🪞5 signs your podcast is due for a makeover🪞
Guest post by Angie Griffith
Today’s issue is a special one — a guest post by podcaster Angie Griffith. Angie’s been making the news recently because of a gorgeous makeover her podcast received: what was once 4 Things For Your Podcast is now Podfluencer Society.
👋 Our regularly scheduled programming on 52 Weeks of Podcast Growth, More Magic, and From the Desk of Tink is after the guest post.
🟡 If you only have time for ONE thing
Bookmark this post for later and consider these words from Angie:
If your podcast's download numbers have remained stagnant for some time, it could be a sign that a rebrand is in order. A fresh brand identity can inject new energy into your show and potentially draw in listeners who previously passed it over.
Ready, Freddy?
💅 Is your podcast due for a makeover?
As a podcaster myself, I know how much effort goes into building a brand and identity for a new show. Your podcast is a representation of you – your unique voice, experience, and perspective. You feel a strong sense of attachment to everything that you have been building through your podcast over time, because conceiving a title, crafting branding, setting the tone of the show, and everything else you have pulled out of thin air – that's true art, which is self-expression and often a reflection of vulnerability.
If you're anything like me, you have also worked day and night, weekends and holidays behind-the-scenes to create an entire business ecosystem with your podcast at the center of everything – meaning, rebranding your podcast would entail a total re-haul of business operations (take a deep breath, it’s going to be okay).
As much as you may try to ignore it in an effort to avoid a whole snowball effect of business operation updates, as your podcast continues to evolve, you may come to realize (like I did) that your current branding may no longer align with your current goals, values, or audience. At this point, you'll have two options: you can either stay in your comfort zone or go ALL IN to breathe new life into your podcast.
Think I may be talking to you? Here are five signs that it may be time to rebrand your podcast:
1. You are trying to fit your episode into the “box” that is your title.
The title of your podcast can attract the right audience, help listeners understand what they can expect from each episode, and help with SEO, so it's essential that it accurately reflects your show's content. If your show has evolved over time, but your name no longer reflects what you talk about, it may be time to rebrand. For example, I started a podcast called 4 Things For Your Podcast, but I eventually shifted away from sharing "4 tips" for podcasters in each episode; therefore, the name of my podcast no longer made sense. Rebranding your podcast with a new title can help you attract listeners who are interested in your current content.
2. Your podcast no longer aligns with your niche or target audience.
You likely started your podcast with a specific niche or target audience “avatar” in mind, but it’s only natural that as you begin to discover your voice on the microphone, you start to really hone in on what brings you joy to talk about on your show (and what doesn’t). When I first started my podcast, I was speaking to the “new” podcaster; however, I eventually discovered that my true passion lies in supporting the "podfluencer," a term I’ve made my own to describe the podcaster who is already taking action to build a thriving brand and business, with their podcast at the center of it all. Hence, my new title: Podfluencer Society! Fine-tuning exactly who you’re talking to across your current content can help you realign your show with those who are interested in your specific area of expertise.
3. Your podcast branding is outdated.
As with any creative endeavor, trends and styles in the podcasting space can change quickly. If your branding looks outdated, it can make your podcast seem stale or irrelevant. You may also have started your podcast years ago (when there was less competition), at a time when a Canva font may have actually looked unique enough to stand out (no shade to Canva, as I’d be totally lost without it). Basically, if your podcast's logo looks like it was designed in the early 2000s – or if a professionally designed logo is in your budget now, when it may not have been before – or if your hair is a completely different color and length than it was when you snapped your cover art photo – it may be time for a refresh. Rebranding your podcast with a new logo, color scheme, or overall design can help give your show a fresh, modern look that resonates with today’s listeners.
4. Your podcast’s current branding is limiting your opportunities.
As your personal brand evolves, you may find that your current direction is limiting your opportunities. For example, my good friend Allie Reeves originally titled her podcast 6 Figure Influencer; although after about 3 years and almost 200 episodes, she realized she was no longer speaking to the “influencer” making or striving to make 6-figures online, but rather to the “woman who is all in: all in on her business, all in on her insane next level vision, all in on her relationships and values, and all in on herself.” Through retitling her podcast to All In With Allie and focusing on guiding business owners through what it really takes to “claim it ALL as an entrepreneur, wife, mom, and/or simply a woman who wears a lot of titles and is dedicated to wearing each of them well,” Allie is now able to more easily position herself to speak at conferences and on other industry-leading podcasts as an authority for the 7-figure and beyond earner – about much more than influencing! As you grow and evolve as an individual seeking bigger opportunities, it is important that your podcast also evolves to follow suit.
5. Your podcast growth seems to have plateaued.
If your podcast's download numbers have remained stagnant for some time, it could be a sign that a rebrand is in order. A fresh brand identity can inject new energy into your show and potentially draw in listeners who previously passed it over. When rebranding your podcast, it's important to think about your target audience and what will appeal to them. You may also want to consider updating your content strategy or introducing new segments to keep your show engaging and dynamic.
Parting words
In conclusion, rebranding your podcast can be a daunting task, but as you continue to grow and evolve, it's essential to evaluate your current podcast branding and assess if it is either keeping you stuck or getting you closer to the next-level version of your brand. By keeping an eye out for these five signs, you can make an informed decision about whether or not it's time to rebrand your podcast and take the next step towards achieving your big goals.
Thank you and godspeed, Angie! If this has got you considering a rebrand, Angie (blessedly) has a free checklist you can download.
🦄 52 Weeks of Podcast Growth
It’s time! Send your pitch for promo swaps to ONE podcaster.
We’ve done it all. We’ve practiced, prepared, and primped for this moment. Go forth and send your pitch for promo swaps to just one more fellow podcaster.
For reference, here are the most recent 5 tips:
Get a friend or a fellow podcaster to hear your promo swap.
Find the contacts of 10 podcasts similar to yours.
Draft a pitch email for promo swaps.
Show your pitch to a friend or share it with your podcasting community.
Send your pitch for promo swaps to ONE podcaster.
New here? Start at the beginning.
🤗 Adopt-a-Listener Corner
We declared April (and forever and ever) as Adopt-a-Listener Month. As promised, we continue to create resources and playlists to support the worthy heroes on this quest. This week, we went about mythbusting 10 podcasting myths.
From the Desk of Tink
Over 1 million subscribers watch to learn how sustainable and smart technologies are impacting our lives on Undecided with Matt Ferrell. Matt has spoken at Fully Charged Live among other industry conferences while also advising multiple sustainable tech startups. His podcast Still To Be Determined continues the conversations from Undecided to his many passionate fans with educational and fascinating episodes on the rapid changes in the electric vehicle, renewable energy, smart tech industries.
✨ More Magic
Why you should include quizzes in your podcast marketing strategy. (Because it works!)
In Canada, Kijiji launched a 5 month long podcast to help deal with wait times.
Ashley Carman of Bloomberg hears from indie podcasters on video: they “don’t buy the hype.”
Don’t miss Lauren at the Grow My Podcast Summit, a completely free event bringing together 40+ industry experts in podcast discoverability and monetization.
Design your podcast growth engine with a workshop from Podcast Marketing Academy.
Master the art of show notes and entice new people to press “Play” at the Show Notes Summit.
Some good points.