Keyword research is one of the best ways to determine which keywords to target, and it can help you learn a lot about the most searched terms online. However, while keyword research won’t help you understand your audience’s needs, wants, and behaviors, audience research will.

The podcasting space is constantly growing and changing. But if we were to discuss the winning formula for a successful podcast, one size doesn’t fit all. Still, a few steps have proven effective, irrespective of the type of podcast.

When starting a podcast, the interview-based format is probably the most common. It provides a solid foundation for a company’s podcast because you get an opportunity to leverage your guests’ experiences. But interview-based podcasts do present their own challenges. In some situations, it’s difficult to find a guest for a specific topic. And in other cases, your guests may cancel a recording session and throw off your entire production schedule.

The interview format is very popular with branded podcasts. These types of episodes usually revolve around guests’ stories, deep industry knowledge and unique experiences. But if you want to keep your audience engaged, it’s risky if you rely upon the guest to “bring it” with every episode.

Hosting a podcast is not as easy as it sounds, and it definitely takes a lot of preparation and skill to conduct a good podcast interview. But one of the most challenging parts of an interview is starting the conversation and building momentum right from the beginning.

If a mainstream star like Taylor Swift were about to release a podcast, she would probably have millions of listeners in less than a day. But, for companies (and their podcasts), attracting and growing an audience is challenging. Therefore, they use various techniques, including organic distribution and paid marketing campaigns, to spread the word about their show and the value it could bring to their target audience.