Expert Podcasting Practices For Dummies®

Chapter 1. Selecting the Right Topic for Your Podcast

In This Practice

• Broadening your focus

• Becoming multifaceted

• Tapping into the community

As Kermit the Frog said, “It's not easy being green.” While the veracity of this statement is subject to debate, we, the authors of this book, posit to you that selecting the right topic for your podcast is not easy either. The key word in that statement is “right.” We heartily agree that all too many podcasts are chosen without sufficient foresight and planning — the collective decision of one or more parties after too much alcohol, too little sleep, and the auspicious statement, “You know, this would make a great podcast!”

Well, no, we're not talking about that at all. The title of this book has the words expert practices in it, and we're certainly not about to start off breaking from the code on the very first practice of the book (even though the authors of this book have been guilty of the aforementioned, on more than one occasion). Heck, by some accounts, the story of how we decided to write our first book together, Podcasting For Dummies, is eerily similar.

In this practice, we advocate the use of rational and logical thought to help guide you toward one of the many “right” topics you may choose for your podcast. The truth is, there are probably many topics you are qualified to speak about, that are of interest to a potential audience, and that allow you (as well as any co‐hosts or support staff you might employ) to grow and expand. Podcasting ...