How to Start a Podcast
Develop a Podcast Idea
Developing a specific niche and area that your podcast fits into will help define your audience and set you apart from the crowd. Most importantly, it needs to be something that you are interested in and passionate about. This is because, to be a successful podcast, your topic needs to have longevity, and you need to be able to produce several different episodes for it.
Additionally, the great thing about podcasts is that you can choose just about any topic, from politics, books, and philosophy to true crime, comedy, and health. The more specific the better, as your competition will be lower! Some key considerations when choosing your topic include:
The format and goal
Decide what you want your podcast to do: educate, tell a story, relax, or just entertain? Your goal for the podcast should also work with your chosen format, which could be interviews, debates, documentaries, scripted fiction, or a combination of different formats. Confirming your format will also assist in defining your audience.
Define your audience
Understanding who your audience is will help shape your podcast content into something relevant and useful to them and will keep them coming back for more. Factors to consider when determining your audience include age, occupation, location, hobbies, aspirations, and whether they listen to other competing podcasts.
Other podcasts out there
Once you have your general podcast idea, do some research to see if there are other competing podcasts. You can find out if they are popular and what they do well or not so well by reading reviews. That way, you can understand what it takes to stand out from the crowd. Alternatively, you may find that there are few other podcasts with your specific idea, which means you could fill a gap in the market.
Plan Your Podcast
Planning your podcast includes key details like a rough episode length, which could be 10-minute mini-episodes, hour-long chats, or three-hour sagas - the choice is up to you. It may be that you don't have a set standard for the length of your episodes, but you'll want to adjust it based on the content instead.
Similarly, understanding how often you want to post will build regularity and trust with your audience base. Many podcasts post weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or even just a few times a year, depending. However, those who post more regularly and consistently are more likely to have an engaged following. Creating a calendar to map out your episode ideas and schedule can keep you on track.
Finally, if this is a solo podcast idea, you might consider adding a co-host. Many podcasts have co-hosts because it can help ease the workload and keep things fresh, though it's certainly not essential.
Build Your Branding
Building a strong and identifiable brand is crucial to highlight the uniqueness of your podcast. Everything from the name, artwork, music, and intros will define the character of the podcast, so it feels needs to feel aligned with your brand.
Name
A catchy and memorable podcast name can draw people in and make it easier for you to be discovered. Ideally, people should be able to identify and know what your podcast is about just from the name. Besides, you don't always need the word "podcast" in there! Some examples of popular podcast names include Rotten Mango, The Daily, and No Such Podcast. Most of them are short and snappy and stick in people's minds.
Artwork
All podcasting platforms allow you to upload your podcast cover art to attract and stand out to potential listeners. It should be able to give a taste of what your podcast is about and communicate it visually through striking imagery.
In addition, keeping it simple without too much going on or too much wording is ideal for comprehension. If you feel like you're a whiz with tools like Photoshop and Canva, you can try creating it yourself or connect with a freelance graphic designer on sites like Upwork or Canva.
Music
Successful podcasts often make use of music - it is, after all, an audio medium! Creating a memorable jingle can keep your podcast in people's minds, or making some custom audio effects and sounds can add a fun and engaging dimension to your show. You can use tools like Ableton or Garageband, or hire a freelancer for a one-time fee.
Intros and Outros
The same goes for intros and outros - keeping them consistent and adding in fun, relevant catchphrases can help build your brand, tone, and make your podcast memorable. Try to keep them to 20 seconds or less, but the shorter and snappier the better. You don't want to keep your listeners waiting while you read an entire dissertation!
It’s also a great idea to add a call-to-action in your intros and outros, whether that’s asking your listeners to subscribe, donate to your Patreon, or keep tuning in.
Create an Online Presence
Even before you release your first podcast episode, you should start creating an online presence for your podcast, including social media and a website. In keeping with your cover art, including the same color palette, fonts, and branding, you can create "teaser" content to build hype for the upcoming podcast. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok can also be great for posting short clips of the podcast at a later date.
Get the Right Equipment
Microphone
The beauty of podcasting is that it's fairly accessible, which means you don't have to invest in a whole studio to start recording. However, you will need to buy a high-quality mic to make sure you sound professional - without a quality mic, people simply won't want to listen to your content. There are several options to choose from when it comes to microphones:
- USB mics: they plug in easily via USB to your laptop or computer, but have a lower sound quality than some other mics. Examples are Rode NT-USB, Blue Yeti, HyperXQuadcast, and AKG Lyra.
- Condenser mics: offer high sound quality but are very sensitive, so require a quieter recording space. Examples are Neumann U87, Rode NTK, and Blue Bluebird.
- Dynamic mics: are known for their durability and ability to cancel background noise. Examples include Sennheiser e835, Rode M1, and Shure SM57.
Recording Software
Recording software is used to capture the sounds from your microphone, while also allowing you to edit and mix your audio. There are many different types of software out there, some more expensive than others, but luckily you don't have to break the bank if you're just starting out. Audacity, for example, is free, as is Garageband if you use Apple equipment. However, Adobe Audition, LogicPro X, and Cubase might be good options if you want to branch out.
If you are doing remote interviews for your podcast, software like CallNote and Zencastr can connect to Zoom, Skype, or Google Meets to make sure you capture everything your guest is saying in high quality.
Later on, if you want to invest in more equipment to improve your sound quality, there are some additional tools you can invest in. For instance, pop filters enhance certain sounds, shock mounts to remove background vibrations, and microphone stands add comfort. Who knows, you might even end up with your own studio if your podcasting takes off.
Plan and Record an Episode
Planning Your First Episode
The first episode will be your first offering to the world, so it will need to communicate what you’re all about, and what to expect from the rest of the podcast series. That’s why it’s essential to do some planning before you dive into the record. The key things to outline are:
- The topics you’re going to talk about and a rough structure.
- If you’re doing an interview, plan some questions ahead.
- The goal of this episode - what do you want your audience to know or experience by the end?
- Whether you will write a script, or be unscripted. Often, scripts are most useful for fiction and non-fiction formats, but less so for interviews and discussions where it’s meant to be a bit more on the fly. However, written bulletpoints can still help regardless to guide the discussion.
Recording Your First Episode
Once you've got your gear ready to go, there are a couple of key things to keep in mind when you're recording your episode. First, think about where you're recording it. Second, think about your recording techniques.
When it comes to the space, you'll want somewhere quiet with solid sound. Carpeted rooms are ideal so the sound doesn't bounce off any hard surfaces. If you can't do that, you can reduce the risk by adding soft furnishings to absorb sound.
When you're recording, it's important to keep your mouth about six to twelve inches away from the mic, angle the mic slightly, and make sure the recording levels are in the ideal range of -6dB to -3dB. Keep an eye on your cadence when speaking - that means no heavy breathing or drinking into the mic. Before you sit down to record your first episode, it may benefit to do some experimentation to check you sound as good as possible.
Editing the Podcast
Using the recording software of your choice, you can edit the podcast to make it sound as good as possible. First, you should edit and tweak your content: this will probably mean rearranging some material to make it sound more effective or make more sense. It is also likely that you will have too much material and will need to cut it down.
Then you can start removing distractions like background noise or unnecessary pauses. As you start to mix, you can add compressors to the vocals to make them sound smoother and to make sure that all sound levels, including the music, sound polished. It's a good idea to spend some time editing to see what works best to get your final version.
Distribute the Podcast
With podcast episode #1 ready to go, you can upload it to a podcast hosting platform like Buzzsprout, Anchor, or Simplecast. After your podcast episode is hosted there, you can submit an RSS feed to ensure that your episode is placed in the directory of your choice. This could be Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Deezer, or Amazon Music, to name a few. You can choose as many directories as you like, which might be a good idea to get a wider audience.
Promote the Podcast
Promoting your podcast is essential to attracting an audience and making your podcast a success. By using your social media accounts and podcast website, you can create some exciting content, including clips from the episode, live reactions, and eye-catching designs. Offering a giveaway to share your site could also generate more reach.
A launch event could also be a great way to kickstart your podcast memorably with an audience. Additionally, emailing a podcast newsletter and pitching your podcast to news outlets could draw people in. Overall, remember that promoting your podcast is just as important as creating it, and it's an ongoing process.
Monetize the Podcast
With several podcast episodes under your belt, and hopefully a bigger audience, you can start to monetize your podcast and make some profit. There are several different ways to incorporate monetizing into your podcast, and you can take on multiple different methods to maximize your chances of earning income.
Sponsorships
Brands and companies can pay you to promote their products or services during your podcast, through a personalized or standard advertisement. You can get connected with potential advertisers through networks like Midroll and Podcorn who will usually handle the details for you.
Donations and Subscriptions
Many podcasters also ask for specific donations on their podcast through sites like Patreon or take part in the Buy Me a Cup of Coffee trend. Alternatively, you can offer content like exclusive episodes in exchange for a subscription or membership fee.
Affiliate Sales
Joining affiliate programs means you can promote your specific links on your podcast to hopefully increase sales. Ideally, the affiliate product should be related to a similar theme or topic as your podcast, so it feels authentic and relatable. Plus, it's more likely to engage your listeners that way.
Selling Merch
As your podcast gains some popularity, you could even start selling podcast merchandise and products to make some more money. Beyond the classic hat and T-shirt, try selling consulting courses, coaching, live events, and books, depending on the type of podcast.
Guest on Other Podcasts
Guest hosting on other podcasts can really assist to market your own podcast, especially if it's based on similar themes and topics. If it's a podcast with a large audience and reach, you might get a lot more listeners as a result.
Interact with Listeners
A great way to generate more listens and engagement with your podcast is to host Q&As. You can ask your audience on social media if they have any questions or topics they would like you to discuss on the podcast. In addition, you can respond through social media comments or listener shoutouts to create a deeper connection between you and your listeners.
Grow the Podcast
Building and growing a successful podcast is an ongoing process. It's about continuously promoting your podcast, tracking your progress, and staying consistent. To keep track of your podcast's success, you can monitor things like the number of downloads, how much your audience engages with your podcast, their demographics, how many unique listeners you have, and individual episode popularity.
Keeping an eye on this will help you understand what you're doing well and what you could be doing better. Most podcast hosting platforms have the tools to analyze these details built-in, so you'll be able to access this information regularly.
On top of that, if you keep at it with marketing and creating your podcast, you'll attract a bigger audience. People love a podcast they can count on to keep them entertained or educated so it's important not to go silent for too long if you want to grow your audience.
In Summary
Podcasts are incredible tools for sharing your thoughts, getting creative, and making some serious cash. From coming up with your podcast idea to promoting your episodes, we've covered all the bases on how to get your podcast off the ground and hopefully make it a success. It's a competitive field, but if you have a solid idea, a lot of passion, and are consistent in your podcast production and promotion efforts, your show could become a profitable moneymaker, and, in some cases, a full-time business.
