It is always a good idea to pause, reevaluate, and consider what you can do to improve as a podcaster, regardless of how new you are to the field or how long you’ve been doing it. We frequently fail to notice the little things and fail to address our weaknesses in an effort to become stronger. It takes more than just connecting a microphone and hitting the record button to be a great podcaster. You must take into account your speaking style, perfect the art of being a gracious host, and constantly put yourself in novel situations to stretch your abilities and promote lifelong learning.

Remember that starting and launching your own podcast is already a remarkable accomplishment! Because of this, you ought to take pride in what you’ve accomplished and work hard to improve your podcasting skills for your target audience.

You can improve your speaking skills, remove the extraneous filler, and actually learn how to enjoy it by following these 9 simple steps.

Recognize your communication style

Every person has their own distinctive speaking style. Some of us are very positive, while others are a little more pessimistic. Others, meanwhile, are still searching for their true voice. Making a list of your natural speaking traits is the best place to start. Utilize those advantages by incorporating them into your speaking style. Speakers often have the tendency to believe that they ought to act in a certain manner. However, being authentic will help you succeed at your own show the most. Stick to being the person your closest friends know you to be and resist the urge to try to sound a certain way. Every person is different, with their own peculiar behaviors. Allow the eccentric aspects of your personality to permeate your delivery. Those character flaws will eventually emerge as distinctive signs of authenticity for your program.

Of course, there is always room to sharpen your communication abilities and ensure that your audience understands what you are trying to say. However, if your fundamental speaking style is constant, it will serve as a solid base to take your podcast and speaking abilities to the next level.

Cut back on “Robot-Talk”

You probably enjoy listening to your favorite podcasts because the content is simple to understand and is presented in a casual, conversational style. Your audience doesn’t want to hear you read from an outline; they want to engage in conversation with you, hear you explain the subject in your own words, and hear about your personal experiences. Just be yourself, establish a sincere rapport with your listeners, and speak truthfully.

Moving away from robot-speak and really embracing your natural personality are the keys. Let your personal rhythms guide your style, whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert. If you’re an introvert, speak slowly, deliberately, and thoughtfully rather than attempting to fake enthusiasm that doesn’t feel authentic to you. In contrast, you are more likely to be dynamic and outwardly focused if you are an extrovert. Therefore, try not to control or suppress your innate energies. Allow yourself to be imposing and dramatic. So stop talking like a robot and just be yourself!

Discover How to Let Your Visitors Succeed

You invite guests onto your program for the sole purpose of letting your audience benefit from their expertise. People enjoy listening to intelligent, knowledgeable speakers discuss important issues and concepts. However, it can frequently be challenging for hosts to release the microphone. It is, after all, your audience and your show. But if you don’t take a moment to step aside and give your guest the stage, they won’t be able to shine and share their knowledge with your audience. So be aware of who you are and learn to let go just a little to truly serve your audience.

Create a brief interview outline to help lead your guests and your audience through the conversation. This will make it simpler to stay on topic and avoid taking away from your guests’ contributions. Avoid asking questions that can only have a “yes” or “no” response because they will put an end to the conversation. Instead, encourage discussion by asking exploratory questions that call for more information and justification. Most importantly, don’t cut them off when they finish answering your questions. To avoid talking about yourself in particular. Allow them to have their moment to shine while allowing the conversation to continue.

Improve Your Stage Presence

Your podcast is fundamentally a show! Therefore, it makes sense to assume that you are the person in charge of putting on that show. You must establish your own style and play to your strengths and best attributes, as we covered in points 1 and 2 above. If you are unsure of where to begin, choose a few of your favorite podcast hosts, list the specific aspects of their showmanship that you enjoy, and then incorporate those elements into your own program.

Now, keep in mind: don’t imitate others! It serves no purpose to produce something that is a perfect replica of another person’s work and completely unlike YOU! Take in as much inspiration as you can, but be sure to modify it to fit your show’s needs and those of its target audience. The game’s objectives are to amuse and educate. Discover your rhythm, learn how you perform best, and deliver the performance that captivates your audience time and time again.

Expose Yourself to New Circumstances

By challenging yourself and looking for new communication opportunities, you can make sure that you are constantly learning and evolving to meet the needs of your audience. There is always room to improve as a speaker and podcaster, whether that be by giving a presentation at a small gathering or taking the stage at a conference. Getting out there and speaking in front of others is a surefire way to further develop and hone those skills. Face-to-face interaction with an audience enables you to see things from a different angle and truly capture the instantaneous reactions of the crowd, no matter how big or small it may be. This kind of feedback is invaluable and can show you exactly where you need to improve as well as where you are doing a fantastic job.

Try something completely out of the ordinary, like reciting a poem or a type of monologue, if speaking engagements are not enough. For the best results, practice in front of a mirror or even enroll in an acting class. You might be pleasantly surprised by the outcomes if you really push yourself!

Always Be Curious

Understanding your motivation for starting a podcast in the first place is the first step in improving it. You must always be curious about the subject you are discussing and the people you are attracting to your audience if you want to produce a truly successful show. When done well, audio can produce a strong, emotional experience. It is your responsibility to conduct research, tell stories, and continuously support your subject! For your show, you serve as the journalist. It is up to you to conduct the research and delve deep into each subject.

It is now appropriate to evaluate your level of openness. Are you searching for the subsequent finding, insight, or innovation? Don’t produce another unexceptional podcast. Investigate further, follow your curiosities, and discover the juicy, fascinating content that your audience is looking for!

Lessen the Fluff

We frequently hear that we should “minimize the fluff” from all the podcast experts. This seems to be an easy task. What, though, is this “fluff” exactly? The extraneous information that is discussed but has no bearing on the episode’s subject and won’t be helpful or valuable to your audience is what is commonly referred to as “fluff.” You must determine what qualifies as fluff because it will vary depending on the podcaster and the listenership. Once more, the key is to consider it from your listeners’ perspective. What do they believe to be the most crucial elements of your show’s content? Your target audience wants to hear information that will be helpful to them.

You must therefore get to the content’s main points as quickly as possible if you want them to continue listening. Of course, the personal anecdotes are what connect it all. People tend to remember these brief tales best, and they also make it easier for listeners to relate to you as the podcast host. The secret is to strike the perfect balance between the essential elements of your program and the distinctive personal touches that make the material irresistibly distinctive.

Consistently seek feedback

Sometimes it can be difficult to tell whether or not your show is a success. Most of the time, listeners will simply stop downloading your episodes rather than telling you that you are a terrible podcast host. Aside from the horrible internet trolls out there, the majority of people genuinely want you to succeed. Therefore, if you want to catch those helpful listeners early on, actually ask them for their feedback. This can be extremely important, especially in the beginning, for the success of your podcast. You are much more likely to see your show succeed if you can work out those kinks right away. You can reshape the show, cut out what doesn’t work, and concentrate on what your audience wants to hear from you by using the feedback from actual listeners.

Take a step back and solicit the audience’s distinct listening perspective. Start by posing specific questions about your show to them on your social media pages and at the end of each podcast episode. You also have the choice of sending a brief survey to your email list asking them to comment on various elements of your podcast, suggest changes, or point out any omissions. This questionnaire may include questions about your website, podcast, episodes, show notes, social media posts, and more. And keep in mind that if there is an incentive, your audience will be much more likely to submit their answers or provide feedback. An entry into a contest or a discount code for one of your courses or ebooks can serve as an incentive. Be creative, and get the conversation going!

Enjoy Yourself!

Last but not least, to be a better podcaster you have to be able to enjoy yourself! Whether you are actually enjoying it or are just trying to get through it, your audience can always tell. You should feel completely at ease when it comes to podcasting, especially if the subject is one that you are extremely passionate about. And what’s even better is that you get to spread that message to other people who are eager to learn about it. There has never been a better time to start a podcast, and the more fun you have doing it, the more your listeners will catch on and begin to enjoy it themselves!

Listening to someone who is actually having fun is always more interesting. People are drawn to that for some reason, sparking their interest in the subject and spreading that contagious passion. Get back to the reason you started if you ever start to lose this fun. Think of the possibilities and the opportunities that podcasting can open up for you. Remain there and keep reminding yourself why you are doing this for the long haul.