How to Start Your Own Podcast
Although podcasting has been around for nearly two decades, technology has only made creating a podcast attainable for everyone in the past few years. Rather than spending thousands of dollars to access a recording studio and an audio technician for an hour here and there, you can now invest a few hundred dollars to create a home studio.
This article is intended to provide you with the crucial information you need to get started from curating content and purchasing equipment to the distribution and promotion of your new show.
Why should I have a podcast?
Perhaps the better question to ask is: “Why shouldn’t I have a podcast?” If you have ever been scrolling through the shows on your favorite podcast app and thought, “THEY have a podcast?! I can definitely start one now!” you are already well on your way.
You have thoughts, ideas, opinions, and life experiences to draw from, and podcasting is a great way to communicate your message to a broader audience than you can physically talk with. Podcasting is a medium to communicate ideas, to inform, inspire, motivate and connect. Particularly if you are already viewed as a thought leader in your industry, starting a podcast to build your brand is a no-brainer.
With the fast pace of life these days, people are much more likely to listen to a podcast from start to finish than they are to read a blog post or article on your website, so why not turn some of your written content into a more consumable medium and reach your target audience?
What do listeners want to hear?
Look back at any previous content you have produced — written, video, audio, etc. — that has really connected with your audience. That topic is your best shot at a successful podcast. Take some time to build out that topic into multiple episodes’ worth of content and see how people respond when they listen. Don’t let analysis paralysis take over; launch your podcast the best way you know how and be receptive to feedback and adjust along the way. People are much more likely to support and guide you than criticize you.
Consider your personal network and schedule some interviews that align with the purpose of your podcast and will provide value to the audience that you could not have given on your own. You don’t have to be an expert in everything; part of the wisdom of great podcasters is knowing when to tap someone smarter or more knowledgeable to speak to certain topics that your audience wants to hear.
What equipment do I need to get started?
First, you need a good podcast microphone (or two, if you are going to host guests in your studio). Based on our experience and customer reviews, here are our recommendations:
· Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB ($65 USD) — this dynamic microphone can plug into your computer via USB or you can use an XLR cable.
· Rode Podcaster USB Dynamic Microphone ($229 USD) — A solid option if you are not going to use the mic in any other way as it is USB only.
· Shure SM7B ($399 USD) — consistently ranked as one of the best podcast microphones by professionals. You’ll also need a USB interface for this mic.
· Honorable Mention: LEWITT LCT 240 PRO Condenser Microphone ($149 USD). You’ll also need a USB interface for this mic
Next, you will need a podcasting recorder and USB audio interface. Here are our recommendations:
· Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 ($160 USD) — used by thousands of podcasters, the Scarlett is a popular USB interface.
· Zoom H5 Four-Track Portable Recorder ($279 USD) — Great to take on the go, rock solid handheld recorder.
· RØDECaster Pro ($599 USD) — A fully integrated podcast production studio.
Now that you have your microphone and can plug it into your computer, you’ll use audio editing software to record and edit your first episode. Garageband for Mac and Audacity for PC are free, but Audiohijack for Mac is $59 and it is a fast and easy way to capture audio coming from your computer.
Finally, it is time to get started with hosting and analytics programs that will publish your episodes and let you keep track of how each episode is doing.
· Transistor ($19/month) — They provide a website for your podcast, a place to store your MP3 files, an iTunes-ready RSS feed, and detailed analytics.
· SimpleCast ($15/month) — Simplecast provides tools needed to manage, distribute, share, and grow your podcast.
· Anchor (free) — If you’re starting a hobby podcast, Anchor is a nice way to get started.
Once your podcast is hosted, you will be able to distribute each episode by publishing the RSS feed to the main podcast listening apps. We recommend that you do this in this order:
· Apple Podcasts (iTunes) — nearly every podcast directory (Podchaser, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Castro, Listen Notes) uses Apple’s directory as their “master copy.” If your show is on Apple Podcasts, it will automatically show up on most of the other directories.
· Spotify — Spotify has quickly become a major player in the podcast space. Note: they re-host your audio files and show notes on their server.
· Google Podcasts — Google now has a built-in podcast player on Android. There’s nowhere to “submit” your show, however. Instead, you’ll need to have a website for your podcast with an element that points to your RSS feed. (Transistor websites do this automatically)
· Google Play — Google also features podcasts in its music streaming player.
· Pocket Casts — Pocket Casts is a popular player, now owned by WNYC, NPR, WBEZ and This American Life.
· Stitcher — Stitcher used to be a popular player, but isn’t as important these days. Like Spotify, they re-host your audio (which some folks don’t like).
How do I get people to listen?
According to Edison Research (2019), here are the top three ways listeners find podcasts:
· Searching the Internet (73%)
· Social media posts (67%)
· Recommendations from Friends/Family (66%)
Keep this in mind as you brainstorm ways to promote your podcast and increase listenership. Word of mouth is imperative to the growth of any podcast. One of the easiest ways to consistently show up in people’s social media feeds is to be present there by posting on your podcast, business, and/or personal pages when you have uploaded a new episode. Also, the simple act of asking people to subscribe to the podcast at the beginning or end of each podcast episode will make it almost effortless for them to listen.
Finally, keep in mind that SEO (Search Engine Optimization) plays a big role in what people will find when they perform Internet searches. Work with your hosting site to include keywords with each episode and keep in mind that attaching show notes to each episode is an excellent tactic to integrate keywords as well as create additional value that could be shared elsewhere on your website or social media accounts.
We hope you have found this overview informative and we look forward to hearing the content you will begin sharing with the world in the near future!
Want to take some of the guesswork and trial-and-error out of launching your podcast? Learn more about Brand Viva’s podcast production services here. Our team can help get your podcast project off the ground.
Producing original content and maintaining a digital marketing plan can be overwhelming and time-consuming. Brand Viva Media is an agency that creates custom content and marketing strategies for our clients. When you have the marketing plan you need, your brand gains exposure, customers engage more, and your business flourishes.
The Brand Viva team produces podcasts locally in Denver, Colorado, and remotely with our partners across the United States. We are here to get you up and running, streamline your podcast, and help grow your audience.