How to Find Great Podcast Topics and Ideas for Your Show

Creating a successful podcast isn't just about picking up a mic and talking about whatever comes to mind.

To truly connect with an audience and grow your listenership, it's crucial to choose your podcast topic ideas strategically, based on what people are actively searching for on Google or finding relevant content platforms like YouTube.

This method ensures that your episodes don't just float in the digital ether but reach an interested audience looking for your content.

Even though using relevant keywords benefits your content on both Google and YouTube, the dynamics of these platforms differ significantly.

That's why we created a straightforward, free podcast topic research tool, that not only generates topic ideas tailored to your niche but also analyzes their performance on Google and YouTube, helping you prioritize which topics to focus on next.

How to decide on a podcast topic

The right topics could make or break your podcast. Here are what to look out for when deciding the right topics for your show.

1. Have your target audiences in mind

Before anything else, you're creating content for your audience and every podcast topic and idea must pass through the lens of your audiences.

Think and answer the questions below:

• What variations of these topics would my audiences likely click?
• Does this topic align with the intent of the episode?
• If this topic is listed among others (which it'll be), will the audiences be intrigued to click it first?

These questions aren't necessarily a yardstick for measuring how successful your topic will become but they are crucial to steer you in the right direction and make you see topics through the audience's eyes.

2. Choose topics that are more likely to rank on Google

For podcasters and creators who want to bring their website to the first positions on Google, targeting topics with high search volume and low competition is generally the best strategy.

There's no 100% way to know if a topic will do great on Google but there are indications of how their performance could likely be. However, here are a few things to keep in mind when selecting a podcast topic that is likely to rank on search engines:

• High-Volume: A high search volume indicates a substantial interest in the topic, suggesting that people are actively looking for information or discussions in this area.

  

• Low Competition: When the competition is low, it means fewer sources are covering these topics, giving you a clearer path to the top of search results.

  

This approach is particularly effective for newer websites that might not yet have the authority or backlink profile to compete against established sites on more competitive topics.

By focusing on less saturated areas, you can more quickly establish a presence and start drawing organic traffic to your site. As your website gains credibility and authority, you can begin to tackle more competitive areas with confidence.

3. Choose topics optimized for YouTube views

Picking the right content for ranking on Google isn't the same as YouTube. On this giant video powerhouse, the dynamics are a bit different. The platform's algorithm tends to favor content that engages users, regardless of how many other channels are covering similar topics.

In fact, unlike Google where you want to stick your nose far away from high-competitive keywords, entering into niches where other creators are performing well can be advantageous. When your content aligns with what's already popular, it increases the likelihood of being recommended alongside those successful peers.

YouTube's recommendation system works to keep viewers engaged and watching. So, producing content on topics where viewers already show high engagement can lead to your episodes being promoted by YouTube itself. This strategy uses the platform's algorithm to extend your reach, pulling viewers from related videos and increasing your visibility.

For podcasters, this means that researching and understanding which types of content perform well on YouTube can guide you in creating episodes that not only interest your audience but are also more likely to be featured in recommendations.

Search for popular podcast keywords and see how the dynamic moves. What phrase, word, or remark that is widely used. For example; when yhou search for "productivity podcast," the image below is what you get.

Noticed what is common between the two images?

A productivity expert "Carl Newport" is cited in both title and the videos are both performing well on search and the number of watches they have got.

If we were to create a productivity episode on YouTube, we would join the bandwagon and tilt our topic to fit "Carl Newport" in it. Then, we could come up with topics like;

- 10 Productivity Hacks According To Carl Newport

- How To Be At Your Productivity By Doing These Things (Carl Newport).

- Porductivity Secrets And How To Maximize It (Carl Newport)

It crucial to mention that you don't have to clone another topic or idea before you join a niche that is performing great on YouTube.

By carefully selecting your podcast topics based on these strategic considerations—high search volume and low competition for Google, and wisely engaging with competitive topics on YouTube—you can effectively enhance your visibility and audience engagement across platforms.

Use a podcast research tool to plan your podcast content

The easiest way to find the best topics for your podcast and YouTube channel is to use a tool that handles the brainstorming while analyzing their performance on Google and YouTube.

To start, visit our podcast topics finder and enter your podcast or channel's niche. Feel free to conduct multiple searches exploring related niches as well— eg. business, marketing, leadership, entrepreneurship, etc.

In just a few seconds, our topic generator will suggest the best topics to cover within your niche, complete with details about monthly Google searches, competition levels, and even an estimate of the clicks your website might receive. These estimates are based on a variety of factors including competition intensity, average domain rating, Google ranking CTRs, and more.

It will also provide an estimate of the YouTube views you might expect over the next six months, based on the performance of similar videos from average-sized channels over the last six months.

Ultimately, you'll need to decide which platform to prioritize, or you may choose to focus on topics that perform well across both platforms.

There are other alternatives for finding podcast topics but none is as dedicated to "podcast" as Podsqueeze Topic Finder is. Here are a few options:

• Toasty topic generator
• Outcast AI idea generator
• Screenapp topic finder
• Vondy podcast topic generator
• Talknote podcast idea generator

Wrapping up

The right podcast topics are the ones that rank on search engines and have a large number of listens/downloads. That's why we have mentioned not just finding the right topics alone but also predicting how they will perform when used.

This guide has covered everything you need to know to decide the right topic for your episode, the tools to use, and how to maximize the reach of your show in record time.

FAQs on finding a great podcast topic and idea

1. What are the most popular podcast topics?

There are a lot of popular podcast topics but the top 5 of them are

• Adding an expert name to your topic
• Ask me about anything (topics)
• Celebrity interviews and including their name
• True crime (topics)
• Celebrity news (topics)

2. How do I choose a podcast topic?

Choose a podcast by using a podcast topic research tool like Podsqueeze Topic Finder. This tool will research topics related to your niche, the trending content, viral ideas, and their potential reach on both YouTube and Google.

Alternatively, you can choose a podcast topic by listening to your favorite show and see how their episodes are structured and the topics used in their most listened episodes.

3. What is the best content for a podcast?

Here are the best content niches for a podcast in 2025:

• True crime.
• Politics and government.
• Entertainment, pop culture, and the arts.
• Self-help and relationships.
• Sports.
• History.
• Money and finance.
• Comedy.

These niches aren't the absolute boss of popular podcast niche but they take the biggest chunk for the most listened podcast niche.