8 Ways to Increase Audience Outreach
Rob Kirkpatrick, is known in his sphere for his authenticity and credibility on Focus on the Family, a network dedicated to building families, growing healthy marriages, and helping people thrive in Christ each day. I got to talk with Rob about the wealth of experience he brings to the table, having been part of the team that produces more than 15 different podcasts. The organization has been inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame and boasts an ever-growing digital audience with more than 3.3 million monthly downloads and almost half a million listeners.
Rob shares his insights on crafting engaging podcast content that captivates listeners and keeps them coming back for more. He emphasizes the importance of creating an emotional connection with your audience, providing tangible takeaways, and offering meaningful follow-ups to solidify your relationship with your listeners. In today’s post, we'll talk about eight key strategies to increase your audience outreach based on Rob Kirkpatrick’s expertise.
1. Create an Emotional Resonance
One of the most crucial elements in crafting engaging podcast content is coming up with content that can create an emotional resonance with your listeners. This means making your listeners feel as though they are sitting at the table with you while you're recording. You must be aware of what your listeners are likely thinking and feeling at all points in the conversation.
When you draw from your own experiences and bring them into the studio, you create a sense of authenticity that resonates with your audience. By talking about something meaningful to your listeners, something they care about or are interested in, and addressing them as if you're right there with them, you forge a strong emotional connection that keeps them engaged throughout the episode.
It's not about evoking extreme emotions like fear or shock; it's about creating content that is relevant, resonant and engages your audience with your listeners' lives and experiences.
2. Provide Tangible Takeaways
In addition to creating an emotional connection, Rob emphasizes that by simply listening to your podcast, your audience should be able to think or do something differently based on the information you've shared.
Avoid teasing your listeners or creating frustration by withholding information. Instead, focus on providing helpful insights and practical advice that your listeners can immediately apply to their lives. You can demonstrate the value of your content and give your audience a reason to keep coming back for more.
The goal is to empower your listeners and provide them with the tools they need to make positive changes in their lives.
3. Offer Meaningful Follow-Ups
When working to build meaningful relationships with your audience, Rob stresses meaningful follow-ups. If you've successfully connected emotionally in a way that resonates, and have provided tangible takeaways, it's likely that some of your listeners will be eager for more information.
This is where meaningful follow-ups come into play. By offering additional resources, such as blog posts, articles, or curated information related to the topic of your episode, you provide your listeners with the opportunity to dive deeper into the subject matter.
It is crucial to ensure that these follow-ups are genuinely meaningful and helpful. If you fail to deliver on this front, you risk letting your listeners down and damaging the trust you've worked so hard to build. When in doubt, to provide a service to your listeners and go the extra mile to meet their needs.
4. Plan Your Episodes
While some gifted individuals may be able to sit down and spontaneously create engaging content, most podcasters need to plan at least a little for their episodes. Rob suggests mapping out the story arc of your conversation, establishing who your guest is, why you've brought them into the studio, and what they have to say.
By researching your guest ahead of time and identifying the key points you want to cover, you can structure your questions in a way that draws out the most valuable information. This planning process allows you to have a natural flow in your conversation and ensures that you cover all the essential topics.
Even if your podcast isn't live, you can always pause and re-ask a question if your guest's answer wasn't quite what you were looking for. The goal is to keep the conversation moving forward and ensure that the main points you want to convey are adequately addressed.
5. Edit Strategically
Editing is a crucial aspect of creating quality podcast content. While it's tempting to remove every um, ah, and awkward pause, Rob advises against over-editing. The goal is to create something that feels natural and has a flow to it.
That being said, there are instances where you may want to tighten up certain elements of your recording. For example, if a guest relies heavily on filler words while they're thinking of an answer, you may want to edit some of those out to maintain the pace of the conversation.
If your conversation veers off-topic for a bit, you may want to cut that section out if it's not relevant to the overall theme of your episode. The key is to find a balance between maintaining authenticity and creating a polished, engaging final product.
6. Leverage Personal Stories
Personal stories are a powerful tool when it comes to creating engaging podcast content. It is vital that you share your own lived experiences, as they are difficult for others to argue against or discredit.
When you share a personal story related to the topic at hand, you create a sense of authenticity and credibility. Your listeners are more likely to connect with you and trust the information you're sharing because they know it comes from a place of genuine experience.
Personal stories can help cut through the noise and division that often plagues social media and other online spaces. By focusing on your own experiences and the lessons you've learned, you invite your listeners to engage with your content on a more human level.
7. Select Authentic Guests
When it comes to featuring guests on your podcast, Rob touched on the importance of selecting individuals who are authentic and have real-life experiences related to the topic at hand. It's much more valuable to feature guests who have actually lived through the experiences they're discussing.
Not only does this add credibility to your podcast, but it also helps create a more engaging and meaningful conversation. When your guests can speak from a place of personal experience, they're more likely to connect with your listeners and provide valuable insights.
That being said, it's crucial to ensure that your guests are who they say they are. If a listener discovers that a guest you featured was lieing, it can damage your credibility and the trust you've built with your audience. Always take the time to make sure your guests are authentic before bringing them on your show.
8. Build a Community
Never underestimate the importance of building a community around your podcast. While this can be challenging in the digital age, where your listeners may be spread out across the globe, there are still ways to foster a sense of connection and encourage audience engagement.
One way to do this is by using social media platforms like Facebook or Discord, which have features that allow you to create dedicated spaces for your listeners to interact with each other and with you. By encouraging your listeners to share their thoughts, feedback, and experiences related to your podcast, you create a sense of belonging and investment in your content.
Like, Share, and Come Back for More!
Creating engaging podcast content that resonates with your audience and keeps them coming back for more is no easy feat. By implementing the strategies and insights shared by Rob Kirkpatrick, you can take your podcast to the next level and build a dedicated, engaged community of listeners.
Focus on creating an emotional connection with your audience, providing tangible takeaways, and offering meaningful follow-ups. Plan your episodes carefully, edit strategically, and emphasize the power of personal stories to establish credibility and trust. When selecting guests, prioritize authenticity and real-life experience over basic information compilation.
Finally, don't forget to build a community around your podcast by encouraging listener interaction. By fostering a sense of belonging and involvement in your content, you'll create a loyal fanbase that will support you and your podcast for years to come.
So what are you waiting for? Start implementing these strategies today and watch your audience outreach grow! The key to success is consistency, authenticity, and always putting your listeners first.
Key Takeaways:
1. Create an "emotional resonance" with listeners by speaking to them directly and bringing personal stories into the conversation. This helps them relate better.
2. Provide a "tangible takeaway" so that after listening, the audience thinks or does something differently solely because of tuning in.
3. Offer "meaningful follow-ups" to continue serving engaged listeners who want more on the topic. This could include resources, articles, etc.
4. Use storytelling rather than just stating facts. Personal stories build credibility and help listeners deeply connect.
5. Plan out a content arc for episodes to intentionally guide engaging conversations rather than just winging it. Map the flow.
6. Edit thoughtfully - remove irrelevant tangents but keep some personality. The goal is highly listenable, not perfect.
7. Build community through social media, events, etc., so listeners interact with each other around the show.
8. Survey listeners regularly about engagement and be responsive to feedback on episodes. Listener input is invaluable.
If you're looking for a great all-in-one podcasting platform with 35 integrated modules, you can get a free trial at PodUp.com.
Thanks for joining us for this episode. I wish you success in creating engaging content that will keep your listeners coming back for more.
Comments