Choosing the Right Podcast Topics. Or are they Stories? Angles?

Discover How to Find the Ideal Podcast Topics for Maximum Engagement.

When I was a journalist, one of the most valuable things I learned was the difference between podcast topics, stories and angles.

Do you know the difference?

These are potential podcast topics:
• Potatoes
• Unicorns
• Accounting software

Podcast topics are blobby, unformed. They’re helpful as umbrella topics but on their own, they’re not useful.

These are stories:
• How to grow potatoes
• Did you know? Different kinds of unicorns shed glitter at different times of the year
• What to look for in accounting software

Stories are more specific than topics, and they add a layer of helpfulness: how, why, when, for example. But why this story? Why now?

These are angles:
• Meet this lawyer-turned-potato farmer who grows ten kinds of heirloom potatoes
• Why glitter-vacuum companies need to make shedding season part of their sales strategy
• Five mistakes small business owners make when choosing accounting software

Angles are the stories that only you can write, because you have a unique take on things.

And often they’re timely: this is a story that needs to be told now. (Which doesn’t always conflict with a desire to create evergreen content. While this specific story needs to be told now, the lesson at its core can be timeless.)

When I was a journalist, finding the angle meant the difference between an assignment–and no assignment.

Now, as a marketer, it’s the difference between making content that resonates with the target audience–and content that falls flat. So if its your turn to start a podcast, think hard about your audience and develop a list of podcast topic ideas. But also yourself “what are going to be interesting stories?” Then explore some of the top podcasts and study their unique angles. Perhaps its a ‘day in the life’. Or an exploration of an alternative living style. Think hard about what is going to resonate best with your audience then create podcast magic.

5 Key Takeaways on Podcast Topics: 

1. Understand the Difference: Recognize the distinct differences between a topic, a story, and an angle to create engaging podcast content.
2. Topic Definition: Topics are broad and general, serving as the umbrella under which more specific stories and angles can be developed.
3. Story Specificity: Stories add specificity and context to topics, providing helpful insights such as how, why, and when.
4. Unique Angles: Angles are unique takes on stories that only you can tell, making them timely and engaging for your audience.
5. Resonance Over Relevance: Crafting the right angle ensures your content resonates with your target audience, making it more impactful and memorable.

By Eagranie Yuh (Guest Post)