7 of the most popular podcast topics to try today

If you’re thinking of starting your own podcast it can be extremely difficult to find the right topic. You need something you know about (so that you can talk at length), but you’ll also need to bring in listeners. Settling upon the right topic is a make or break for the future of your podcast, so here are some of the most popular talking points to get you started.

#1 Television

Television is and always will be one of the most popular topics for a podcast. The latest shows all have dedicated followers who are eager to discuss episodes and characters in more detail. Better still, this kind of podcast requires minimal research. Just pick a show (preferably an ongoing series with a lot of episodes) and start watching!

#2 Influencers

Much like television shows, social media influencers have loyal and engaged followings. Best of all, you don’t need to be an influencer to launch a podcast about them. Interviews with popular figures generate high listening numbers because all their fans tune in. Discussing influencers across the social media space generates interest and you’ll never be short of material. 

#3 What if?

Hypothetical situations (for example, what would have happened if Napoleon won the Battle of Waterloo?) demand some research but they’re popular. These podcasts might broadly be classified as alternate histories because they examine how the world might be if certain events had occurred differently. One for history afficionados, these shows are fun to research and fire the imagination.

#4 Advice

The classic agony aunt-style setup never really goes out of fashion. Quite simply, listeners send you their problems (nowadays via social media) and you answer them in the podcast. By solving one person’s problem you’ll probably help a lot of others too, so this is rewarding. Remember to keep questions anonymous and be as empathetic as possible.

#5 Teaching

This differs from advice because you’ll be using tools for streaming to teach your audience about a topic. This could be as simple as talking about history or science, or you might embark on a long-term project like teaching people how to code. Whatever the topic, make sure you’re a specialist (you don’t want to get caught out!), and having a qualification in a relevant area certainly helps.

#6 Lists

Any kind of countdown list is extraordinarily popular on the internet. You can count down anything you like (and do a different countdown for each episode). Ideas including the top 10 sports cars, top 10-holiday destinations in Europe, and the top 10 film releases of the year will all bring listeners in. Lists encourage people to keep listening, solving the problem of low retention which plagues some podcasts.

#7 Storytelling

It’s one of the more difficult options, but podcasts that tell an ongoing narrative are extremely popular. The story can be fiction or nonfiction, but as long as you end each episode on a cliffhanger your listeners will keep coming back. True crime is an excellent example of this, but you can choose any type of story that you want.

Feature Image credits: Photo by Will Francis on Unsplash

source https://nrinews24x7.com/7-of-the-most-popular-podcast-topics-to-try-today/

November 18, 2021