Starting a Podcast With No Audience: What I'm Building From Scratch

Welcome to Follow Through Fridays!

[00:00:00] Hey, my friend, welcome back to the simple and smart SEO show podcast. This is follow through Fridays.

[00:00:06] And like usual, it's a little past Friday. 

[00:00:09] You get the idea. We're coming back to the episodes to actually get some stuff done. 

[00:00:14] And I always say it, I love to volunteer as tribute.

[00:00:17] We have so many amazing guest experts that come on the simple and smart SEO show podcast. 

Brainstorming Podcast Ideas with Passion

[00:00:21] Sarah K heater was here from Podfox Media last Wednesday and her advice on podcasting really got my head spinning and off.

[00:00:31] The top of my head, I can tell you that there are several different podcasts that I would like to create. I'm going to brainstorm them here. 

[00:00:37] So the first one is a senior night podcast, like a senior sports night podcast. 

[00:00:42] Another idea I had was a private podcast.

[00:00:45] That walks customers through the process of ordering a senior night gift. 

[00:00:49] And then number three is my friend and I had discussed co hosting a podcast where we share our conversations about life, faith and the phases of motherhood. My son's young, her kids are graduating from high school.

[00:00:59] There's lots of stuff that happens between those two ages and even before that and beyond that. We were, we just thought, maybe other people would like to be a part of those conversations as well. Yeah. Then number four is I have always wanted to have some sort of documentation of my family history.

[00:01:17] And I love hearing my family's stories from when they were kids. 

[00:01:21] Some of the stories I've heard over and over, but they are just so funny. And so I want to interview all of them. 

[00:01:27] And, get their memories of their childhood recorded. And I can't lie, 

[00:01:31] There's a big piece of me that wants to be able to listen to my dad's stories, even when he's not here, just in case he doesn't live to be 200.

[00:01:38] And speaking of my dad, my fifth idea is for him to create a, how to start and run a lawn service business. 

[00:01:46] Because he's been killing it for 40 years and he has so much to share.

[00:01:49] Okay. This is a shortish episode, I know I've got to pick one and I've already got a headstart on the one that I want to pick. 

Deep Dive into the Senior Night Sports Podcast Concept

[00:01:56] And that is my sports senior night podcast. 

[00:01:59] So a few years ago I had the idea to do this. 

[00:02:01] And I. I actually recorded one podcast interview with a parent. 

[00:02:05] And I also recorded a interview with a coach who helps athletes with their mental health.

[00:02:11] Super cool. Like that interview is so great and it's been sitting for far too long, gathering digital dust. 

[00:02:16] But I want to go through. Each one of Sarah's. What is the purpose of the podcast questions to really think about the strategy for this particular podcast? 

Strategizing Audience Engagement and Content Creation

[00:02:25] So the first question is who is my target audience?

[00:02:28] My target audience are parents of high school or college, senior athletes who want a way to celebrate. And connect with their player. 

[00:02:38] And the next question Sarah had was, what do they need to hear from me? 

[00:02:42] I think they need to hear stories of other parents who have went through of a variety of senior nights.

[00:02:47] So ideally I'd have an interview for at least one senior night experience per sport.

[00:02:52] And I could see a variety of paths that they could go down with the podcast. They could listen by sports season. 

[00:02:57] Whether it was like fall, winter, spring, they could listen by their planning needs.

[00:03:02] Or maybe they just need some inspirational episodes. 

[00:03:05] And to know that other parents have walked this road successfully before them. 

[00:03:10] So my overall promise to them as listeners would be that they would find a community to connect with as they walk through this season of life.

[00:03:18] And that is no pun intended.

[00:03:20] But a pun nevertheless. 

[00:03:21] And what do I think these senior sports parents want to get out of it? 

[00:03:25] I think they would enjoy hearing the experiences, whether good, bad, or ugly. Of other senior parents. 

[00:03:32] I also think they'd enjoy hearing other parents sum up the experience. 

[00:03:36] Because this is really like closing a chapter of a book.

[00:03:41] There's no more games. There's no more travel. There's no more practice to worry about. 

[00:03:46] And the big question for them is what is life going to look like? 

[00:03:50] And I know that this can be a tough transition for families who have given up weekends for years. 

[00:03:56] To follow their children as they play sports or participate in whatever activity it is that they love.

[00:04:01] What am I hoping to accomplish in one year or in five years? 

[00:04:04] I think that hearing my voice will help me build trust with them. 

[00:04:08] And Eventually, I hope that it will Earn me an opportunity to provide senior night gifts for their athletes.

[00:04:14] My goal is that these parents won't go to Etsy when they are searching for ideas for sports senior nights. 

[00:04:22] But instead they'll go directly to my website: collageandwood.com. Or maybe even search for me specifically, Crystal Waddell. 

[00:04:30] I want them to also refer the podcast to other sports parents. That way it continually keeps my company front of mind for those sports senior night gifts.

[00:04:40] So there's lots of organizing to make this follow through Friday happen. 

[00:04:45] I sent an email out to my current client list and I'm excited to share that I already have one parent who signed up. I am interviewing her on Saturday morning and then I have another parent who said, yes, I could be, I could help.

[00:04:58] I'm not really sure what you need, but I could be a part of that. 

[00:05:00] So I'm really looking forward to that as well. 

[00:05:02] Ideally I want to have five or six episodes.

[00:05:04] And then that way People have something to listen to.

[00:05:07] And then as I create more, like I said, I might create, playlists of Fall senior night stuff.

[00:05:14] Or maybe like a suggested playlist for each sport or something like that. 

[00:05:18] But I just want to start simple and just have five or six episodes that really connect parents with the whole idea of senior night. 

[00:05:25] And give them ideas and confidence and Encouragement. 

[00:05:28] As they go through yet another challenging part of parenthood.

[00:05:32] So yeah. 

[00:05:33] Those are my follow through Friday plans, but I want to know if this helps you think about a podcast opportunity that you might be able to implement in your business. 

Leveraging Podcasts for Business Growth and SEO

[00:05:41] Mainly because SEO is going to change. 

[00:05:44] Probably dramatically and significantly over the next few years.

[00:05:48] It's just going to look different. 

[00:05:49] But you can strengthen your presence in search. 

[00:05:53] By providing extra value to your client so that they are searching for you. 

[00:05:58] Versus you just coming up in search because they searched a particular keyword. 

[00:06:04] So I think this is a great way to leverage that concept of being searched for.

[00:06:08] So let me know what you're following through on. 

[00:06:10] And if not now, put it on your never ending to do list for when you have more space in your calendar.

[00:06:15] And don't forget, keep moving forward.