Podcasting Ideas

By S. Housley

You should not have to look far to find content or new ideas for your podcast show. Look to your daily sources to find fodder and ideas for new podcasting segments.

1. News
Both online and offline sources, from the Associated Press to CNN, contain a deluge of news item each day. Scan headlines on a regular basis to see what catches your eye. In addition, explore your niche market to find any industry-specific news portals that may warrant monitoring.

2. Blogs
Blogs are a fabulous source of ideas and inspiration. Monitor blogs for developing industry news. Comment on breaking news or editorials that you strongly agree or disagree with. Be sure to credit the source of any blog posts that you comment on or quote within your show.

3. Friends & Colleagues
Casual conversation with friends and colleagues often results in ideas for podcast segments. Day-to-day interaction generates ideas worth discussing.

4. Emails
Review emails from customers, colleagues or potential customers. Perhaps a subject or question asked may result in good material for your show.

5. Forum Posts
Forums can be another source of ideas for a podcasting segment. Review forums on a regular basis and keep a list of possible show ideas. You can also editorialize and summarize the forum posts. Or you can tackle difficult questions and those requiring complex answers better articulated in a podcast than typed in a forum.

6. Web Logs
Look at your website's web logs to determine what shows were very popular or unpopular. Consider doing related segments as a follow up on popular shows. Or focus future shows on the material that generated the most listener interest.

7 Feedback
Encourage a dialogue with your listeners. Ask listeners what they like and what they do not like. Use the feedback to develop future shows. Don't be afraid to try something new. The more receptive you are to listener ideas, the more they will share. Shape your show for your audience.

8. Advice
Dear Abby and Anne Landers were pioneers in the advice columns, but traditional columnists have failed to take hold online. Consider an advice segment related to your industry inviting listeners to engage you with questions.

9 Conferences
Often products are announced at conferences and trade shows. Candid reviews of new products that might be of particular interest to your audience may appeal to listeners.

Day after day, week after week, or month after month developing content for a podcast need not be a chore. It can be exciting to explore a variety of channels for podcast show ideas and segment topics.

About the Author:
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for RecordForAll http://www.recordforall.com audio recording and editing software.