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One of the first rules of starting and growing a business is to avoid oversaturated niches. For example, at the starting of 2024, there have been 3.2 million lively podcasts, so it might sound logical to get out of the medium as soon as possible.
Luckily, I’ve never done anything conventionally—I’ve been more of a “throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks” sort of person. That’s a part of the reason Gillian Pensavalle and I began the podcast True crime with obsession. Despite the odds, we managed to grow the variety of paying subscribers from 500 to 45,000.
To me, this is proof enough that there is room for recent creators. Plus, despite what some might consider a saturated market, there is only one you who can share that unique voice with your audience. I’ve found that there are opportunities to each create and delight in authentic and engaged communities, while generating skilled credibility and potentially significant revenue. It will take exertions, but following my six-step process to grow your subscriber base and keep listeners coming back for more shall be the way forward.
1. Do your thing and only your thing
There could also be a million podcasters on the market, but none of them own your brain—which is why it’s so vital to be authentic. No matter what sort of material your show covers, it’s vital to bring your experience and story to the microphone.
I knew from the start that the true crime podcast area of interest was incredibly saturated (for Podchaser, there are no fewer than 23,000 of them), but I jumped in anyway because mine was a departure from tradition. Instead of rehearsing or writing scripts like many hosts do, “TCO” is just me and Gillian spontaneously discussing a case after investigating it.
The lesson here is that it is vital to take time to reflect on your talents, experience and background and apply them to create something special. In easy terms, in a herd of horses, be the unicorn and don’t worry too much about your “voice” at first. It will come naturally.
2. Who are your people?
No podcast can appeal to everyone, so don’t try. Instead, focus on those that are likely to gravitate towards your content.
It’s probably going to be hard to nail down these demographics at first. When I began TCO, our subscriber base (I prefer to call them our “family” because they’re such a great community) grew organically. Then we began to pick up on trends (like our appeal to the LGBTQIA+ community) and then focus on those areas.
At first, you might not know your age, income, or gender breakdown, and that is totally positive. Instead, think about who these people really are and what they care about. What are their social issues? What keeps them up at night? What do they dislike?
3. Find a co-host and team that may add value
It’s at all times nice to have people around you who complement you, but much more vital are those that complement you. The right co-host will spice things up with a different perspective, and as the show grows, you’ll likely want to add much more team members.
The key ingredients here are contrasting skill sets. Gillian and I are able to work in harmony because she is brilliantly eloquent, while I’m a “reactor.” While our skill sets overlap, our conversational styles contrast nicely.
Once you discover a potential co-host, do a few unaired episodes together to see how things go. You’ll instinctively know if there’s chemistry.
4. Offer exclusive and attractive content
The most significant ingredient in building a subscriber base (and subsequently revenue) is, unsurprisingly, content. It simply has to be compelling—that’s non-negotiable. And in addition to that great content, you have to offer additional content that’s exclusive to subscribers. I’ve found that this is the simplest way to convert casual listeners into superfans.
Most true crime shows offer one exclusive episode for paying subscribers per thirty days. However, I have chosen to create an additional full-length bonus episode each week, which has helped us grow to be a routine a part of subscribers’ lives. Another option is to offer additional bonus content to subscribers at different membership levels.
5. Get involved in your community
It’s human nature to want to belong and be surrounded by like-minded people. To really take your podcast to the next level, it’s vital to each build and connect with your audience and provide a forum for them to connect. Listeners want greater than just an hour-long episode; many want to interact and talk with other listeners, so we created a Facebook group that enables for that.
6. Prove you are human
Digital communities are great, but you’ll also want to provide the bone marrow—stick your head out into the real world every now and then. For example, we noticed that TCO fans were creating regional meetups, so I began visiting them. Consider doing that and/or hosting live shows and social gatherings.
While you’re busy building your loved ones, don’t forget to proceed to cultivate authenticity. Be lively on your social media accounts, and don’t just post podcast-related stuff. I like to showcase my personal side on Instagram, whether it’s photos of me out and about or a video of me gushing about how I once helped Taylor Swift stay on stage on Saturday Night Live. (Yes, that happened!)
These steps can assist you to achieve podcasting success, but do not forget that occasional discomfort is an additional and essential a part of the journey. I imagine that failure is something to be celebrated. If you failed, it means you tried—you took a likelihood, and you showed up for yourself.
So do not be afraid to throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks.