Introduction
The Rest is History, Begin Again with Davina McCall, and The Louis Theroux Podcast; what do these all have in common? They know what their listeners want!
The question is, how can you find out what your listeners want?
I spoke with Nathan Joyes, CEO and Founder of The Copa Club, a platform dedicated to all things South American football! Through The Copa Club you can find magazines and podcasts that cover the players and culture of South American football.
Nathan Joyes has let me in on his tips and tricks to creating a successful podcast, I’m here to give you the inside scoop.
A Q&A with a Professional Podcaster:
1. What is the niche of your podcast, and how long did it take for you to find it?
Nathan’s podcast - The Copa Club - is based around South American football, its players and culture. “Football is a heavily crowded market,” says Nathan, “with the next podcast popping up ‘louder and bigger’ than the rest.”
What sets The Copa Club apart from the rest is that it focuses on a region not covered in the UK. Nathan hosts his podcast with several experts and as they were “knowledgeable about a ‘gap in a crowded market’ we [The Copa Club] had positioned ourselves in a way where we could make a unique podcast.”
When asked about how others can find their podcasts niche, Nathan said “your topic or area may be covered already, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a new angle - or way of doing it better- find it!”
2. How did you find the content that your listeners wanted?
The biggest tip Nathan has for this is “Trial and error. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and take risks!”
For the first series of The Copa Club, Nathan had a different guest host every episode! Then from the most popular episodes Nathan “used the guests and turned them into co-hosts to put identity behind the brand.”
Another tip from Nathan is to “talk about all kinds of topics, listen to the analytics, and use the most engaged episodes to craft your next lot of content.”
3. How does your current content differ from the content you started with?
“Definitely - but that’s a good thing,” Nathan told me, “always create a spine of content and ideas for you to use, but also be flexible!”
Being able to adjust to the type of content you put out based on what your audience reacts to is the key to creating a successful podcast, and most importantly trust in your knowledge! In Nathan’s words: “your audience is keen to hear your thoughts.”
Also, your podcast will likely change its course naturally over time! Nathan says that “your podcasting - and co-hosting - will improve over time as you become more confident in yourself and your podcast.”
4. In your opinion, what do your listeners really want?
They want to be entertained - that’s a given - but do they want information, good chat, or straight up comedy?
Well, Nathan says his listeners want to “learn, but also enjoy the conversation.” Many use podcasts as an escape from the stresses of everyday life, invite your listeners to be part of your conversation!
Natural conversation can be difficult when you’re sat behind a mic though, Nathan’s advice is this: “Imagine you’re listening in on a conversation between friends at the pub - don’t be rigid and don’t be afraid to make mistakes - the more natural the better!”
Conclusion
So, Nathan’s top tips are:
- Just because your chosen topic is already being covered - doesn’t mean there isn’t a fun new way to add something to the mix!
- Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
- Allow your podcast (and podcasting abilities) to take different shapes over time, it’ll settle into the right one eventually!
- Keep it natural!
Are you wondering why you should consider starting a podcast? This blog post has all the info on why starting a podcast could help boost your business, and if you’re looking for all the kit, software, and all things podcast promo to make your audio dreams a reality you can read this post.
If you want more useful tips from Nathan, and other industry professionals just like him, our courses are available here!
by Josie Daniel