Podcast Planning for Q1: Set Yourself Up for Success in 2024
2023 was a rough year for a lot of us, and if you’re hoping for a successful 2024, it’s time to start planning now. But you might be wondering, where do I even start with podcast planning for next year? Lucky for you, I’m going to walk you through my Q1 podcast planning system step by step.
In this episode, we’ll cover why you need a plan, where to start looking for easy wins and updates going into 2024, and then diving into some big picture planning that you need to keep in mind all year long. By the end of this episode, you’ll be able to create a plan for podcast success in Q1 of 2024.
Why you need an annual plan to ensure a successful year
As we approach the end of 2023 and prepare for a new year, I can't emphasize enough the importance of annual planning for your podcast. In a recent mastermind session, I experienced a drastic shift in perspective by taking the time to review and evaluate my podcast's performance in 2023. This not only provided clarity on the past year but also allowed me to set intentions and goals for a successful 2024.
As we delve into the intricacies of getting your podcast ready for Q1, don't overlook the power of an annual review. It's not about finding problems but ensuring everything aligns with the direction you want for your business. Taking these steps now sets the stage for a successful and invigorating start to the new year.
Start by keeping your podcast polished and cohesive
Revisiting your RSS feed
As we gear up for Q1 of 2024, it's crucial to dive into the often-overlooked details that can significantly impact your podcast's performance.
One often neglected area is updating the essentials in your RSS feed. Many podcasters set up their feeds and forget to revisit them. Open your RSS feed host and pay attention to the seemingly minor details such as podcast information, categories, and copyrights. Take a moment to update copyright years to reflect the current date (hello, 2024!). These seemingly small actions can prevent issues down the line.
While updating categories and ensuring correct author information, consider if your chosen category still aligns with your podcast's focus. Now is an opportune time to reassess and make adjustments if needed. Don't underestimate the impact of these little things—they contribute to a polished and current podcast presence. It's a small effort now for a smoother journey in the upcoming quarter.
Realigning your podcast description
Next in line is your podcast description. As we step into Q1 of 2024, it's crucial to ensure that your podcast's description aligns seamlessly with your business goals and the services you provide. Take a moment to ask yourself: Does it still make sense? Has there been a shift in your business marketing that needs to be reflected here? Assess the satisfaction of your SEO strategy—is your podcast easily discoverable for the topics you want to be known for?
This doesn't necessarily mean a complete rewrite; sometimes, a simple refresh is all it takes. So, dive into your podcast description and give it a keen eye. Ensure it still resonates with both you and your podcast's essence as you embark on the next quarter.
Updating your podcast branding and identity
And finally, now’s the perfect moment to align your podcast branding with the broader vision of your business. Think beyond just updating your logo; consider your cover art, music, intro, outro, and even your trailer. These elements define your podcast and should seamlessly parallel your business branding.
If you've made updates to your business this year, now's the time to ensure your podcast reflects those changes. Don't shy away from refreshing your branding, and if it's not an immediate need, plan it into your annual schedule. Remember, consistency is key—your podcast should be in harmony with your overall business image. A cohesive brand across all platforms ensures that when people encounter your business or podcast, it's a seamless and coherent experience. So, whether it's a quick refresh or a more significant rebrand, let your podcast's identity complement the exciting changes your business is making.
Prepare your podcast strategy for Q1 of 2024
Refreshing your opt-in and call-to-action
When it comes to podcast strategy, your opt-in and call-to-action are two things that should always be top of mind. So what better time than now to review and possibly refresh these critical elements? I'm a firm believer in constant experimentation, and while I've found my sweet spot, it's essential to revisit your opt-in and call-to-action regularly.
Ask yourself: Are they leading my audience where I want them to go? Do they align with my podcast and business goals? If you sense the need for a change, it doesn't mean you have to overhaul past episodes. Instead, focus on a 2024 refresh. Currently, a lead magnet is working wonders for me, complemented by a nurture sequence funnel leading to my membership. Not a funnel expert? No worries! Check out our episode with Allison Hardie for invaluable insights. Don't miss this opportunity to fine-tune your opt-in and call-to-action for maximum success.
Assessing content in the context of your annual plan
The next thing I want you to review is, of course, content! Open up your RSS feed host stats and analyze which episodes soared in downloads. Ask yourself the crucial question: Why did they perform exceptionally well? Was it the topic, the guest, or perhaps a unique promotional strategy? Dive deep into the data and use these insights to shape your content strategy for the upcoming quarter.
Another key consideration is personal enjoyment. Reflect on what you loved creating—what brought you fulfillment? For me, publishing two episodes per week, blending solo episodes with interviews, has worked really well. Consider tweaking your episode structure, maybe adding engaging segments to break up the monotony. It's not just about content; it's about creating a podcast experience that excites both you and your audience as you step into the new year.
Once you’ve performed a review of your content, look at it in the context of your annual plan. Specifically, plug in content that aligns with your sales and promotions. Whether it's monthly focuses or specific events, having a roadmap for your business model helps align your content seamlessly. This strategy not only streamlines your content creation but also ensures that every piece serves a purpose—no more grasping at straws. It's the missing link that makes your podcast, social media presence, and sales strategy fall beautifully into place. While it requires a bit more effort, the impact on your overall perspective and podcast success is well worth it. So, review your content, plan strategically, and watch the magic happen.
Prioritizing audience building and visibility as part of your growth strategy
Last but not least, let's shine a spotlight on audience building and visibility. Reflect on what worked and what didn't, identifying aspects you enjoyed and want to do more of. Consistently getting in front of the right audiences is a game-changer, and incorporating it into your schedule can be transformative. Take a strategic approach to visibility—whether through podcasts, summits, or workshops, decide what aligns with your goals. Just as we reviewed content and annual plans, auditing your visibility plan ensures it's an active part of your growth strategy. This isn't just about social media—it's a dedicated effort to show up, connect, and introduce your podcast to new audiences. Make sure it's a priority on your Q1 checklist!
As we approach the months of January, February, and March, being proactive is key to setting the tone for a successful podcasting year. Taking the time now to review and plan ensures that you maximize your efforts later when things get busier. This strategic approach guarantees that your podcast aligns seamlessly with your goals, guiding you confidently into 2024. Tackle these actionable steps and set the stage for a year filled with growth and success!
Grab the Free Q1 Review Checklist and if you still feel like you need a little extra help planning for 2024, sign up for my Annual Podcast Planning Workshop on Dec 12th for only $25! Can’t wait to see you there!
LINKS:
Grab Your Free Q1 Review Checklist
Join the Annual Podcast Goals and Planning Workshop for only $25
OR get it for free by joining the Strategic Podcast Academy!
3 Mistakes I Made With My Podcast and the Changes I Made For Growth
The State of Podcasting in 2023 and How We’re Adapting Our Businesses for 2024 With Jenny Suneson
Why Your Funnel and Your Podcast Should Work Together with Allison Hardy
The Transcript for Podcast Your Business:
151: Podcast Planning for Q1: Set yourself up for success in 2024
[00:00:00] Caroline Hull January is such a great time for podcasts. We see an increase in downloads, but that's not the only thing. January is when people are ready to make moves in their businesses and their lives and they are looking for solutions. So in today's episode, I'm going to share how you can set your podcast up for success for Q1, and I even have a checklist for you to download. I am so excited for the new Year. I'm so ready for 2024 and I want you to be too.
[00:00:26] Hi there and welcome to Share Strategies and Shine. I'm your host, Caroline Hull, a podcast strategist and CEO of Wild Home Podcasting. I've built my entire career through podcasts by sharing my experience using strategic systems and shining a light on the power of podcasting. If you are looking to cultivate leads for your membership group program or consulting services, I'm here to help you create a holistic and integrative podcast strategy that will let your business thrive. Let's dive in.
[00:01:09] Hello and welcome back to Share, Strategize and Shine. I'm so excited to be here today. I have had a crazy brain just thinking week. I did an annual planning with my mastermind. We did a three hour retreat where we planned out our year for 2024, and then that just kind of was percolating in my brain for 2 to 3 days. I mean, just like all I could think about was what I had put in to plan and what I wanted to actually like put into action. Right. And so I am really ready for the weekend as I'm recording this. It's a Friday and I'm ready to take a little break on Thanksgiving. And so just excited to share this episode with you, though, today because it's something that I have been thinking about a lot.
[00:02:01] But before that, I want to share a problem that we solved this week and maybe this will be helpful for you as we're going into the end of Q4, beginning of Q1. And a lot of people usually take a break around that time and they'll take a break from their business for their podcasts, all the things, which makes a lot of sense. Everybody needs a break. You are entitled to a break. But I think where the stress can come through or the lack of strategy can sometimes really affect your podcast during those breaks. And some of the biggest mistakes I see people make when they do take a break is that they will just stop, right? And so we had a client who wanted to take a break and we looked at what would make the most sense for her. She has a lot of momentum built up with her podcast, and we knew that it wasn't going to make sense to just stop podcasting for four weeks. So here's just a little something that you can do if you're thinking about taking a break and this is a really easy thing you can do. This is something you can set up real quick before you go on your break, and that is to re air old episodes. So maybe you have some episodes that did really well or you want to get more eyes on This is the time to repair them and you can publish them as a new episode, but link to the old episode on your website. You can record an intro to go at the beginning, but the main thing I want you to take away from this is if you're worried about engagement and your worry about losing that momentum and having to restart in January.
[00:03:40] And those are completely valid concerns. And I know for me that's something that I'm worried about. But the key is, is to schedule all ahead of time and to make sure you have a really great plan in place. And so if you can just take a couple days as you're rounding out Q4 and look at, you know, do I have a day where I can sit down and just schedule these episodes, schedule these re-airs, schedule the emails that go along with them? You know, if I'm going to do any social media that goes with them as well, maybe you can preplan that and schedule that as well and then just be done with it and know that you're going to be on a break. And I know that in this episode today, we're going to talk about getting set up for Q1. And one of the things I always tell my clients as we go into December and the beginning of January is like, go ahead and plan out January, February and March. You should already have that kind of planned out by now. And if you don't, let's work on it and then let's go ahead and see like during our break, maybe there is a day where we don't really have anything going on or we have some spare time, even if it's before the break as you're wrapping things up and go ahead and record episodes for January. And so you can really just sail into that December break without having to worry about anything that's coming up on your calendar. I know that that is my goal as I'm getting ready, and that gives me a lot of confidence and that also gives me a lot of brain space to wrap out Q4 getting ready into Q1. So it's not just about taking a break. It's about being proactive and having a plan so that way you do not have any stress at all as you move into the new year with your podcast. And that is the problem we solved for our client this week.
[00:05:36] I' m really excited to talk about. Q one. I don't know about you all, but I am ready to leave 2023 behind and dive into a new year. And one thing that I think is really important as we are going into a new year, into a new quarter, is to do some planning, some reviewing, some evaluating. I just did a annual planning with my mastermind and it was a total, total game changer. It gave me so much perspective on 2023. And then it also really helps me lean into the things that I want to happen in 2024. And just having that perspective in that energy as you're going into a new year, especially with your business and and also having a plan in place I think is so, so impactful at how you show up for it. I know that if I hadn't done that annual planning, I would probably would have done some kind of planning with my team, but we probably wouldn't have gotten around till 2nd January, to be quite honest. And I don't know if I would feel this invigorated about the end of Q4 going into Q1, as I do right now. Like I am just I'm bursting with energy. I have so much I want to do. It feels really, really good. And so I just really want to encourage you as we talk today about getting your podcast ready for Q1 to take the time to do this stuff. And it's not like it doesn't have to be a three day extravaganza of planning.
[00:07:02] It can be an hour where you sit down and just open up all of your spreadsheets and things and decide, you know, how you're going to move forward with your podcast into the next year. So I just wanted to start off with that encouragement because I mean, I am just so excited. So it's really important to do a review of your podcast every year, if not every quarter, or we know when it feels really in alignment to do a review. I know for me, I like to kind of look at things. About every quarter or so. And the reason why we want to do that is because we want to make sure we're looking at what's working, what's not working, what do we want to prove upon? And in all of our podcast strategy, which we're going to talk about today, and the best time to do this is before you need it done, right? So we're moving into Q one. Now is the time to do this type of review of your podcast. And it's not that we're looking for problems, it's that we want to make sure everything is still moving in the right direction that we want for our business, right? So I really, really want to encourage you as you're listening to this episode, to do this for yourself. Go download the checklist that goes along with this episode. You can find it. We will link in the show notes. It'll be on the website, the show notes page. But this is just such an important thing. And I think that it's it's a really undervalued process. I know for a lot of business owners, we will do business planning and we won't necessarily do a review of our content or a marketing.
[00:08:44] And so this is your moment. So the first thing I want to make sure that we kind of have an idea of is what should we be working on or looking at as we're doing this review and getting into Q one with our podcast this. Like I said, this isn't looking for problems. This is looking at alignment and this is looking at, you know, how we feel about things and the direction that things are going. And so the very first place I want you to start is with a review and audit. So go back through those questions. I said in that in my opening here, you know, what's working, what's not. What do you want to improve upon? And then I want you to update all of those little pesky things that get forgotten. I cannot tell you how many clients we have that come to us who set up their podcast two years ago and forgot to ever go back in and update their RSS feed. And so this is your moment. You're going to open up your RSS feed host and I want you to look at things like those pesky little boxes. When you click on podcasts info, you know, categories, copyrights, all of those things. I just want you to open up your RSS feed host and go to town and update all of that. I know that I was poking around in some client's accounts the other day as I was working on some stuff and I was thinking to myself, Oh, we need to go through everybody's and update their copyrights because, you know, some people put a year. On their copyright. And that year is about to be over. So go ahead and update it for 2024. So this is like the easiest place to start.
[00:10:22] But these are the little things that are going to not be updated that can make an impact later. So go ahead and take a look at those. And when you are looking at things like categories and making sure the author is correct and all of those little things you think about with especially with categories, does this still make sense for me? And does this still make sense for my podcast to be in this category? It probably does if you've already done the work to discover that. But if you're like me and you like to play with your category placement, you know, this is a really good time to do that as well.
[00:10:56] The next thing I want you to look at is your description. So does your description still work not only for your podcast, but for your business and for the services that you offer and the help that you want to provide? Like, does it still make sense? Is there some wording that you've maybe updated in your marketing for your business that you want to update in your description as well? Are you still satisfied with your SEO and being known for the things that you've mentioned in your description? And this doesn't have to be a rewrite. This can just be a simple freshen up. But definitely look at your description and make sure that, you know. Does it still make sense for me? Does it still make sense for my podcast? Along those same lines is your branding. So if you have done any updating this year with your business. Does it make sense then to update some things with your podcast? So when I'm thinking about branding, I'm thinking about my cover art, my music, even my intro and outro and my trailer.
[00:12:01] You know, all of those things that define what my podcast is, right? And so if you are in even if you're going into Q1 and you're like, I am going to be updating my logo, maybe it's time to kind of update the cover art. So thinking about those things and here's another thing I want to say to you about this is if you feel like now is not the moment, but it's coming down the road. Go ahead and put it in your annual plan and know that I do want to update my branding for my podcast. I think it's time for a new cover art for new all the things. But I'm going to save that for March when I have more time to focus on it. And that's totally okay. But I think it's important to like take that moment to look through those things and say, Are these still in alignment with my business as a whole? You know, one of the things that I think people forget when you're creating a podcast, especially one that is supporting your business and warming lanes, all the things they always talk about is we want to make sure that the picture is consistent across the board. So. Your podcast like it if it is supporting your business, should not be so different from your business that it doesn't make sense. We want it to be parallel to your business, right? So when people see your business and they see your podcast, it makes sense. And I will tell you, like when we rebranded the podcast this year, this podcast you're listening to, we actually, when we created the cover art and everything that actually kind of informed some of the rebranding we did for my business and how our social media content and everything like that looks really came from the podcast because it is my main piece of content, my main piece of marketing.
[00:13:44] So that was really important to me. So just a little inside peek into how that was for me and how that may be for you as well. So if you are looking at that and you think I want to update it, I say go for it. I mean, I always think having anything fresh, especially as you go into like a new phase or a new time, can be really impactful. And that's one of the things I love about the podcast refreshes that we do, is that it really does like usher in a new phase for the podcast. So don't be afraid to update those things. You can update them at any point. I know a lot of people get worried about picking cover art and not being able to update it later. You can change it any time you want friends, so don't be afraid to do that. Okay. So those are kind of the the more easy things to do that you can do right away. But now I want to really dive into some strategy and some of the things that you should look at as relates to the podcast strategy for your business.
[00:14:41] So the first thing we want to review is the opt in or your call to action. I am known to change this stuff up a lot and the reason being is because we're in an experimentation phase. I think we finally landed where we want to be for now, but this is something that I really would encourage you to review often is the opt in or the call to action that you have for your podcast leading people to where you want them to go. And also this is a really good moment to review your funnel.
[00:15:15] And I want you to ask yourself, as you're looking at all of this, is this still working toward my goals? You know, the goals that I've set for my podcast and for my business and, you know, if you feel like it's time for a new opt in, it doesn't mean that you have to go back and change all the old episodes. But it could be something that, you know, you're working on refreshing for 2024 for Q1 and go ahead and think about like how many and set this up for the most success. You know, I think for me right now, what's working really well is having a lead magnet as my opt in. I have a nurture sequence funnel that occurs right after that with some videos and then that goes into telling people about my membership. And I am not a funnel genius. So if you want to hear more about funnels, I highly recommend going and listening to our episode with Allison Hardie because this is what we dive into and it is her zone of genius. I'm going to leave that to her, but I think that this is such a missed opportunity If you are not looking at this and you know, even if you design a funnel specifically for your podcast, which you absolutely can do, making sure that those emails are updated and everything is working, like I said, toward your goals. The next thing I want you to review is, of course, content. You know, I was going to say it, didn't you? We always want to be looking at our content, so the best way to do this is to open up your stats in your RSS feed host and look at your downloads. Which episodes did it really, really well. \And I want you to look at them and say, why did they do well? Was it because of the topic? Was it because of the guest? Wa s it because I tried some different things with promoting this episode? You know, really take a hard look at that and review that .
[00:17:09] The other thing I want you to ask yourself is, what did I enjoy, right? And what do I want to do more of? So I know for me, as I'm reviewing my content this year, I think one of the things I'm loving is doing two episodes per week. It is a lot of work, I will say that, but I love the growth I've seen because of it, and I love that I'm able to not only do a solo episode every week, but an interview. And I love doing the interviews. So that for me is telling me I'm on the right track. And as you're reviewing your content, you know, think about it. Do I want to change up the structure or do I want to maybe add some segments? Is there something I want to do to kind of bring a fresh take to my podcast for the new Year? I am loving segments. I don't know if you know this, but anyone who's had a strategy call with me, we've talked about segments because I think it just gives the listeners some. Things to look forward to, and I think it helps break up the monotony, especially when you're doing solo episodes. You know, sometimes it can be just like, Oh, I'm going to listen to her talk for 20 minutes or whatever. And I think the segments kind of break that up. And so I, I really love that we've added a segment to my podcast.
[00:18:23] I hope you are loving it as well. And I think it's such a great way to to invite people into different aspects of your world and your business. Right. So, like, I may even consider doing a segment where I share, you know, a tip from my life or something that happened to me this week or something like that. But it's definitely it's definitely fun to do and has made me really excited to sit down and record. So thinking about your episode structure as well, I think is really, really important and a fun thing to do as you're looking at your content.
[00:19:01] Are your podcast episode set up to help you sell your membership group programs and consulting services? And I'm talking about selling it in a sleazy way. I'm talking about creating episodes that are engaging, create connection between you and your listeners and highlight your expertise to start creating episodes for sales. Get my free guide by heading to Wild Home podcasting.com/sales.
[00:19:28] I can talk about content for days, so we're going to move on to the next one and that is that you need to look at your annual plan. So you remember when I was talking about my annual plan that I did as I was doing it, I was going, Oh my gosh, I wish every client and podcaster would do this because it would make such a big difference. And I know for me, Amy is giving me so much direction for my podcast content going into next year, So I'm really excited about that. But as you're looking at your annual plan, I want you to start plugging in content that aligns with your sales and promotions. So I did my annual planning in my Mastermind, and it was led by one of the people on my mastermind.
[00:20:09] She's amazing. And she recommended like a certain number of promotions and sales each year. You know, maybe you have something each month that you're really focusing on. It depends on your business model, of course, but that really helped me line everything up and plan it out. And now I can create content around those things and it feels so easy and it feels so right. And I love that. I don't have to think about it, you know, because I think sometimes when we don't have those plans in place, we we start grasping at straws or throwing spaghetti at the wall, as some people like to say, you know, just finding something quickly to do. And when you have a plan and you're able to actually plug in content that aligns with those sales and promotions. Now the funnel starts to make sense. The sales are to make sense how we're showing up on social media. I mean, it all just falls into place. So I really, really, really encourage you to take the time to do that. This step does require a little bit more work, but I promise you it's going to really impact again, as I said when I started this, it's going to impact your perspective on your year. So review your content and then start plugging it in.
[00:21:24] And then the very last thing I want to talk about and have you review is audience building and visibility for next year. So this is kind of the same thing. We're going to say, what worked? What didn't work? What do we want to do more of? What did we enjoy? I have talked a lot about how getting in front of the right audiences consistently is so, so important, and I think it's incredibly impactful when you can build it into your schedule and build it in your plan and have it mapped out.
[00:21:58] And so that's what I want for you with visibility. I know that I've talked about it a lot on this podcast, but it's definitely something that is going to be a game changer as you start to network and collaborate. And like I said, getting in front of those audiences and so do the same thing with the visibility plan as we did with content, review it, decide what you want to do more of. Do you want to be on more podcast? Do you want to do more summits? You know, do you want to do more workshops, whatever that is, and go ahead and start to plug them into your annual plan? And I think what is so great about this is this is giving us a plan for growth that we can be constantly working on. And it's not social media focused. It's not creating YouTube videos focus. This is literally just how am I showing up in the world and how am I getting my podcasts in front of new audiences? And so definitely make sure that that is on your list of things to review for your podcast for Q1. So it really is about being proactive and having a plan before January hits because we're all going to get busy in January. I know that for me and my my agency and as a service provider, January and February and March are probably our busiest months of the year. And so I want to make sure that I am reviewing all of these things now so I can maximize these things later and and think about them now and work on the plan now while I have the time. I don't want to be doing this in January when things feel busy and I'm so focused on working on goals that I forget to look at this stuff.
[00:23:36] Right. And you know, here's the thing. You do not have to do this alone. This kind of review can be tough. And so I do have a checklist for you. So be sure to go download that will put the link in the show notes. But I just want to say to if you need coaching for some of these things, I highly recommend our membership, the Strategic Podcast Academy, and then we also have one on one services that can help you. I have a three month coaching plan we're going to be launching in January. We have our podcast refresh and also our production. So if you're thinking, you know, I need to review these things and I need a little bit of help, then definitely send me an email. Hello@wildhomepodcasting.com and we can talk about which one of these things, whether that's the membership or our one on one services would be best for you. And creating a podcast that is aligned with your plan and it's going to help guide you into 2024. So I hope this episode was helpful. I know it's super actionable today, so your head's probably spinning and your hand might hurt from taking notes. So go grab that checklist. Be sure to let me know on Instagram or you can send me an email if this is helpful and what you learn from it and maybe what questions popped up for you as you were working through this. I would love to know and I will be back with another episode very soon. Thank you for listening to Share, Strategize and Shine to give your own podcast some shine. Download my free podcast guide to Creating episodes for sales by heading to the link in the show notes. Be sure to leave a review and connect with me on Instagram for more podcast strategy insights. Until next time.
