How to Start Your First Podcast: A Step-by-Step Guide

You might be very knowledgeable in certain topics and you are willing to share them with an audience. If you’ve been thinking about it, a podcast is definitely a great channel you should explore. Podcasts are a great way to creatively express yourself and have a better connection with your audience. Surprisingly, it’s quite easy to set up. 

In this article, we will walk you through the nitty-gritty of creating your podcast from the planning to the monetization phase and by the end, you will gain the confidence to start and share your ideas with the world.

Step 1 – The planning phase

Just like every project, you need to prepare and plan. This includes understanding your goals and how you want to reach them. So, in the planning phase of developing your podcast, here are some of the things you need to take care of. 

a. Develop a concept 

The major reason why you created a podcast is that you have something to offer and that’s good. But, for your audience to have a better understanding of what you do, you need to develop a concept to help you stay consistent. 

So what exactly do you want to do? Will you prefer to invite guests over? Do you want to have a co-host? There are several concepts you can explore. Some of them include; 

• Interviews: Here, you as a host will need to regularly invite guests in your industry to have conversations your audience would love. This is a great method because you’d get more listens especially from the guests’ followers.
  
• Scripted storytelling: This can involve fiction or non-fiction stories but it is usually woven around a specific theme that contains different episodes.
  
• Solo show: In this type, only you (the host) will do the talking. While this might be great for some creators other find it boring since they would be the only ones talking.
  
• Co-hosted: this is the opposite of a solo show because it is conversational. Different hosts usually two or three will communicate their thoughts on the theme being discussed.
  
• Educational: Here, you educate your listeners about what you know and you will like to teach them too.

b. Define your target audience

When starting a podcast, you must bear in mind that not everyone is your target audience. Your show will only be targeted at a specific audience. So clarify who makes up your audience and make sure that whatever you share aligns with their interests. 

You can find out what interests them from the problems they face and help them by proferring possible solutions. 

c. Choose a podcast name and description 

When you upload your podcast, how will your audience recognise or search for it? That’s why you need a simple and concise podcast name. It should also reflect whatever brand you’re trying to build.

Having a podcast name increases your visibility and differentiates you from other podcasters. So we recommend inserting keywords around your podcast topic. 

Over time, you can then search for it under the podcast directories. Also, search for the podcast name first across directories like Spotify and Apple to be sure it isn’t taken by another show. 

d. Determine the length of the podcast

The next thing on the list is to figure out the maximum and minimum duration you want to use. Using a consistent length will allow your audience to schedule the perfect time to listen to your podcast.

Although podcasts can last anywhere between five minutes to six hours, a lot of podcasters stick between 20 – 40 minutes so they don’t bore the listener. In fact,  31% of podcast episodes are within this time limit. 

Step 2 – The preparation phase

Once you have the basics, it’s time to launch the preparation stage. Here, you’ll need to create a checklist of plans before recording. Some of these include; 

a. Getting your recording equipment

Although you don’t need a ton of equipment to start your podcast, it is always good to have a quality microphone to produce a good sound feature. If your audio doesn’t sound good, potential listeners will lose interest easily. 

We have different mics like the USB microphone which is pretty affordable. With this, you simply need to plug it into your computer USB port, open the recording platform and you are good to go. Some USB microphones we recommend are;

• Samson Q2U Microphone 
• Audio-Technica ATR2100x-USB Microphone
• Rode podcaster USB dynamic microphone.

Also, to prevent background sounds during the recording phase, you can get soundproof headphones, a mic arm and a shock mount.

b. Choose your hosting platform 

When creating your podcast, platforms like Apple Podcast, Stitcher or Spotify do not allow you to upload audio directly to their platform. This is why you need a hosting platform where you can upload your episodes. Some platforms we recommend are; 

• buzz sprout
• transistor
• pod bean
• Anchor
• iHeart, 
• Spreaker
• Simplecast and so on.

After uploading, these sites will generate RSS feeds for you that get shared with podcast directories. 

c. Plan for your show 

To save time and record comfortably without any takes, it is important that you plan ahead for your show to make it organized and engaging. In fact, this will pass a message to your audience that you came prepared.

Now, except your show is meant to be scripted, this doesn’t mean you should put down everything you want to say. All you need is an outline of how you want to present the show.

For instance, you can start with intro music, introduce yourself, your podcast name, the theme for your show and then state what your listeners are about to learn. If you have a guest present, introduce him or her and then move into the main discussion. 

Once you are done with your show, summarize everything you have said and thank your listeners for tuning in. Finally, play outro music to mark the end of the show. This is an example of how you can plan for your podcast show.

d. Select a theme music

As we mentioned earlier, your podcasts should consist of intro and outro music. You can get this on royalty-free music sites like; Premium Beat, Audio Jungle, Bensound, Soundstripe, Storyblocks, Epidemic Sound, YouTube Audio Library and so much more. 

After selecting the theme song, download it on your computer so that you can always upload it during the recording and editing stage.

e. Add a guest list and start inviting them ahead of the schedule

You can’t be the only one doing your show all the time. So when you invite people over, they should get a heads-up. This is where your guest list comes in handy.  To win the favour of your guests, make sure you have sent an invitation to them a week before the show, and share what the episode would be about so that they too can come prepared.

Step 3 – The recording phase

Now that your plans are well defined, the next step is to record some episodes and this can be achieved by:

a. Record your intro and outro 

Each of your podcast episodes should have an intro and outro which are usually short voiceovers that contain the podcast name and description. Recording them beforehand is advisable so that they can be used for subsequent episodes too.

Your intro should be welcoming to listeners and it should focus on who you are, a summary of what your podcast is about, and what they’ll learn if they stay tuned. While your outro should appreciate the listeners for tuning in and there should always be a call-to-action which should not be more than one for each episode.

b. Record the first podcast

When you are about to record your podcast, find a quiet place to avoid too many background noises and distractions.  While recording, make sure you put in your best by using the microphone correctly to ease your work while editing. You can follow these steps when using your mic.

• Position your microphone five to six inches away from the mouth to avoid sensitivity to noises
• Set up the mic at 45 degrees toward your mouth to prevent a burst of air around the capsule.
• Move away a bit far from the microphone when you are not speaking to prevent it from irrelevant recordings.
• You can try out several positions with the same volume in use to detect which position gives the best result.

Mistakes will be made but try to make them limited so your editing process is easier.

c. Edit your audio

After recording your podcast, it is important to edit so you get quality audio. This stage allows you to perfect the volume, remove gaps of dead air and so much more. For easier editing, you will need to download audio editing software like Anchor, Audacity, Alitu, Adobe Audition, etc.

When editing, do not focus entirely on your mistakes or else you will get overwhelmed. Instead, try to edit the content first and then, minimize any perceived noises to the barest minimum so that your audience won’t lose interest.

You can make your audio more professional by using these tips:

• Remove long gaps of dead air
• Use noise reduction
• Crossfade between tracks for smooth sound transitions
• Use a high-pass filter
• Use a de-esser to fade out the difficulty in pronunciation of consonants plosive.
• Add compression to even out the sounds
• Export using ID3 tags or any format your hosting site recommends for your media to have valid information about your show.
• If your voice alone was recorded, set the bitrate to 96 kps but if you have music set it to 192 kps to make the sound more fascinating.

Step 4 – The launch phase

After recording and editing, it’s time to launch your podcast to the world. Here’s a checklist to help you achieve this;

a. Host your podcasts on the platform

Here, the audio you have created in the recording phase will now be uploaded on your chosen platform for people to access. We also recommend creating a website that will include a link to podcasts across several platforms. 

b. Give your podcast a title and description

The same way we check product descriptions before deciding to purchase them is the same way potential listeners check your podcast description before they choose to listen.

So, make a very simple but detailed description of your podcast. Be sure to include; Who you are, what you do, the reason behind your podcast and what your listeners will gain if they tune in.

In the same vein, remember to add titles to your podcast so that your listeners will know what they are about listening to. You can use podcast directories to research keywords to know which category your podcast episodes fall under and phrases that will align with your listener’s interests.

You can try using titles like “How to..” “10 tricks..” tends to attract the audience because they know they have a take-home.

c. Submit your show to podcast directories 

Before this step can be achieved, as stated earlier, make sure you have recorded three or more episodes on your hosting platform before launching your podcast. Once it has been recorded, edited, and uploaded, it is time to share it with your audience

For the submission, verify if you should be able to submit to your show with your RSS feed URL on your hosting platform before trying the manual route that is stated below.

We have a variety of podcast directories like Spotify, Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, etc but if you want to use Apple podcasts for instance, 

• Click Add button and select New show
• Choose “add a show with an RSS feed”
• Then type your RSS feed and click “save”
• Confirm your details in case of any mistake
• Provide contact information 
• Set your content Rights to ensure it has rights to any third-party content you used.
• Submit it for review

Step 5 – The promotion phase

In the long run, you may want to earn from your show but you may not know how to go about it. That’s why we recommend you implement the steps below:

a. Create your marketing strategy 

The recommendations and referrals you get from your listeners may not be enough and that’s why you need to adopt some effective marketing strategies which are listed below.

• Share on social media: you can share your podcasts on other social media platforms where you have built an audience. This will direct them to your podcast because they won’t want to be missing out. You can do this by creating a teaser video, graphics, transcriptions and so on.

• Value reviews: the feedback you get from your audience are very important because it serves as a tool to convince people that your shows are enjoyable. The easiest way to get this is not by waiting for your listeners to drop it willingly. Instead, create a call to action so they can be prompted to leave their reviews.

• Be a guest and bring guests: invite guests to your podcast shows because their own audience will want to listen too which in turn makes them become your new audience. Visiting shows by other podcasters’ can also increase your audience reach. So try to network and build connections with relevant people.

• Maximize paid Ads: invest in a better advertising trick that attracts your target audience. On certain podcast platforms, you can sponsor a teaser or start with social media-sponsored posts.

• Use email marketing campaigns: create an email list and send email campaigns through newsletters to inform people to listen to your show. When you do this consistently, you’ll remind your audience to tune in or expect the next episode. 

b. Monetize your podcast 

Remember, your podcast’s major drive is your listeners, so when you have attained a reasonable amount of active listeners, you can start monetizing your podcasts. You can do this by charging for subscriptions. 

Here, you can create premium content and encourage your listeners to upgrade or subscribe. Most podcasters also run ads for brands. So collaborate with brands by talking about their products online or adding an affiliate link to your product description. 

Finally, you can ask your subscribers or listeners to send you tips on the show. With a free Creathor tip link, you can receive tips from anywhere in the world and withdraw them directly to your bank account. See how it works here. 

c. Stay consistent 

You can’t have it figured out at once but with consistency, you will attain success. Make sure you stick to a particular time frame; whether it’s once or twice a week so your audience knows when to come back for your next episode.

Conclusion

Podcast is another way to dominate as a creator and now that you have been shown how to create one, you should try it out today to see how it works. If you are willing to monetize your podcast, you can sign up with Creathor to get started!