Podcast episode ideas planned as a full season
Many podcasts stall after episode 7 because nobody planned past the first ideas. This prompt has your todo.is agent research what your listeners ask about, then plan a 12-episode season with titles, the type of guest or segment, the key questions and a release order that builds.
The prompt
- Plan a season of [NUMBER] podcast episode ideas for my show [SHOW NAME], about [SHOW TOPIC] for [TARGET LISTENERS]. Format: [FORMAT]. Research what my listeners ask about online (Reddit, forums, YouTube comments, Google questions) and list the sources. For each episode give: a title under 60 characters, a one-line hook, the guest type or solo segment idea, 5 key questions or talking points, and one listener takeaway. Mix formats: interviews, solo deep dives, listener Q&A and one myth-busting episode. Put them in a release order that builds from beginner to deeper topics, and flag 2 episodes I can record without a guest. Save it as a Word file plus an Excel tracker with columns for guest, record date and release date.
What to change
- [NUMBER]: How many episodes, e.g. "12" for a 3-month weekly season.
- [SHOW NAME]: Your podcast name, or "untitled" if you have not picked one yet.
- [SHOW TOPIC]: e.g. "running a small farm", "personal finance for freelancers".
- [TARGET LISTENERS]: e.g. "new freelancers in their first 2 years".
- [FORMAT]: e.g. "30-minute interviews", "solo episodes", "two co-hosts".
Example result
- Show
- The Freelance Ledger, personal finance for new freelancers. 30-minute interviews, weekly.
- What listeners ask most
- • How much to save for taxes from each invoice
- • What to do in a month with no clients
- • Whether to pay themselves a fixed salary
- Season plan (first 6 of 12)
- Ep 1. Your First Freelance Tax Bill (solo)
- • Hook: the bill that surprises almost every new freelancer
- • Points: why it happens, setting money aside per invoice, separate account, quarterly payments where they apply, what to ask an accountant
- • Takeaway: open a tax savings account this week
- Ep 2. Paying Yourself a Salary (interview: freelance accountant)
- • Questions: fixed or variable pay? How big a buffer? What do you tell clients who pay late? What tools do you use? One mistake you see every year?
- • Takeaway: set a monthly "salary" from a buffer, not from this month's income
- Ep 3. Surviving the Empty Month (interview: freelancer, 10 years in)
- • Questions: your worst month? What did you cut? How did you find work fast? What buffer do you keep now?
- Ep 4. Raising Your Rates Without Losing Clients (interview: business coach)
- Ep 5. Listener Q&A: Your Money Questions (solo, listener questions)
- Ep 6. Myth-Busting: "Freelancers Can't Get a Mortgage" (interview: mortgage broker)
- Episodes 7 to 12 (titles)
- • Retirement Savings When You're Your Own Boss
- • Invoices That Get Paid On Time
- • Health Insurance and Sick Days
- • The Tools Stack: Budget Apps Freelancers Use
- • Should You Start a Company?
- • Season Wrap: Your Money Checklist (solo)
- Why this order
- • Starts with the most searched pain (taxes) to bring in new listeners
- • Solo and Q&A episodes give you breathing room between guests
- • Ends with a checklist episode people will share
- Note: money topics are general education. Guests and listeners should check their own situation with a qualified adviser.
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in your show details and how many episodes you want.
- Send it to your agent in todo.is, or on Slack or Telegram.
- Get a Word file with the season plan and an Excel tracker for guests and dates.
- Ask for a guest outreach email for each interview, or show notes after you record.
Tips for a better result
- Plan solo episodes into the season. Guests cancel, and a ready solo topic keeps you on schedule.
- Start with the topic people search most. Episode 1 is often the one new listeners try first.
- Turn listener questions into a recurring Q&A episode. It builds loyalty and costs little to make.
- Ask your agent to find guest candidates for each interview with links to their work.
podcast episode ideas: FAQ
- How many episodes should a podcast season have? Common seasons are 8 to 12 episodes. It is long enough to build a habit with listeners and short enough to plan and finish.
- Where do I find podcast episode ideas? Look at questions your listeners ask in forums, comments and emails, at popular posts in your niche, and at topics nobody covers in depth yet.
- Can todo.is find guests for my episodes? Your agent can research possible guests with links and draft outreach emails. It asks for your OK before sending anything.
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