A new year is a time for fresh starts and resolutions. For starting new goals, and dreaming up new dreams. And it’s often at the start of a new year when we have a burning desire to make some drastic changes in our life.
We update our wardrobe, dive into a little home DIY, and we might experiment with a new hairstyle. And all because we want things to feel new for a new year.
(Let’s be honest, our Pinterest account sees way more of us in January than at any time of the year, am I right? Just me? Okay. Cool…)
And if you’re a podcaster, that need for new likely extends to your podcast. You probably don’t want to completely overhaul every aspect of your show, particularly if you’ve worked hard to build your unique brand. But you do want it to feel fresh and exciting for your listeners.
So what can be done to revamp a podcast? A whole lot actually! We’ve collected 12 ways to update your show and breathe a little new life into your podcast with a metaphorical lick of paint.
Let’s dive in!
1. Spruce Up Your Artwork
A little artwork revamp is one of the easiest ways to update your podcast.
Remember, you don’t want to go too wild on the revamp and end up with something completely unrecognizable as “you”, but you want enough of a change that makes your listeners go, “Hey! That’s new! And looks GREAT!”
So a color swap on your original design, a fun font update, or adding some new elements could all be effective changes.
2. Get a New Jingle
Your jingle is usually the first thing listeners hear when they’re tuning in to your podcast episodes. So it’s the perfect place to surprise them with something new!
Music is such a powerful tool for setting the scene and creating the right atmosphere. It can increase the hype, double the intrigue, or just put you in a great mood with a few simple bars.
So a new jingle could be just what you need to update your podcast and give it a little sprucing up.
Check out this post on Podcasts and Royalty Free Music PLUS 12 Resources For Royalty Free Music And Sound Effects.
3. Record a New Intro
After your new jingle, the next element of your podcast that might do with a little revamp and update is your intro.
Your introduction is the first time listeners get to hear you, so you want to make it memorable…for all the right reasons! Finding new and updated ways to capture your listener’s attention right out the gate is important here.
As with your jingle, you can use your voice to help set the right tone and convey the feeling you want to cultivate for your listeners.
4. Record a New Outro
It’s no secret that episode outros are often overlooked. But don’t let that be the case for your podcast! Outros are a great place to include compelling CTA’s, invite engagement with your audience, and just round up the episodes with a figurative bow.
So if your episodes don’t yet have an outro, now’s the time to record one! But if your current outro needs a little revamp, check out this post: What to Include in an Effective Podcast Outro.
5. Change Up Your Format
If you just want a super simple way to spruce up your show you could consider changing up your format. Switching around your segments, adding your ads in different places, or just introducing your usual segments with a fresh introduction can help shake up the mundaneness your episodes may have fallen into.
While keeping everything the same may bring a sense of comfort, if it all stays the same for too long, you may find listeners tuning out as they already know what to expect, so a format change can effectively shake things up and refocus the listeners to your content.
This kind of change won’t be drastic, but it is an easy way to add a sense of newness to your episodes.
6. Introduce New Segments
If you feel your episodes need a bit more of a shake-up, perhaps it’s time to introduce some new segments to keep your show feeling fresh and to keep your listeners’ anticipation levels high as they tune in for new episodes. Adding some new sections to your episodes can recapture your listener’s attention all over again, and can be a great way to add even more value to your audience.
But a word of caution.You want to approach this one carefully. New segments can help your show feel fresh and exciting again, but you also don’t want to lose your show’s core identity. Too many new segments and your episodes might not feel like “yours” anymore, which might be a turnoff for your loyal listeners. You will need to strike a balance between “new” and “on-brand” so that this update gains you more listeners and doesn’t lose your core crowd.
7. Change Up Your Music
You can also add new music throughout your episodes to help revamp your show. As we have already discussed, music has the incredible ability to enhance a message, drive home a truth, and just make the listening experience all the more enjoyable. So a change in your usual music can be a great way to update your episodes.
But the above advice also applies here. You do need to consider your new music picks carefully. You want your new music to feel “new” but you definitely don’t want it to be too much of a departure from your show’s identity. But if you keep that in mind, you’ll make the right pick when it comes to your new tunes.
8. Use Social Media for Engagement
You may already be using the different social media platforms to promote your podcast, but a way to breathe new life into your podcasting experience could be using your social media as a way to interact with your audience. Not just liking comments or sharing your posts to your stories, I mean really encouraging engagement.
You could do live behind-the-scenes with your interview guests. You could also try your hand at some fun “Ask Me Anything” stories or find your feet as you make reels and TikToks. There are so many exciting offers and opportunities available! You just need to make sure that whatever social avenue you pick, your audience should feature prominently on that platform.
9. Try New Platforms
For a new year challenge, and as a way to diversify your reach, you could also try sharing your content on new platforms. If it aligns with your niche and audience, try making a splash on Pinterest! If you offer tips, lifestyle advice, or your content lends itself to eye-catching infographics, this is a great way to grow your brand and expand your reach.
Is your audience active on TikTok? Perhaps that’s your new frontier! Fun videos, guest cameos, or quick, helpful life hacks tend to work really well on TikTok. And so if your content and audience, as well as your creativity, align, this could be a fun way to do something new with your podcast.
10. Branch Into Video
According to this interview with Adam Carolla and Robert Ellion, the future of podcasting lies in video. So, if you’re up to the challenge in 2022 and it makes sense for you and your audience, you could start running a video podcast alongside your usual episodes.
If you get a great setup and find your groove in front of the camera, your video podcast could be a massive hit with your audience. And it could also be a way that you serve your audience even more. To help you find your feet, we’re sharing our 7 Steps To Launch a Video Podcast.
11. Run a Giveaway
Giveaways are a great way to drum up some excitement around your show! I mean, who isn’t excited about potentially winning some awesome prizes?!! And if you match your prizes to your audience’s wants, you’ve got a winning combination to attract new listeners and re-engage your loyal fans.
Giveaways can just be “for fun” and some excitement or you can use them to accomplish a specific goal. If you’re looking to encourage listener interaction, or you’re wanting to up your reviews and rating on Apple Podcasts, running a giveaway is a great way to encourage your listeners to take part. It’s an easy way to drum up excitement and create a great buzz around your show again.
12. Start a Newsletter
Lastly, you could use the start of a new year as the motivation to start a newsletter. Not only are newsletters a new way to offer your awesome content, but they are also a super-effective way to build your podcast community. Bottom line: A newsletter is a great addition to your podcast arsenal.
Starting a newsletter can help you update your podcast by opening up new ways for your listeners to interact with you. They can share direct feedback to questions you pose in the newsletter, but they are also a new way to showcase your winning personality. And if your newsletter goes out on different days to your episode, you can use your newsletters to keep your brand fresh in the minds of your listeners more consistently focused on your show.
Closing Thoughts
The start of a new year is the perfect time for a little podcast updating and revamping! Everything needs a little touch-up now and again to keep it feeling fresh and new, and your podcast is no different.
Take an in-depth look at your podcast, and see if there are any areas that need a little sprucing up. Then follow our 12 tips, and your podcast will be better than new in no time!
Related read: Our predictions for the next year in audio
