To start a successful podcast, it is crucial to know your own motivations and find an exciting topic. Only when you grasp why you want to create this podcast will you have the long-term motivation to produce new episodes and engage with your audience. This guide will help you discover your motivations and show you how to define a suitable topic for your podcast.
Main Insights
- Understand your "Why": Your personal drive is the key to a long-lasting podcast.
- Collect diverse ideas: Write down at least 20 topics that could interest you.
- Narrow down and combine: Find commonalities among your ideas to define your final topic.
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Understand your Why
First, you should be clear about why you want to start a podcast. What motivates you to do so? Is it your interest in a specific topic, the desire to communicate with others, or perhaps the urge to learn more about specific content? This first step is crucial because without a strong "Why," it will be challenging to maintain motivation for future episodes.

2. Capture Interest in Your Topic
Now is the time to specify your interests. Take a sheet of paper and a pen, and write down the topics that fascinate you. It's not about whether there is a target audience for it or if there is enough demand for your topic. Just be free and creative and write down at least 20 ideas.
3. Evaluate and Narrow Down Ideas
Once you have your list of potential topics, start eliminating the less relevant ideas. Focus on a maximum of ten topics that immediately come to your mind and consider what you could actually do with these topics. If you have fewer than 20 ideas, reflect on whether there might indeed be more topics that appeal to you.
4. Consider What You Can Contribute
Think about whether you can make a valuable contribution to the topics you have considered. Do you have special experiences or knowledge in a particular area? This can help you narrow down your topics further. For example, if you are interested in the topic of cooking and can provide tips based on that, you already have a solid starting point for a podcast episode.
5. Look for Commonalities
After narrowing down the topics, analyze if there are any commonalities. Sometimes there are topics that are interconnected, such as finances and retirement planning, which can form a coherent concept. By finding such connections, you can further refine your final topic and develop a broader approach for your podcast.
6. Define the Final Topic
Now you have some narrowed-down topics that you want to consider. Think about whether you want to choose a single topic or a combination. Perhaps you also want to focus on something that is particularly close to your heart. It's about enjoying the topic and seeing the opportunity to learn and communicate something.
7. Maintain Motivation
Choosing your topic and finding your "Why" are just the beginning of your podcast journey. Make sure to stay excited throughout the entire process. Your personal interest, the pursuit of sharing growing knowledge, and engaging in conversations with your audience will be crucial to staying active in the long run.
Summary
To create a successful podcast, understanding your motives and choosing an interesting topic are crucial. Be aware of your interests and discover what drives you. By collecting numerous ideas, narrowing them down, finding combination possibilities, you can clearly define your podcast topic and build the necessary motivation for your projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if I can't think of a topic?Take your time and think about your interests. Make a list of 20 things that interest you.
How many ideas should I write down?Write down at least 20 ideas that come to mind and then focus on a maximum of 10 of them.
Why is my "Why" important?Your "Why" is the drive behind your podcast and helps you stay motivated.
What if I have many topics that are not related?That's okay! You can still choose a topic that is most important to you and later create an episode about other topics.
How do I decide which topic to choose?Choose a topic that excites you and where you feel you can share valuable information about.