It can be challenging to come up with fresh podcast ideas to start. But there are still many untapped niches and topics to explore.
Podcast listeners are forecasted to increase every year with about 20 million, according to statista.com. It is a fast-growing new form of media, and today is a great time to get started if you haven’t already.
Below, we have listed over 50 unique podcast ideas and niches for you to explore. This article is a one-stop inspiration catalog to get your podcast going or reenergize your content with new ideas and formats.
If you want to learn more about podcasting, you might find our other articles helpful as well:
Podcast Content Ideas
Below are some content ideas and inspiration for your podcast. These could work as single episodes or whole shows.
1. Learn Something New from Scratch
Learn about an entirely new skill or topic from scratch, sharing the experience through a podcast. This is a unique format, as you do not have to be an expert in the topic you are interested in. Learn and share the experience along the way.
2. Book Summaries & Reviews
Review the books you’ve read within your niche. Make book recommendations and lists for your audience. You could also summarize key ideas and takeaways for your listeners.
3. Live Product or Service Creation
The idea is for the host to create a product for a customer while sharing the process live. The product is finished and delivered at the end of the episode. This is a unique podcast format and could work for products like a website, painting, or a logo.
4. Call In Podcast
As the name suggests, the idea is to host a show where listeners can call in to discuss or share something relevant to the topic. This podcast format requires a bit more work as you will have to create a system for people to call in, record, and screen calls.
5. Debate Podcast
The idea is to host a debate in podcast format where each party gets to argue their point of view.
6. History Podcasts
History is a huge subject. Make a podcast retelling historical events in an entertaining and engaging way. You could cover one event or topic in each episode or create an episode series covering larger events in detail.
7. Movie Reviews & Analysis
If you are a movie buff, you could review both old and new films. Within this format, you could also analyze a movie you like from a filmmaking or storytelling perspective.
8. Motivational Podcasts
Motivational podcasts help people get pumped before starting their day, going work, or hitting the gym. The episodes are usually short, at about a few minutes.
9. Taxi/Uber Podcast
You could do a podcast interviewing taxi or uber drivers. They probably have many stories to tell about the job and passengers they have encountered.
10. News Podcast
Podcasts are a great way to consume news about the world. You could niche down only covering news locally or within a particular niche.
11. Comedy Podcast
Comedy can be many things. It could be jokes, stories, or just a couple of friends talking. Whatever the case might be, we need more comedic podcasts.
12. Top x Lists
Top x lists are a prevalent format for blog posts and vlogs. But this format could work well for podcasts too. Make a top 5 or 10 list of things within your niche.
13. Fictional Storytelling Podcast
If you are creative and have some stories you want to share, you could make a show where you read or tell fictional stories to your audience.
14. Local Podcasts
Do a podcast targeted for your local area, cover events, news, and people form your city.
15. Interview Experts
Interview experts in your niche. Interviews offer incredible value to listeners that want to learn more about a topic or skill.
16. Interview Random People
Do a podcast where you interview random passersbys about a topic. You will surely get some unique and fun answers.
17. Live Event Coverage
Make a podcast covering live events for people who could not attend. Just make sure to ask for permission first.
18. ASMR
ASMR has exploded in popularity recently, there are many opportunities for podcasters here, and many sub-niches to explore within this format.
19. Guided Meditation
Guided meditation has become very popular today, helping people relax, sleep, and be happier. If you have a southing voice and know a bit about meditation, this could be an idea for you to try.
20. Record Yourself Cooking (Narration)
If you like cooking, you could narrate yourself making your next dinner. This could make for a fun and educational podcast for foodies.
21. Political Commentary
Do a podcast discussing political news and topics. You could bring on a panel of people with different views or stick to a solo host format.
22. Sports Commentary
If you are passionate about a particular sport, you could do a sports commentary podcast, a more informal bur personal way for people to learn about and engage with a sport.
23. Games Review Podcast
Review newly released video games for your audience. Give them a quick summary and an honest opinion to decide if they want to buy it.
Podcast Segment Ideas
Segments are parts of a podcast episode. A typical episode will already consist of an intro, main topic, and outro. By incorporating and mixing new segments, you can breathe new life into your show and make your podcast more interesting.
Below, we have listed some segment ideas to explore and incorporate into your episodes.
24. Q&A
A q&a section is an excellent opportunity to strengthen your bond with your audience and create engaging content.
25. Recommendations
Make a section in your episode where you recommend resources, tools, or services to your listeners. While you can have affiliate links here, you only want to include things you have used and tested yourself.
26. X of the Day
A short segment of your episode dedicated to a particular thing of the day. It could be a joke, fact or quote of the day, etc.
- Joke of the Day
- Fact of the Day
- Story of the Day
- Quote of the day
31. Recap
Having a quick recap or summary of the episode towards the end is a good idea. It summarizes everything discussed and can help listeners recall some of the key concepts. A recap segment is most prevalent in educational podcasts.
32. Tips & Tricks
Give your viewers tips and tricks related to your main topic or niche. The information is usually very practical and simple for your listeners to incorporate.
33. Read Comments
You could have a section in each episode where you read some of the top comments. This segment could be great fun and a chance to interact with your audience.
34. Current News
A segment of your podcast updating your listeners with the latest news within your topic or niche.
35. Challenge
Get your viewers to take action and engage with your content by issuing a challenge. The challenge should be a desirable and attainable goal for your listeners. Help them out by giving them some steps and tips along the way.
36. Requests
A section where you do a listener’s request. This could make for fun content and helps you connect with your audience.
37. Games & Trivia
Having games & trivia sections in your episode can be entertaining and engage your listeners. You could create a quiz related to your niche or incorporate a game in your show.
38. Affiliate / Sponsor Segment
Promoting affiliate or sponsored products in your show is a great way to monetize your work. Limit your affiliate and sponsored reviews or promotions to one or two segments of your podcast.
Untapped Niche Ideas
We have covered podcast episode ideas and segments. Now we will list more general niches that remain relatively untapped. The niches and topics below have relatively little competition and a lot of potential for those getting started today.
39. Adventure Sports
The adventure sports niche includes things like scuba diving, rock climbing, bungee jumping, and more. Making content in this niche will require knowledge and expertise in the field, but there are many ideas podcasters could explore.
40. Content Creation Niche
Do a podcast about content creation. Today is an excellent time for people to start a podcast, vlog, or blog. But it can be overwhelming to figure out how to fit everything together.
Potential Ideas:
- Learn Podcasting
- Learn Vlogging
- Learn Streaming
- Learn Blogging
- Online Course Creation
46. Maternity Podcast
There are endless books, films, and information for people who want to or are becoming parents. This is a great niche you could get into as a podcaster, as many of these people are busy and would prefer to consume content on the go. There are, of course, also many products to recommend, making this a good monetization opportunity.
47. Languages
Podcasts are a great way people could practice a new language while commuting to work or doing house chores. There is tremendous untapped potential in this niche, and it is only getting bigger in this connected world.
Potential Ideas:
- Learn English (For non-native speakers)
- Learn Spanish
- Learn French
- Learn German
- Learn Chinese
- Any other language
54. Home Security / Personal Security
The home security and personal security niche is another growing opportunity for content creators. There are many ideas you could explore within this market.
55. Survival Niche
The survival niche has grown tremendously over the last couple of years, becoming a popular hobby and interest. You could start a podcast with useful survival tips and tricks in addition to equipment and product reviews.
56. Animals
If you love animals or happen to have pets, you could help other people with this. Taking care of any animal can require a lot of time and engagement. Listeners could get helpful tips, food, and toy recommendations through something as easy as listening to a podcast.
57. Crafting & DIY
The crafting and DIY market is very popular. There is just something fun about building and fixing stuff yourself, and it is good for your wallet too. As a podcaster, there are still many opportunities within this niche and a hungry audience wanting more.
How to Come up With Great Podcast Ideas
Below is a quick guide on how to come up with ideas and topics for your podcast.
Get Inspiration
Before you go ahead and brainstorm potential podcast ideas, it is always a good idea to get some inspiration first.
This article is a great starting point for getting ideas, but you could listen to other podcasts similar to what you want to do. You could also get inspiration from outside the podcasting world, like films, series, or topics.
Brainstorm
After you may have gotten some inspiration and potential ideas, it is time to brainstorm to figure out what you want to do. Write a list of ideas that come in your head. Do not overthink this step. Give yourself some time to create a list that is as large as possible.
Start With Your Why
When coming up with ideas, it is beneficial to start with why you want to make this podcast. Make sure to know what the purpose of your show is going to be.
Niche Down
You want to come up with a clear niche or topic for your podcast. The niche should be a combination of demand, expertise, and passion. You need to answer this fundamental question: What problem is your podcast solving, or what demand or need is it filling?
You can even go “super-niche,” creating content targeting a very specific audience. A “super-niche” idea could be a firefighter podcast or a studying law podcast, for example.
Pick Something You Care About
It would be a mistake to do a podcast about something you have no interest or knowledge in. Not only will it be more difficult to provide value to an audience, but you also run the risk of giving up if it is not something you are truly passionate about.
Research Your Audience
Who is going to be your target audience? This is an essential question you have to answer before getting started.
It can be helpful to create an audience avatar to understand who your target listener will be. Knowing your audience can help you find the right format, ideal length, and better understand your show.
Unique Selling Proposition
Lastly, you will want to figure out what makes your podcast unique and different from what is already out there. You do not have to reinvent the wheel to stand out from the competition.
What differentiates you could be many different things, like personality, format, topics, or niches. The best ideas often come from a unique combination of these things. Don’t be afraid to mix different formats or take inspiration from other content creators.
Format & Name
Coming up with a name for your podcast is the next step. There are mainly three main types of podcast names:
- Personal Names
- Creative Names
- Descriptive Names
Read more about how to come up with a great podcast name here: How to Name a Podcast – An In-Depth Guide
You also want to figure out your show’s ideal format. Use your target audience as your starting point; Is this a podcast that they are likely to listen to while commuting to work, at the gym, or before starting their day?
Potential podcast formats you might want to look into to:
- Interview Format
- Freestyle
- Solo Podcast Format
- News Podcast
- Educational Podcast
- Non-Fiction storytelling
- Fiction Storytelling
Read more about podcast formats here: Top 7 Podcast Formats
In Conclusion
We hope you got some inspiration from the podcast ideas above. You might have struggled to find a topic for your podcast, or you want to breathe new life into your show by switching formats. Whatever the case might be, once you have a good idea, you will have to execute it.
Below are some articles to help you get your podcast up and running in no time:
