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How to Start a Podcast | Ultimate Easy Step-by-Step Guide

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“Speak loud and clear about the things that are important to you,” author and activist Karen Walrond once said. And what better way to express your opinion and share your knowledge than to learn how to make a podcast? 

A podcast is an effective way to get your name and brand out there by building trust, demonstrating authority, and entertaining your listeners. For example, showcasing your podcast on your website is a great way to generate web traffic and attract new customers. 

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll show you how to create a podcast, from choosing the topic and format of your podcast to the recording and publishing process. We’ll also discuss the best ways to market and monetize your podcast. 

black and silver headphones on black and silver microphone

What makes a good podcast?

When you start creating your podcast, it’s essential that you develop a podcast concept and choose a topic that will lead to success. To do this, first, take a look at what the best podcast creators have in common:

They are passionate about their topic. 

They stick to a specific topic. 

They keep their listeners in mind and always strive to bring value to them.

They are consistent in their format and consistent in their publishing schedule. 

They add a personal touch to differentiate themselves.

How to make a podcast?

  1. Plan your podcast 
  2. Prepare your podcast 
  3. Record and edit your podcast 
  4. Launch your podcast 
  5. Marketing and growing your podcast  

1. PLAN YOUR PODCAST

Set your goals

Once you know why you want to start a podcast, the rest will be much easier. Your purpose can be to inform, persuade or entertain. For example, motivational podcasts have the clear goal of inspiring listeners.

Choose your topic

Do you circulate the same topics at parties, dinners, and other social events? Whether it’s fun facts or lifestyles, chances are you have some cases you’re passionate about and have the experience or expertise to discuss. Try to pick something you can talk about for more than 50 episodes, and ideally, you can break that topic down into subtopics. For example, business podcasts can break their content into subtopics such as entrepreneurship, building a business, and productivity tips. And if you’re interested in education, you’re free to talk about all aspects of education – from current study trends to something like “Is paperhelp.org legit for using by students?” Remember that you don’t need to have a Ph.D. in this area, nor do you need to be in it professionally. It’s more common than you think to start a podcast related to hobbies and interests. 

Define your target audience

They say that if your target audience is everyone, then your audience is no one. That’s why it’s critical to align your audience with the topic you choose to start your podcast. By describing your ideal listener and answering the following questions, you can create relevant content that will keep people hooked on your podcast:

Who is your demographic?

What problems do they face related to your topic?

What do they want to learn?

How will your podcast help them? 

Where do they spend their time online? 

How can you keep them actively engaged? 

Name your podcast

The name of your podcast can be an essential factor in its success. With a good reputation that also describes the content of your podcast well, it’s easier for you to be discovered, stand out, and, most importantly, be remembered. 

There are several ways to create a solid podcast name. One is to introduce keywords related to your topic. You can also use those exact keywords and experiment with different naming formulas. However, choose a name that is a little broader than your topic. This way, you won’t be pigeonholed, and you can expand beyond your niche.

Once you’ve chosen the name, check to ensure it’s not already being used in podcast directories like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Also, check the availability of web domains. This will be important when you create a website for your podcast later on.

2. PREPARE YOUR PODCAST

Develop your podcast script

With a solid outline and a general script, you can record easily and save time in planning each episode. We don’t mean writing a complete script and reading it word for word, but using lists and a consistent order for key elements, such as the introduction of the show’s topic, the introduction of guests, and a summary at the end of the podcast.  

Introductory music: Start your podcast with a theme song to kick off the episode.

Episode introduction: Introduce yourself, tell the name of your podcast and what it’s about. Then briefly summarize what listeners will hear in today’s episode. Remember that the first 5 minutes are crucial to make a good first impression, as 20-35% of listeners tend to only listen to the podcast if they get something of value in that first moment.  

Guest introduction (if relevant): Share your guest’s name and add some context about their background and experience. Make it clear to listeners why this guest is on your podcast and what they can learn from this person. 

Main content of the episode: Talk about the topics in detail. Feel free to include an ad space at the beginning, middle, or end, whether it’s an interview, a story, a news update, or a monologue. 

Conclusion: Summarize the key points of the episode and thank the guests you had on the show. Also, thank your listeners. This can also be a good time to announce upcoming events, episodes, or seasons.

Calls to action: This is your chance to ask your listeners to subscribe, help you with a review or share your podcast. Take advantage of this part; these calls to action can significantly improve your listener numbers. 

Farewell music: Include a song at the end to indicate your episode is over.

Equip yourself with a good microphone

When you start a podcast, you don’t need to invest in much equipment, but a quality microphone is highly recommended. USB microphones are the most popular and come in a wide range of prices. We have researched the market, and these are the most recommended microphones for podcasting:

In addition to your microphone, you may also want to get noise-canceling headphones, a microphone boom, and an anti-vibration stand (they prevent unwanted movement of your microphone and allow you to position it perfectly). 

Design your podcast cover

Creating a visually appealing cover is an essential step when making a podcast. The body is the small square image you see next to the name of your podcast in places like Spotify or your website. This image should communicate the theme of your podcast.

Try to keep your image manageable, as it will be relatively small. Also, consider creating a logo for the cover to be easily recognizable. You can use stock images or hire a professional designer to help you with the design. 

black and yellow box on brown wooden table

3. RECORD AND EDIT YOUR PODCAST

Find a good place to record

Not all spaces for recording podcasts are the same. The best place to record your podcast is quiet, ideally with elements that can absorb sound. Some examples of such items to have nearby are bookshelves, clothing, couches, and rugs. You can work in a recording studio to get the best sound quality when ready.

Work with editing software

Podcast recording and editing programs allow you to clean up audio noise, cut segments, layer music, and move different sections around. Some of the most popular editing programs are Anchor and Adobe Audition. However, there are many more to choose from. 

4. LAUNCH YOUR PODCAST

Choose a podcast hosting site

Only some people know this, but podcast directories like Apple Podcasts and Spotify don’t allow you to upload episodes to their platforms directly. Instead, you must choose a podcast hosting site that stores and disseminates your audio files. This site then generates an RSS feed that is shared with the directories. 

Create a web page for your podcast 

 In addition to showcasing your podcast episodes, creating a website allows you to share information about yourself and your guests. A website also provides a perfect way to generate new business leads, making it easy to contact potential collaborators. 

In addition, if you add a free blog and place it next to your podcast, you can gain SEO traffic and monetize your podcast, something we’ll talk about later. You can also add a contact form to collect subscribers’ email addresses for future email marketing campaigns, inform them of new episode events, and share other interesting news. 

Write a description for your podcast

Just like the cover of a book, listeners often judge a podcast by its description. So make sure your summary is beautiful and descriptive. To do this, cover the following points:

Who you are

Who is the podcast for

What the listener will get out of the podcast 

Give your episode titles

Podcast directories work similarly to search engines, displaying relevant podcasts based on searched keywords. Therefore, your episode titles should be descriptive and searchable. Do keyword research on keyword search engines so you know which categories you want to include your podcast in and which phrases match the searcher’s intent. 

Also, try to write titles highlighting the episode’s value and what listeners will get out of it, such as “X tips for…” or “How to…” 

Submit your podcast to directories

Once you have three to five episodes recorded, edited, and uploaded to your podcast hosting, it’s time to publish and share them with the world. You can submit your podcast with the URL of your RSS feed, which can be found in your hosting control panel. Your hosting service most likely has a direct link to submit your podcast using its tool, so try that option before going the manual route described below. 

Spotify and Apple Podcasts are the most common podcast directories to start submitting to. However, there are more than 40 other podcast directories you should consider expanding to to maximize reach.  

5. MARKETING AND GROWING YOUR PODCAST

Implement a marketing strategy for your podcast.

If you want to grow your audience massively, increasing how people can find your podcast is crucial. The most common ways podcasts are discovered are through lists, app recommendations, and word of mouth. However, there are many other marketing strategies to include in your growth strategy: 

Share on social networks: share your episodes on the different social networks your target audience uses. Create videos or graphics for social networks, so your audience can take a look at your podcast and generate interest. Also, join relevant forums and groups around your topic so you become part of the podcasting community. 

Conduct email marketing campaigns: Set up email lists and marketing campaigns, informing your audience to listen to your new episodes. You can even run promotions and ask users to submit questions or become guests on your podcast. In addition, this type of communication ensures that you are remembered and keeps your audience engaged with your podcast. 

Maximize reviews and testimonials: Let your fans speak well of you. Then share their reviews with others. Once people hear good feedback, they will be more curious to try your podcast. Remember to ask for these reviews during your episodes. 

Bring in guests and be a guest: Expose yourself and your podcast to new audiences by going to other podcasts or by bringing in important people as guests on your podcast. This way, you can cross-market and expand your reach. 

Write articles on your blog: Summarize your episode and use SEO optimizations on your blog to rank high in search engines. 

Consider paid ads: Choose from different ad campaigns targeting your audience. These can be sponsored posts on social media or even paid search ads. 

Network with other podcasters: It’s not always what you know that matters, but who you know. Participate in events, build connections, and make friends with other podcasters you can learn from. You can always ask them for advice on how to create a podcast. 

Get in touch with brands and people you mention: If you say a person or a product, it’s also in their interest to get it heard by as many listeners as possible. Send them the episode with a friendly note; hopefully, they’ll be happy to share it. 

Keep people listening

First, a proven way to keep people returning is to ask them to subscribe to your podcast. This way, they’ll get a notice when you post new content. 

Second, focus on continually adding value and interacting with listeners. This way, you’ll get people to enjoy your podcast as much as you do. 

Finally, to encourage audience participation and create a sense of community, you can take voicemails from listeners, record a segment with a lucky subscriber, or simply host Q&A sessions and take questions from your listeners. Imagine sending a question to your favorite podcast host – wouldn’t you want to listen to the next episode to find out if they answered it and what they said? 

Monetize your podcast

So you’ve mastered how to make a podcast and have a steady amount of listeners. Now you can start monetizing it. Most people profit from podcasting by running ads, charging subscriptions, or asking for donations through platforms like Patreon or PayPal. Luckily, ads on podcasts are also very effective. Compared to traditional advertising, 10% more listeners are likely to buy after exposure to advertisements on a podcast. 

Post new content regularly

The secret to podcast success is consistency. Make a schedule for your podcast and aim to release at least a few new episodes a month. If it’s easier to record en masse, you can register an entire season at once, buying time until you record and publish the next one. Your listeners will likely return for more if they know when to expect your content. 

Now that you have learned how to create a podcast and have all the necessary tools, it’s time to make your podcast and publish it on your website.

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