Structure Will Help Define Your Topics

Deciding the correct topics for your show is instrumental when creating consistency for your podcast. Once you have developed the goal for your podcast and a goal for this particular episode, you need to determine which topics you hope to discuss. Select your topics carefully. Creating a show structure will help you find the right topics.

Topics come in many different forms. A podcast will sometimes focus on one topic for the entire show. Other podcasts have an overall theme while addressing a few different topics under the umbrella of that theme. There are podcasts that answer various listener questions during the show. Others interview a single guest. And yet, some podcasts combine many styles into one show. How you approach your podcast is completely up to you. That is one thing that makes podcasting so great. You are in control.

Your show should have a structure that you follow for each episode. Your structure is a rough guideline that can be easily followed by your listeners. Structure creates consistency.

An example podcast structure might begin with your show open and a quick overview of the episode. You could then include some news about your business and the industry in general. A short guest interview could be next followed by listener e-mail questions. Finally, you could end with a recap and contact information. Each week, you simply plug in new content to each segment.

On the other hand, your show may only be a single interview each week. It could be very focused and streamlined. You get to decide.

Once you have built the structure for your show, you can easily determine which topics will fill each particular episode. You can look at the structure in the example above and know exactly what you need. To record today’s show, you would need the show open, the outline, a list of news headlines, the recorded interview, and a list of e-mail questions and supporting answers.

Many people forget to bring the answers to the questions. Have your answers outlined to ensure you have any supporting material you need to appropriately answer the questions. When you try to answer the questions off the cuff, you will inevitably forget some important facts. It is best to make some notes before you begin recording.

A structure for your show will bring consistency to your show. Your audience will know what to expect each time they listen to the show. You can then populate the structure with your topics. Structure will help define your topics.