You can find them in everyday life. You simply have to look and be creative.
In this show, we use two unrelated magazine articles to generate show topic examples for Podcast Talent Coach. You then learn how to use this method to create topics for your show. Finally, we discuss the importance of digging past the first idea to find the best idea.
To generate topic ideas, I highlight interesting words, phrases and sentences from the first two paragraphs. I then brainstorm on those words to create topics for my show.
The first article is from INC magazine. “The More Competitors, The Better” comes from p20 of the Nov 2013 issue. You can read the article by clicking here.
Here are a few topic examples.
Hybrid cars – What are some of the leading edge innovations in podcasting?
“A bigger field would help jump-start the market” – What are we doing as podcasters to grow the industry & medium?
“If competition is good for a billion-dollar automaker, why not for your start-up?” – The top 8 things you can learn from your competition. – How to fish where the fish are when marketing.
“… Shown the benefits that competition brings to similar businesses within an industry” – Who are the podcast leaders and what can we learn from them? – How can other shows help boost our show?
We’ve just generated 6 possible topics from the first two paragraphs of an article.
You may think it is easy, because it is a business magazine. Let’s look at an unrelated field.
The next article comes from USA Hockey Magazine. “The Meek Shall Inherit the Ice” is on p20 of the June/July 2013 issue. You can read the article by clicking here.
“When the nation’s top quarted of college hockey teams hook up at a neutral site, only one gets to go home with a shiny gold trophy” – What makes a winning podcast. – Examine the winners of the podcast awards. – What industry events are available to allow us to learn?
“Going back to the 1950’s, when college hockey was a relatively new thing…” – Explore where podcasting began. – How podcasting grew from broadcasting and the theater. – What makes great theater? – What can we learn from those that came before?
“But, evey now and then, a smaller school … would crash the party.” – What can we learn from some of the fastest growing podcasts? – Review some new, undiscovered podcasts. – Review a show on the show.
Here we’ve generated 10 questions from two paragraphs. In total, we have come up with 16 topics from 4 paragraphs of two articles. That would easily last us for a couple months if we were creating our podcast once per week.
This is where you need to push yourself. Don’t settle for your first idea. Brainstorm.
Don’t Settle For The First Idea
Don’t settle for the first idea. Work and mold your topic.
It is easy to do an interview exactly like you do every other interview. Just like you’ve heard everyone do every other interview. Unfortunately, it will sound like every other interview.
Do something different. Stand out. Make your interview different. Find new questions. Find ways to ask questions differently. Gain attention by being unique.
On her television show, Ellen DeGeneres asks fun, off-the-wall questions of her guests. She will get them talking about crazy topics you don’t hear on other shows. DeGeneres may even compete with the guest in football throwing or put them in a dunk tank. Whatever it is, her content is always different from her competition. (read more)
I’d love to help you with your podcast. E-mail any questions or comments you might have to Coach@PodcastTalentCoach.com.
You can also find tools to help you create great content at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com.
Let’s turn your information into engaging entertainment.