4 Types of Episodes That Should be Part of Your Podcast Strategy Plan [Ep. 134]

 
 

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Here’s what to expect from this episode:

I recently did a BIG purge of my closet. It was getting pretty crazy in there, and I realized I was holding on to some pieces of clothing that I just needed to let go of! I really wanted to minimize the clutter in my closet and think about the purpose that each piece of clothing had. Because they all fall into different kinds of categories...

You've obviously got your undergarments, which really kick off any outfit you wear. And then you need your day-to-day staples like your black leggings and favorite sweatshirts--the things you wear throughout the year.

You've also got your seasonal clothing, like sweaters for fall and winter and lighter clothing for spring and summer. And then you've got your clothes that you know are only coming out for a special occasion, like those cocktail dresses, skirts, etc.

Each of these types of clothing serves a different purpose based on the need you have.

Well, the same is true for your podcast categories and content. 

By creating different types of episodes, you can serve your audience in a unique way. Today, we're talking about the four types of episodes that every podcaster should be weaving into their long-term podcast strategy plan - Foundational, Evergreen, Seasonal, and Social Proof episodes.

Topics covered:

  • Laying the groundwork with foundational episodes

  • Creating timeless content with evergreen episodes

  • Embracing change and freshness with seasonal episodes

  • Building credibility and connection with social proof episodes

Resources Mentioned:

favorite podcasting resources:

  • Sara Whittaker 0:01

    Your Podcast is a powerful tool that serves your audience and your business. But how do you manage it all bring in new listeners, and convert those listeners into customers. That's what this show is all about. Welcome to podcasting for educators. I'm Sara Whitaker, classroom teacher turn podcast manager. And I'm here to help you get the most out of your show, all while making an impact on other educators. Hey there and welcome back to another episode of podcasting for educators. I recently did a big purge of my closet, it was getting really crazy in there, I realized that I was holding on to some pieces of clothing that I just needed to let go. This really all started last year when I did a mini cleanout, I told myself that if I went through the entire next year without wearing a piece of clothing, then that piece of clothing was going to get donated. So the time came for me to buckle down and get it done. I really wanted to minimize the clutter in my closet and think about the purpose that each piece of clothing had. Because they really do all have different purposes. You've obviously got your undergarments, which really kicks off any outfit that you put on and then your other articles of clothing fall into all different kinds of categories, you need your day to day staples. If you're work from home girly, that might be your black leggings, your favorite sweatshirts, things that you kind of wear all throughout the year. You've got your seasonal clothing, your sweaters for fallen winter, your lighter clothing for spring and summer. And then you've got your clothes that you know are only coming out for special occasions like your cocktail dresses, your skirts, your suits, those more kind of special occasion, dress up kind of pieces of clothing. Each of these types serves a different purpose based on the need that you have that day. And the same is true for your podcast content, you can create different types of episodes that each serve your audience in a really unique way. Today, I want to talk about four essential types of episodes that every podcaster should be weaving into their content strategy. Those four types of episodes are your foundational episodes, Evergreen episodes, seasonal episodes, and social proof episodes. So let's go ahead and get into it. Number one,

    that first type of episode that I think everyone should have, as part of their podcast strategy plan are some foundational episodes. These are the episodes that really lay the groundwork for what people can expect from your podcast, what your teaching style is, if you're in the education space, and just really like what you specialize in what you have a passion for. Think of them as the cornerstone content that introduces new listeners to your show and sets the stage for what's to come. Foundational episodes could include things like your podcast origin story, why you started this podcast in the first place who it's for your mission as a business owner, and the core topics that you cover in your podcast. They're the episodes that when someone listens, they say, Yep, this is definitely the podcast for me. If you have a trailer for your podcast, this could include your trailer, your trailer could be a foundational episode. Typically, not always. But typically, foundational episodes really show up in those first few episodes that you ever do of your podcast. For example, for me, my first episode is called is podcasting right for you. My second episode is called leveraging your podcast for your TPT and online education business. And then after those episodes, I went into a series on how to launch a podcast, I would consider all of those to be foundational types of episodes. But then every now and then, I will AR some newer episodes that I would also consider foundational episodes, those types of episodes that go back to speak to those of you who maybe haven't started a podcast yet, and really touching on those topics for those newer and aspiring podcasters. If you are speaking to teachers, it could be about your teaching philosophy. Or it could be episodes that really focus on a topic that you're most passionate about. For example, I just had a client recently launch a podcast in the last few months. Shout out to Sierra I'm gonna give you I'm going to use your first few episodes as kind of an example here because I think that these would definitely be considered as foundational episodes for Sierra. She specializes in literacy and specifically she specializes in comprehension. And so her she decided to make her first few months really of her podcast kind of be this series about literacy foundations. So all of these episodes were Laid touched on all of these components of literacy such as comprehension. And then the rest of her podcasts for the years to come, are still going to weave those type of topics in. But those first few episodes are always going to be her foundational episodes that she can point new listeners to, and that they can hear and decide if it's a show that's going to help them with their teaching practices. Think about if let's say somebody found you on Instagram, for example. And they wanted to learn more about what you teach what you specialize in, if you had one or multiple podcast episodes that you could send to them, that says, hey, here's kind of a taste of the type of topics that I'm really passionate about, and that I cover in my content, those would be foundational types of episodes, you might have those that exist already on your podcast, you might not have those. And that's okay, you can always create foundational episodes, it doesn't necessarily have to be episodes that you first put out at the very beginning when you started your podcast, you can really do these at any time. And just kind of like a little quick tip, foundational podcast episodes. These are really great if you have a welcome sequence in your email provider that you send to people who are new, who opt in to one of your freebies or they join your email list. And then they get this welcome sequence. These foundational episodes are really great to include in that email sequence, because it's a really great way for them to quickly get a taste of what your business is about. And they can do that through audio through your podcast episodes instead of just your email. Okay, second type of episode that I think you should be creating our evergreen episodes. Your evergreen episodes are really the timeless content that just keeps on giving to your listeners, back to that closet analogy that I was talking about in the beginning. And we might not all agree with this. But for me, this is the jean jacket, I will rock a jean jacket in any and all seasons throughout the year. My jean jacket is always relevant, I can put it together with any outfit, don't try to convince me otherwise. Evergreen episodes don't have an expiration date. They're the ones that listeners can discover weeks, months, or even years down the line and still find value in these types of evergreen episodes have topics that stay true to your podcast theme. And they're not necessarily tied to a specific time, or a specific trend or a specific season. And your evergreen episodes. I don't want to generalize here. But I think for most of you, this is going to be the bulk of the episodes that you put out. And that's a good thing. Because listeners can always scroll back, look at these evergreen types of topics and feel like they are relevant at any time during the year. And that's what we want to be doing. We want to be pushing people back to previous episodes. Alright, third type of episode that I think you should be creating are seasonal episodes. Seasonal episodes are kind of that breath of fresh air for your audience. Whether it's a special series, a themed month that you do holiday type of episodes, seasonal episodes, really inject that variety into your content calendar, they're very timely, to the dates that you are airing them. They keep your podcast dynamic. And they show that you're really adaptable to different themes and things that are happening throughout the year. And for all of you listening who have educators as your audience, seasonal episodes are really important to your podcast. Because, you know, if you're talking to people, like teachers, school counselors, SLPs, administrators, they are going to be looking for seasonal advice and seasonal resources. Examples of those seasonal topics for educators might be like, end of the school year topics, beginning of the school year topics, winter holiday topics, and of your testing type of episodes. Those really those milestones that occur throughout the year for your audience. And these are the kinds of episodes you know, if you're putting out an episode in May, let's say about some tips on packing up your classroom before summer break. That's a great example of a seasonal type of episode. And the most downloads that that episode is gonna get is probably in that immediate timeframe that that episode airs. So that's going to be an episode that maybe in October, people are if they're scrolling through your past episodes, they might not necessarily click on that packing up for the school year episode at that time, but that's okay. So just know that those types of seasonal episodes are going to get those hits when that time time of year is happening. And then don't forget with seasonal episodes. Again, let's use that example that I just gave, if you aired in May of 2023, an episode about packing up your classroom before summer break, next May 2024. That's a great episode to refer back to, so that people get pushed back and they listen to that episode again, or maybe for the first time for any new listeners that you have. If you'd like to re air episodes from time to time, seasonal episodes are great episodes to re air. Alright, and the fourth type of episode that I think you should be creating as part of your podcast strategy plan are social proof episodes. Social proof episodes are really the secret sauce that adds credibility and authenticity to your podcast. picture them as the voice of your audience sharing their experiences with your show. This is when you're getting those organic testimonials, which really create a powerful connection showing potential listeners and current listeners that real people are benefiting from and enjoying your content and your resources or your services. It's not just a testimonial that you're putting in your email or on your sales page or on your TPT listing. They're actually hearing people talk about their experience with you, with your podcast with your resources. So these types of social proof episodes could be success stories, they could be interviews with some of your listeners, this not only really strengthens your relationship with your current audience, but it also acts as this great content for new listeners. Because it shows them that not only is your podcast worth listening to, but it has really positively impacted others. This type of episode is without a doubt the type that I see a lot of you missing in your podcast lineup. And I know that for many of you, it's because you're a little nervous to do this kind of episode. And I know this because you've told me this, you feel like a social proof testimonial kind of episode, whatever you want to call it, it's gonna come across as too salesy or kind of awkward. And I really want you to know that it does not have to be like that. In fact, I would really hope that you wouldn't just bring somebody onto your show and ask them to just rave about you and your resources the whole time. That's not the point of these kinds of episodes. The point is to share someone else's experience on your show, because it's really, really going to connect with people in your audience. And people want to feel that connection, they want to hear about the experiences and the stories of other people who are in the shoes that they are in. You know, I think back to when I was, I had just left the classroom. And I was thinking about taking that leap and starting an online business. And I knew I was first going to start out as a VA as a virtual assistant. And I had learned about this woman through I think I first learned about her through a Facebook ad. And she taught people how to become freelancers. And she had a podcast. And so I knew that she had this course this program, which at the time felt very expensive. And I didn't know if I wanted to spend the money on it or not. And so I went to her podcast, and I binged that podcast binge did. And my very favorite episodes that she did were her success story episodes, where she had people on who had taken her program, because I got to hear from other people, including lots of teachers, who were steps ahead of me who had taken that leap, who had started their business. And now they had found success. And when I was listening to those types of episodes, I never ever once thought, I can't believe she's talking about her program on this episode with one of her students or she just brought this person on to rave about her program so she can make money. No, I never thought that the complete opposite. In fact, I really appreciated having those episodes that I could turn to and that I could really just hear about those experiences because it made me ultimately I mean, that was why I made the decision to then go and purchase her program. And thank goodness I did or I'll say, probably wouldn't be here today in the position that I'm in right now. But those episodes really had a big impact on me because I felt such a connection to those people that she had on her podcast and to their stories. And you guys, we are all business owners and you have to get comfortable talking about your resources or your services on your podcast. asked, I'll also add that these types of social proof episodes. It's such a cool feeling to get to connect with one of your students or your members or your customers or your clients on a podcast interview, and get to hear what kind of success they've found with your resources or your services, and get to just learn more about them and hear more about their story. Because in what other situation are you going to get to have that opportunity to connect with these people. And I'm telling you that if you do these kinds of episodes, that just might be the episode that someone in your audience needed to give them the confidence or the push to join your membership or buy that TV T bundle or whatever it is. And that act, that action of having somebody purchase from you is so much bigger than just you, it's going to give them a transformation that's going to help them and it's going to leave an impact on them. And that's really what I want you to keep in mind when you consider doing these types of episodes on your podcast. This doesn't have to feel awkward. It doesn't have to feel salesy, you do not have to make this type of episode all about how this person bought from you. It's about their story and about their individual experience. And the fact that they used your services or your resources to get to where they are, is going to organically come up in the conversation. So really, by incorporating these social proof episodes into your podcast strategy, you're not only showcasing the value of your podcast, but you are really truly building a community around it. So just try it. Challenge yourself to do that scary thing and invite one of your customers onto your podcast to hear their story. I promise you will not regret it. Okay, so super quick recap. The four types of episodes that I think you should be creating as part of your long term podcast strategy are foundational episodes, Evergreen episodes, seasonal episodes, and social proof episodes. If you want to hear more about how you can really leverage each of these types of episodes and organize them and really get the most use out of them

    for years to come. I would encourage you to check out my new resource, the podcast playlist toolkit. I will leave the link for that in the description and in the show notes for this episode. And with that, I will see you here next week. Thanks so much for listening to today's episode. To keep this conversation going connect with me on Instagram at podcasting for educators. I'm always looking for an excuse to talk about podcasting. If you're looking for support and launching, managing or growing your podcast, check out my online course the podcasting for educators prep school at podcasting for educators.com/prep school. I'll see you here next time.

    Transcribed by https://otter.ai

More about Podcasting for Educators:

Podcasting for Educators is the podcast for TpT authors and other online educators. It's a show that will help you get your podcast in front of those who need it most - teachers, counselors, literacy specialists, SLPs, parents, and more! Each week, Sara Whittaker and her guests will share top tips and actionable strategies that you will need in order to launch, manage, and grow your podcast. You’ll learn how to leverage your show to build long-lasting relationships with your audience and promote your TpT resources, courses, and memberships, all while providing valuable and accessible content!

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Sara Whittaker