The world is made up of two kinds of people; those who can tell a story and those who simply listen. And podcasts are made successful on the backs of both these people, running on the attention span of one, and the content of the other.
The podcasting community in India is still in its initial stages, which means if you’re thinking about learning how to start a podcast, it’s the perfect time to establish yourself. All you need is a solid idea, a can-do attitude, and, of course, a PowerPass subscription.
With PowerPass, you can learn every skill you could possibly need, from knowing how to make money from podcasts to figuring out how to market your podcast with our in-depth marketing courses. You can also #RaiseYourPower by brushing up on subjects like finance, and fashion with experts in the fields. All you have to do to avail all of this, is sign up on our page!
But let’s get back to podcasts. So you’re thinking of starting your own podcast. You’ve listened to Lore and The Internet Said So and thought “Huh, I could totally do that.” But where should you begin?
Well, the first thing you need to figure out is what your podcast should be about. And with so many genres to pick from, this can be quite a task. So let us break it down for you. Here are the top 4 podcast genres to take inspiration from before you start your own podcast.
1. Comedy
Unsurprisingly, comedy is the number one genre on most popular podcast platforms. After all, who doesn't love a good laugh. The fun part about picking up comedy as your preferred genre is that the scope for it is unlimited. All you need to do to make your mark is -
- Have a stellar concept
- Be funny
When it comes to comedy, if you have a solid premise to begin with, everything else will follow. For example, the popular podcast, My Dad Wrote a Porno, was a hit from the first episode, because half its humour comes from the absurd premise of the show. Never heard of it before? Then go listen to it! Here are some other stellar examples in the comedy genre that you can look to for inspiration -
2. True crime
What is it about listening to tales of gruesome murders that’s so appealing to the human psyche? If you devoured your Agatha Christies and Hardy Boys as a child, then this is the genre for you. Mastering a crime podcast means hours of research into news stories and witness statements. It means being able to effectively map out the chronology of the crime in a way that will keep your listeners hooked onto the story.
Some crime podcasts focus on a singular crime which is covered across many episodes (think Death, Lies and Cyanide), while others cover a different story in each episode. It’s definitely an intense genre to pick up, but if you think you can handle the heat and hit all the notes of suspenseful storytelling, then it’s a crowd puller.
Masterpieces to check out:
3. News
This is one one of the most popular podcast genres, while simultaneously being the hardest to host. If you’re thinking about starting a news podcast solo, you’ll need to put in consistent effort in researching, scripting, recording, and releasing your podcast, while the subject you’re talking about is still relevant. Not to mention having the quick wit to know which topics to address and which to steer clear of, according to your target audience.
It’s definitely a tricky genre to start out with, especially since the current news podcasts topping the charts are all backed by news channels or bigger studios who have the resources and network they need to bring their podcast alive. However, the gap in the trends here is that there aren't many podcasts targeting the younger generations, so one solid, new idea is all you need to change the game and redefine the news podcast scene in India.
Before you delve into the world of news podcasts, listen to these headliners to get an idea of the genre -
4. Educational
There really is a lot that you can learn from podcasts, from science and philosophy, to history or literature, podcasts can be found on any and every subject under the sun. So whether you’re a finance expert or a tech whiz, you can base your niche around the subject you excel at, and give your knowledge to the world!
These types of information-heavy podcasts only work when you talk about your chosen subject in an easy-to-understand and conversational manner. Hitting the right wavelength may take some time, but there are many podcasts you can look to for inspiration, such as You’re Dead to Me, a history podcast with a twist. The host, Greg Jenner, brings together a guest historian and a comedian in each episode, to tackle the secrets of time while keeping things light-hearted.
Some other podcasts you can listen to for inspiration are -
So there you have it, once you have your niche sorted, you can move on to the intricacies of learning how to create a podcast, knowing how podcasts make money, and choosing podcast platforms that are the best options for you.
Lucky for you, you don’t have to tackle all these questions alone. With Kool Kanya extensive course, you can launch your podcast in 3 days and be a master podcaster in no time.
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