Is Content Really King? – PTC 489

CONTENT ISN'T KING

It is often said that content is King.

That isn't necessarily true. Content by itself won't gain you an audience.

Content isn't King. Great content is King.

Anybody can copy information. Your content needs to be infused with story and personality to really connect with listeners.

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BE UNIQUE

It really hit me one time when I was interviewing a musician on the air. I won't mention his name, because he called me out right there in the middle of the interview.

Before our conversation, I went online and read his bio. I went through the news release they sent me about the new album and the tour.

Once the interview began, I felt pretty good. We were rolling along with the standard questions and he was giving the standard answers.

In what city will the tour start? When does the album come out.? What can we expect when you roll through here?

Then I asked him a question about a detail in his bio. I though it was something unique. But he said, "Well, I see somebody read my bio."

That's when I realized I couldn't just ask typical questions and get typical answers. To create great interviews, I needed to get my guests to tell great stories.

Everything I was doing to this point was simply a derivative of someone else. I was a cliché, a poor knock off.

Why would anyone listen to me when they could get the same thing by listening a variety of other interviews with the same guest?

From there, I took my original content and made it great.

CONTENT WITH STORIES

Later in my career I was interviewing Preston Brust of the country band LOCASH. He and Chris Lucas had been working hard for years writing songs for themselves and others while also recording and touring.

LOCASH had a few different record deals, but had never had that big hit they needed to break through. Other artists were recording songs the two had written, but none of those had hit either.

In 2011, country superstar Keith Urban not only decided to record a song written by Preston and Chris, but he was going to release it as a single. When I was talking with Preston, I asked him what it felt like when he got the call that Keith Urban was releasing their song. Here is what he said.

"Things weren't going so good. I get this phone call. I'm in the backseat of my friends car and I get this phone call and it sounded like something was wrong. And he says, 'I'm sitting next to Keith Urban and he just told me that 'You Gonna Fly' is going to be his next single, and he's releasing it next week.' And I literally had them stop the car and I got out of the car and I just let out this yell. It just felt like I'm back."

They were back. That song went to number one on the country charts. Preston and Chris then wrote a hit for Tim McGraw and eventually a top 5 hit for themselves.

I guarantee that question about how it felt to get that call hasn't been asked many times if ever of Preston.

We created such a relationship over the years that he still texts me. They just finished their latest song called "Hometown Home" and he sent me the early version.

That kind of relationship doesn't happen with typical questions and standard answers. Your audience also isn't attracted to typical interviews.

Be different.

BE YOURSELF

Over the years, my style and content developed. I became myself. That is when my show became #1. My content was original and fresh. Nobody else was doing it.

If your content isn't great, nothing else matters. The production of your podcast could be the best available. You could have all the bells and whistles available in your studio, including the best mic. The marketing of your podcast could incredibly creative and unique. However, if the content is average, no one will care.

Don't simply go through the motions creating your content. Find a unique angle. Your take on the subject should be interesting. Make your content stand out using stories, creativity, and personal revelation.

Content won't attract an audience unless it is great content. When your content is great, you become king. Make it happen.

There are four key areas of focus when creating great content and tightening up your show.

1. BE ORIGINAL

Old-timey radio would say, "Hello Everybody in Radioland!" You're not an announcer talking to a group. Be a person talking to another person.

To be engaging, you need to be human. You need to be yourself.

As you record your podcast, use your natural voice and your own words.

Individuals who are new to broadcasting tend to want to sound like their broadcasting idols. They try to imitate those they have heard on the radio with their voice and clichés.

Unfortunately, new broadcasters tend to sound as if they are using scripted drivel done in some character voice that is forced and unnatural.

You don't need to sound like Wolfman Jack, Howard Cosell, Don LaFontaine or Howard Stern. In fact, you shouldn't sound like those guys.

The big personalities are who they are. You should be who you are.

If you are naturally over-the-top, then be over-the-top. If you are not, don't fake it. You'll sound like an amateur and people can tell.

Be natural. Talk with a little energy, but always deliver it as you naturally speak.

The days of "the voice for radio" are gone. You don't need a big voice to be on the radio. And you surely don't need a big voice to create a podcast. Your voice becomes unique by what you say, not how you sound saying it.

Be yourself. Use your own voice instead of trying to impersonate someone else. Use your natural voice and your own words.

2. REPEATING YOURSELF

That's right, of course, like I said, obviously.

If you find yourself saying "obviously" or "of course", you are making two mistakes.

The first error is repeating yourself. If you are saying "obviously" because you feel everyone already knows the information, you are wasting your breath.

If it is obvious, there is no need to say it.

To frame it in a way to indicate it is something everyone knows, I might simply make a statement. I may say, "Because the sun comes up in the East, I prefer my bedroom windows be on the West side of the house."

Everyone listening to me knows the sun comes up in the East. I simply include the statement.

If I use a phrase like, "Of course", it appears I didn't want it to look like I was trying to teach you about the sunrise. I didn't want you to think I just learned that. "Of course" plays it off, but it also doesn't need to be there.

If it is "of course", there is no need to say it in the first place.

CONFIDENCE

The second error is lack of confidence, so we add filler words.

You may want to sound knowledgeable to those who know the information. Yet, you know there is a segment of the audience that does not know the details.

To inform those unaware, you add the "of course". In this case, you're just wasting words.

I may say, "The band will be at the arena Saturday night, of course." Some may be aware of this performance. Yet, there may be people in the audience who haven't heard the news.

It makes sense to add the information, but you don't need the "of course".

The idea is to sound knowledgeable and credible to those that already know, while providing the information to those unaware. You simply need to restructure you sentence and eliminate the cliché.

Use a sentence like, "When the band is at the arena Saturday night, parking will be at a premium."

This sentence provides new information to both segments of the audience. I include the "arena Saturday night" portion for the new listeners while giving those already aware of the concert new parking information. Both receive a benefit without the filler words.

When you include "that's right" or "like I said", you are repeating yourself. Your listener heard you the first time.

Most people use these cliches to fill time while they think of the next thing to say. Avoid going in circles. Your listener will quickly become uninterested. Know where you're going and keep moving forward.

3. ELIMINATE CLICHES

I hear so many cliches in podcasts today. They are present in business in general.

A cliché is a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought. It is a very predictable or unoriginal thing or person.

We had a leader of our division who would use one particular cliché on every conference call we had.

Every month, we would have a conference call to keep each station in sync. It would be run by our division leader. The call would then feature 4 or 5 other speakers covering various topics. The call would last about 30 minutes.

After every speaker would finish their report, our division leader would say, "Really good stuff." "That was really good stuff, Ray." "Thanks, Sarah. Really good stuff."

When he would talk about new resources that were available to us, he would wrap it up with "really good stuff". When he talked about new music coming out, he would call it "really good stuff".

What started out as a compliment became a hollow nod that carried no weight. It was overused and lacked original thought. It was predictable.

He got so predictable, as the speaker would wrap up, we would say to ourselves, "that was really good stuff" right before our leader would chime in with the same line. It kept us entertained on the call, but added nothing to the conversation.

What cliches are you using? They are everywhere. Many times you don't realize it is a cliché until you start listening to your own show, or a coach points it out.

The one that sounds most out of place to me on a podcast is, "To be honest with you". When somebody says "to be honest with you", I immediately think, "were you lying to me before?"

What message are you trying to convey when you say, "to be honest with you"? I assume you are simply trying to add emphasis to what you are saying. In reality, the cliché has lost its power. It means nothing. It's a cliché.

There are many others. We are thinking out of the box. We are pushing the envelope. We are taking it to the next level. It's Erik here to remind you something or another. You know what I mean? You know what I'm saying.

Listen to an older episode or two of your show. Really listen to the shows like a listener. Find the cliches and eliminate them. Be original.

4. AVOID ROUGH TRANSITIONS

And now it's time for …

This phrase seems harmless. It looks like a logical transition from one segment to another during your podcast. Unfortunately, this phrase gives your listener permission to leave the show.

When you use "and now it's time for..." or some similar phrase, it tells the listener that one segment is over and we are moving on to something else. It also signals a natural break in the show and the perfect time to exit.

The transition is a lot like a commercial break in a television show. It is time to grab the remote to see what else is available. This is why TV shows started using the cliff hangers to keep you around.

Famous American showman P. T. Barnum noticed that people were lingering too long at his exhibits. If he could get them through the exhibit faster, he could get more people through in a day and make more money.

Barnum posted signs around the exhibit indicating "This Way to the Egress". Henry would ask Barbara, "Have you ever seen an egress? No? Let's check it out."

Unaware that "Egress" simply meant "Exit", people followed the signs to what they assumed was a fascinating exhibit only to end up outside.

Take down your "egress" sign. If you truly want to hold your listener from one segment to the next, don't send up the signal. Simply move to the next segment.

THE TRANSITION

On a coaching call the other day, I pointed out to the host that he was using "I want to keep this moving" quite often in his show.

When he says "I want to keep this moving", I know we are switching to a new topic. I can punch out here if I'd like.

Instead, just move on.

Imagine you are at a cocktail party. You are discussing the baseball game that you saw over the weekend.

After the baseball topic runs its course, do you say, "Now it's time to talk about my new car"? I doubt it.

You probably just roll right into, "Hey, I bought a new car last week." It is a natural transition. Your friend doesn't think, "Hmm, that was a pretty rough transition." They have moved on right along with you.

As you wrap up one segment, move right to the next. You might end the first segment with, "If you take those steps, things should be back to normal." Roll into the next with, "Jackie has a question about teamwork," and play the call.

The next segment just starts. You've hooked them on the next segment without opening the door to leave.

Don't flash the exit sign. Eliminate "and now it's time for" to hold your listener for the entire podcast.

TIGHTER CONTENT

Focus on these four areas to create great content. Avoid repeating yourself. Eliminate the cliches. Create smooth transitions in your content. Above all else, be original.

When you be yourself and ask great questions, it will be difficult to copy you. The content will be original. And, people will love you for it.

If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.