Does every new podcast idea need a new podcast feed?
If you’ve worked hard to build an audience for your podcast it’s hard to imagine why, if you come up with a brand new podcast idea, you’d start building your listeners from scratch when you’ve got a feed full of people who already love your stuff.
So if you’ve got a new podcast idea is it ok to sneak it into the feed of your existing show or do you need to start the whole process again?
When you need to start a new podcast feed…
When your new idea is fundamentally different to your original concept
I’ve seen plenty of podcasts make the mistake of starting another show in the same feed and it’s usually because their first show did really well and they want to capitalise on their audience.
I can see why the temptation is there, I mean who wouldn’t want to start a brand new show on day one with lots of listeners instead of zero?
The problem is, those listeners didn’t subscribe to your new show, they subscribed to your old one.
Serving up content they didn’t ask for is the podcast equivalent of email spam and that’s not a great way to say “thanks for supporting me!”
Especially when you can just ask them to check out your new show by dropping a promo episode into your original feed and asking them to come across.
You can also promote your new show in the episodes of your existing one and spruik the hell out of it to your audience on social media.
Sure, you still have to build your audience from scratch but the fact you’ve got an existing bunch of people who love what you do means the process will be a lot quicker than it was the first time.
Plus, if you invite people to subscribe rather than giving them no choice your feed will be full of subscribers who WANT to be there and that’s the best way to build an engaged audience.
You’ll also avoid the inevitable backlash in your reviews section of dropping a show in the feed that no one asked for.
I’ve seen it happen to a few shows and it ain’t pretty.
People also end up unsubscribing, so if you do decide to continue your original idea, you’ll be losing listeners who love it.
The other problem with dropping multiple shows in the same feed is it makes your original show hard to find if you change the name and logo.
It won’t be obvious to new listeners your old show is buried in the feed of your new one so you make it difficult to get new listeners to your original show without having to jump through a bunch of hoops (and people don’t like hoops).
When you don’t need to start a new podcast feed…
When your new content feels like a new season of your original concept
A show that did this well was the true-crime podcast Atlanta Monster.
The original series, which focused on serial killer Wayne Bertram Williams, was a huge success and I’m guessing the makers hadn’t intended to keep the show going but were pretty keen to capitalise on its success.
This led to the show continuing with the title Monster but focusing on a different monster in each season e.g. Atlanta Monster, Monster The Zodiac Killer, Monster DC Sniper.
In this example the audience is getting what they came for… compelling true crime stories.
And in a way, it’s a bonus because the creator kept providing new content they would enjoy without them having to subscribe to a new podcast feed.
If that’s what your new idea feels like (and be honest with yourself), then by all means drop it in your feed because your audience will feel like they’re getting extra value rather than being taken advantage of.
How do you tell the difference?
Think about your audience, what they want and what they’ve subscribed to.
If your new idea feels like it makes sense under the umbrella idea of your original podcast then you’ll be able to make that feel like a new season of an existing show.
But if it’s a totally different concept to what your audience signed up for it’s better to use your current feed to promote your new show and ask existing subscribers to come over to your new podcast.
By asking permission you’ll get subscribers who’ll welcome your content which means you’ll have greater consumption rates, engagement, and reviews.
And that way, everybody wins!
Got a burning podcasting question you’d like answered? Send me an email.
Want to start your own podcast but need a little help? Download my “How To Start A Podcast” guide or sign up for my online podcasting course, PodSchool.
