16. Rebrand Your Podcast or Start a New One?

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Laura: Welcome to Podcasting for Business Owners. I’m Your host, Laura McRae, a podcast consultant, educator and self confessed podcast nerd. If you’re thinking of launching a podcast or want to grow the one you have, you’re in the right place. Hold on to your headphones and let’s go. Welcome back to Podcasting for Business Owners, the podcast that helps you share your story, lead your industry, and grow your network through podcasting. I’m Laura McRae and today we’re talking about a topic that I’ve had lots of questions about recently, so I thought I’d cover it in this episode. If you have a podcast already and it’s not feeling right anymore, this episode will help you decide whether to rebrand it or start a new podcast altogether. We’re going to explore the steps, questions and strategies to make this transition smooth and intentional. So when might be the time to consider a change? There’s a few signs to look out for. First, maybe your audience has shifted. This could look like changing demographics, declining engagement, or simply feeling like your content isn’t landing the way it used to. Another reason for pivoting is content burnout. If you’re finding it hard to stay motivated or inspired by the topics you’ve been covering, it could be a sign that it’s time for a new direction. And lastly, there’s business progression. Sometimes as our business grows, the focus changes. Maybe our original podcast doesn’t align with our current business goals anymore. These are all indicators that a, uh, pivot could be in order. Alright, so you’ve recognised that a change is needed, but now comes the do you rebrand or start a new podcast? Rebranding is a great option where your core audience and content still overlap with where you’re headed. It’s less disruptive for your listeners and it keeps continuity, which can help maintain your existing following. On the other hand, if the new direction is drastically different, it might be better to start fresh with a new podcast. Think about it this way. A rebrand keeps your current listeners, but a new podcast allows you to attract a fresh audience without confusing them. Next, let’s talk about what to keep in mind. If you decide to go with a rebrand, the first consideration is message and, um, vision alignment. If your new direction resonates with your existing audience, rebranding can be a great option. It’s also essential to communicate with your audience throughout this process. Let them know why the shift is happening and, um, what they can expect. I recently worked with a client who faced a decision between rebranding her podcast or starting afresh. Originally, she hosted conversations with homeowners, designers and other guests exploring their journeys in building their dream homes. However, she recently decided to shift the podcast focus. Rather than covering lifestyle topics and featuring homeowners stories, she wanted to concentrate on the business of home design and architecture with an educational approach that would teach listeners about the industry itself. Since her audience, which are, uh, people interested in home design and building, remain the same, I recommended she rebrand rather than start a whole new podcast. By rebranding, she could retain her current listeners who are already engaged with her subject matter while updating the podcast name, show description, trailer, intro and outro to better reflect the new direction. When your audience stays consistent but the content takes a new angle, rebranding is often the better choice. It allows for growth and evolution in a way that keeps your established listenership engaged while attracting new listeners who are interested in the updated focus. Now what if you decide to start fresh? There are some amazing benefits to launching a brand new podcast. First, you get a clean slate. This is your chance to create a show exactly as you imagine it, without previous expectations. It also allows you to target a new audience. With a fresh podcast, you can market specifically to the people who will benefit most from your new direction. Plus, starting fresh lets you create a strategic plan for the launch of your podcast, building excitement and ensuring the new podcast gets off to a strong start. Whether you’re rebranding or starting new, here’s a few steps to help you transition smoothly. First, it’s all about clear communication. If you’re keeping your existing podcast and just rebranding, make an announcement explaining your change and sharing why you’re excited about

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Laura: it. Make sure to mention it in the last episode before the transition so that it’s not a surprise when your listeners tune into the next episode and things have changed. If you’re ending the old podcast, you might want to close with a farewell episode that gives listeners a taste of what’s next. And don’t forget to build pre launch hype. Use teasers, trailers and social media posts to get the audience excited for the upcoming episodes. Now let’s talk about overcoming those common fears that might come up. It’s normal to worry about losing loyal listeners, but if you communicate clearly and bring them along the journey, most will stick with you. If you’re feeling resistant to change, consider a mindset shift. This is an evolution, not an ending, and it’s an opportunity to keep growing and connecting with your audience. Let me share another example where starting a new podcast was the best choice. I had a client who originally hosted a podcast focused on helping women navigate the challenges of divorce using relationship focused tools and mindset strategies. Her huh show provided support for women going through this transition, offering practical advice and guest experts discussing relationship breakdowns. As her business evolved, however, she shifted her focus towards coaching on relationships within professional settings. While she still specialised in relationships, the emphasis moved from personal support through divorce to guiding businesses on relationship dynamics in the workplace. The new focus and audience were quite different from her original listeners who were specifically interested in personal divorce support. Because of this shift, I recommended she start a new podcast rather than pivoting the existing one. Her content and audience would be distinct enough that a ah, new podcast made more sense, allowing her to target her business focused listeners directly. To keep her existing podcast available for anyone still searching for that content, she transferred her RSS feed to Spotify for Podcasters, which is a free hosting platform. This way her original episodes are still accessible without ongoing hosting costs. In situations like this where the audience and focus shift significantly, starting a new podcast can be a great way to reach a new audience without confusing or losing your original listeners. Here’s some things you can do to help you make the decision on, um, whether to change the direction of your podcast. First, gather audience feedback by looking at engagement metrics or even conducting a survey. Look at the data on your current episodes. Are there certain topics or episodes that get more downloads or have a higher consumption rate? Identifying what resonates most with your audience can reveal whether your current direction still works for them or if they might appreciate a change. You can send a short survey to your email list or create a poll on social media. Ask questions about topics they enjoy, what they’d like to hear more about, and how they feel about a potential new direction. For example, you can ask them questions like what topics have been most helpful to you on this podcast? Are there any new themes or topics you’d like to explore? Would you be interested in more educational content, guest interviews, or something else? You can also cheque your comments and um, messages for feedback from listeners. Have people asked for new topics or formats? Are, uh, they expressing interest in certain themes? This feedback often provides clues about whether your listeners would be open to a new direction. Next, consider your business and content goals. Does this pivot align with where you want to go? This step is about aligning your podcast with the larger goals of your business and brand. Reflect on how your podcast serves your overall strategy, and consider if a shift could better support your goals. Think about the topics and themes you want to focus on Moving forward, do they align with your current podcast or would they require a significant change? If the new direction still complements the original concept, a rebrand might be the best option. However, if the topics are too different, it may be better to start fresh. Ask yourself, what are your business objectives and does your current podcast format support them? For example, if your goal is to attract business clients and your podcast currently targets a more general audience shift into a more niche, business orientated theme might align better with your goals. Then picture where you’d like to see the podcast in a

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Laura: year or two. Would you still want it to be in the current style and format or does the new concept fit better with your long term plans? This can help you clarify if a rebrand will serve your growth or if the new podcast could give you more freedom to achieve your vision. Finally, if you’re uncertain about how a new theme or focus will resonate, consider doing a small test. This approach allows you to try out the new direction without committing to a full rebrand or launch. Try recording a single episode in the new style or theme you’re considering and release it as part of your existing podcast. Then pay attention to see how it performs. Does it get more downloads? Are, uh, people listening to that episode for longer? Gauge your listener’s reaction and look for feedback. If the new direction is more extensive, try a short series of three to five episodes within your current podcast. This way you can experiment with the new content while giving listeners a chance to adjust. Make sure to include an intro explaining why you’re trying out a different style. After this pilot or miniseries, ask for feedback directly. You could send a survey or invite listeners to message you with their thoughts. Use this information to decide if the new theme feels like a natural fit for your audience or if it might be better suited for a new show. Now to wrap things up. If you’re considering a pivot, remember that it’s a natural part of growth. Don’t be afraid to explore these changes. Adapting can often lead to greater connections with your audience. And as always, if you want to chat more about making a pivot or deciding between a rebrand or relaunching, I’d love to connect. I’ll put a link in the show notes for you to book a call with me. Thank you so much for joining me today. I, uh, hope this episode has given you clarity and confidence about the next steps for your podcast. Until next time, keep sharing your story. If you found value in this podcast, please leave. A five star rating and a review would be even better. Your support shows that this is a good show which will attract high profile guests and in turn deliver greater value to you. This podcast is produced and edited by me. Don’t waste your time on editing. Let me help you with your podcast. Cheque out the links in the show notes to get in touch.

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