How to find your podcast niche

How will a podcast work for you?

If you're thinking of making a podcast: good move! Podcasts are a cost-effective, highly-attractive way to get your message to listeners. And if you're wanting to reframe your work as resistance, it's an excellent way to reach people who will support you.

To make your podcast work for you, think about your podcast niche: where your show will fit among other shows.

Podcasts exist in every category you can think of. There will probably be a few podcasts that already exist that cover your topic. And that's ok; the key is to find how your show will be different from others.

To find what shows already exist, try searching for your podcast topic in a few different places. Look in Apple Podcasts and Spotify, along with YouTube. Plus, do a general Google search. Try a few different keyword arrangements to find shows that might be close to what you're planning.

Then, listen to a few episodes of the shows you find. And make a working list, including:

• What's the podcast name (and who makes it)?

• Who is the audience (as far as you can tell)?

• How is each episode structured? (Interviews, radio-type story, chat, etc)

• What's the tone and style? (conversational, formal, etc)

• What kinds of topics are covered? What's NOT covered?

Finally, assess each show: What do you like about it? What does it do right (and where does it miss the mark)? How do you think your show will be different?

This process will take some time, but it will be worth it to help you find and keep your audience. To help focus your work: check when each show last published an episode. Remove those that haven’t published in some time.

Taking the time to think through where your podcast will fit is an excellent start to your podcast development. But there are many more things to think about and explore along the road. Get detailed guidance in How to Make a Podcast: A Step-by-Step Roadmap and Guide.

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