Who's it for? and What's it for?

You cannot afford to miss this step.

Seriously.

The Big Question…

One fundamental question you must ask before launching any podcast is: Who is it for, and what is it for? This concept, popularised by Seth Godin, underpins almost all successful marketing efforts. It’s essential to be clear about who your podcast is targeting and what its purpose is.

This clarity guides every decision, from content creation to promotion.

Think long and hard about this.

Identifying Your Audience

Who is your audience? Unlike many who start a podcast, you likely already know your audience through other aspects of your business. This is a great advantage. You can further refine this by segmenting your audience. Consider aiming your podcast at your ‘superfans’, giving them more value and a reason to spread the word about your brand.

But here’s the main point: get really precise. How much can you whittle down your target audience. It might seem counter-intuitive to make something for less and less people but this really is where the magic happens.

Choosing Your Focus

Be specific about who your podcast is for. You cannot make a podcast that everyone will like.’Everyone’ is way too diverse. Focus on a specific group, lean into your unique quirks, and create content that resonates with them. Make it so that those people ‘get it’ and the rest, well, they just don’t.

At least not for now

This targeted approach will make your podcast more impactful and engaging for the right listeners.

Defining Your Podcast’s Purpose

Once you know who your podcast is for, ask yourself what you want to achieve. What do you want your listeners to do after they hear your podcast? What change or emotional response do you want to evoke? Here are some common goals:

• Educating: Provide industry insights and behind-the-scenes knowledge.

• Inspiring: Share positive impact stories that reinforce good purchasing decisions.

• Engaging: Create a deep connection with your community.

• Raising Awareness: Highlight your brand and cause.

• Driving Change: Influence discourse and promote sustainability.

Measuring Success

For people like you, success isn’t, or at least arguable shouldn’t, be about commercial gain; it’s about making a real change in the world, far beyond just the podcast itself.

A podcast that resonates with a handpicked audience can mobilise them to become active advocates for your movement.

This is actually very hard to measure. But it’s what counts. You may never be able to accurately measure this, but that’s exactly why it’s a metric that’s worth considering.

What can easily be measured is rarely worth competing for.

Next Steps

Take some time to reflect on these questions with your team: Who is your podcast for? What is its purpose? This clarity will lay a strong foundation for a successful and impactful podcast.

Any questions drop me a message!