Don’t Fear the Podcast Niche: Why Going Nice and Nichey Could Be Your Best Move Yet
Are you terrified of niching down your podcast? You’re not alone. I meet with a lot of podcasters and many of them hesitate, worried that narrowing their focus will limit their audience. Maybe they’ve even heard it’s a good idea, but they can’t seem to get the courage to go for it.
I’m here to tell you that getting nice and nichey can actually make your podcast more powerful.
The Myth of the Niche
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that a broad podcast appeals to more listeners. After all, Joe Rogan talks about everything, right? But here’s the reality: unless you’ve spent 20 years building your brand, your audience, and your loyal sponsors, a broad approach likely won’t serve you. For most of us, embracing a niche isn’t just a good idea—it’s essential. When you focus in, you sharpen your edge, making your podcast more impactful.
Real-Life Podcast Niche Success Stories
Let me share a couple of success stories from my clients:
Tracy’s Transformation: Tracy started with a podcast aimed at all photographers, but she wasn’t getting enough traction. After we zeroed her podcast in on her expertise—running a successful boudoir photography business—everything changed. Her listeners weren’t just random photographers; they were women eager to start or grow their own boudoir photography businesses. With her newfound focus, Tracy’s email list grew, and her course sales skyrocketed.
Andre’s Breakthrough: Andre had a general fitness podcast targeting gym owners, but he was lost in a sea of similar shows. His real expertise? Building a top-rated gym reputation. We refined his niche to focus on reputation management for gym owners. The result? His podcast blew up (in a good way), reaching the right audience and driving growth for his business.
Embrace the Podcast Niche: Practical Steps
So, how do you overcome the fear of niching down? Here are three steps:
1. Stop Chasing Everyone: If you’re talking to everyone, you’re talking to no one. Focus on your ideal listener—the one who needs your expertise the most. This helps you build a stronger connection, leading to quicker conversions.
2. Own Your Expertise: You’ve got deep knowledge in a specific area, so own it. The more you lean into your expertise, the more your audience will see you as the authority they’ve been searching for. This makes you and your podcast more referrable.
3. Go Deep, Not Wide: A smaller, more engaged audience is far more valuable than a large, indifferent one. These are the listeners who will subscribe, share, and—most importantly—buy.
The Power of Niche Dominance
Let me tell you about Inna. She had a wellness podcast with a decent following, but then the wellness podcast boom hit, and she felt lost in the crowd. We helped her focus on her expertise and personal experience with Hashimoto’s disease. By niching down, she reclaimed her spot at the top, with a highly engaged audience eager for her insights.
Downloads Aren’t Everything
Remember, more downloads don’t necessarily mean more sales. Don’t get caught up in the wrong metrics. Even niching down one level can make a huge impact on your podcast’s effectiveness. When you focus on serving the right audience, you’ll start counting dollar signs instead of downloads.
Lemme Prove It…
Still not convinced that niching is for you?
Book a free podcast coaching call, and let’s go toe to toe on this one.
Get on my calendar today: https://calendly.com/timwohlberg
