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Back to basics! This isn't a detailed process for how to edit episodes, setup your website, or get into iTunes. These are the core 10 principles for starting a podcast, even if it's not your first time!
1. Make plans
Before you buy any equipment, before you start a website, and before you do anything else with your podcast, plan what kind of podcast you'll host and what you want to share.
I recommend that you create a list of topics that will become future episodes. It's okay for your list to be vague, such as “1. Facebook. 2. Twitter. 3. YouTube.” When you get into planning your individual episodes, you can develop these ideas into content to share.
Also figure out how you want to present your information. Will you be in-depth? Will you try to pull out undiscovered truth? Will you take a comedic approach?
What will your schedule be? What are your goals and how will you work toward them? Whom do you want involved? What do you want your audience to take away or do? How will you use your time (it takes four or more minutes for each one minute of good content)?
Plans aren't scripts that you must follow to every detail. It's okay to change things, squeeze in something else, and ad lib here and there. But the main thing is to have a core direction you can always get back to when you veer off course.
You can use Evernote, Workflowy, Google Drive, a text editor, or even paper and pencil for making your plan. The tools don't really matter, but how you use them and what you create with them is the art.
Remember the wise words from an admiral in The Hunt for Red October, “Russians don't take a dump without a plan.” So even if you think your show will be crappy, still make a plan!
2. Collect quality content
You probably want your podcast to be great and the content you share will be the largest factor. Find or create the content you want to share.
For finding content, read and watch a lot for ideas of things to include. If you're creating your own content, red and watch a lot for inspiration.
When your content is relevant to your show's niche, entertaining, engaging, or educational, your audience will want to share it with others.
3. Get the right tools and equipment
It doesn't cost thousands of dollars to start podcasting well. It seems all podcasters have a crush on the Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB, but for good reasons! For only around $50 (plus $6 for a windscreen), the ATR2100-USB returns great quality, connects directly to any PC, and you don't have to throw it away if you upgrade to a mixer in the future.
If you're just starting out, don't get the expensive stuff unless you fully commit yourself to your podcast. But if you just want to get started and aren't sure how long you'll do it, then keep your costs low for launching.
Generally, you won't need a mixer until you want to do more complex things, like live-mixing, live-streaming, have multiple cohosts, or use advanced audio equipment.
I usually don't recommend launching with video, but when I do, I suggest you focus on quality audio first, then lighting, and then the camera.
4. Record and present the content well
With a plan, good content, and the right equipment, it's time to press record!
Whatever content you are sharing, present it clearly and confidently. Focus on what you want your audience to receive from your content or what you want them to do. If you're a comedy podcast, you want your audience to laugh; if you're a business podcast, you probably want your audience to succeed; if you're a review podcast, you probably want your audience to discover something new; and so on.
When you know what you want your audience to receive or do, your presentation will continuously point them to that.
How well can you tell a story? How memorable can you make a lesson? How practically can you inspire? You don't have to be a professional speaker to be a great podcaster, but good communication skill is a must!
5. Give authenticity
Treat your podcast like it's just you and me, and you are telling me something you're excited about. You probably would not put on a “radio DJ voice,” and you also probably wouldn't be dry.
Don't try to be someone you're not. Be real, be excited, be you. Realize that, unless you're a celebrity, people will care first about your content—it's what usually attracts them. After you win them with your presentation of good content, then they'll start to care about your personality.
So it's okay to let some real life into your podcast. Tell your relevant stories, connect with your audience, speak to your listeners or viewers as a friend instead of an audience, and let your emotion through.
6. Edit and produce
After you stop the recording, it's time to turn it into an episode! For audio, I recommend Audacity, Hindenburg, or Adobe Audition. For video, I recommend iMovie, Windows Movie Maker, Screenflow, or Adobe Premiere Pro.
Try not to be a perfectionist when editing your episode. If you have too many ums and other verbal crutches, learn how to avoid them and edit out when they're too distracting. If there's too much background noise, shut it off before you record or seek to reduce (not completely remove) it with software.
Keep your editing process simple, especially in the beginning. The fancier you try to get, the more time or money it will cost. If it's too much work to release an episode, you'll either not be consistent, or you'll give up quickly. (I was a perfectionist when I started and it took me two years to release only nine episodes.)
For audio podcasts, I recommend that you export a WAV file from your editor and use iTunes to create a mono MP3 at 64 kbps. For video podcasts, I recommend that you export as MP4, 640 × 360, 24 frames per second (FPS) for downloadable files, and 1080p (if possible) for YouTube. Most video programs have good presets for these.
7. Launch or upgrade your website
If you don't already have a website, I highly recommend getting hosting from BlueHost and installing your own copy of WordPress (free). Then add the free PowerPress plugin to make an RSS feed.
If WordPress and your own hosting is too much, then consider LibSyn for a trustworthy all-in-one solution (website, media hosting, RSS feed) and use promo code “noodle” for a free month.
If you really must start out with free stuff, then use Tumblr or Blogger to host your website, Archive.org to host your files, and run your RSS feed through FeedBurner.
Try to at least have your own domain, so you can tell people, “visit myawesomepodcast.com” instead of “visit myawesomepodcast.wordpress.com.” Create email forwarders for a Gmail account as your podcast email address.
8. Publish
Write show notes, attach your podcast file, and click publish! This is as easy as writing an email and attaching a photo.
When you have your first episode online, then it's time to get your podcast in places where podcasts are listed. Take your podcast-only RSS feed (this is usually /feed/podcast from PowerPress) and submit it to the top podcast directories: iTunes, Stitcher, Zune, BlackBerry, TuneIn, and any mobile podcast apps you see.
Make sure you have some great podcast cover art and good titles for your show and your episodes.
9. Promote
Now that you have something to offer, it's time to grow your audience. This will be an ongoing process with many choices. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
- Invite guests on your show who will share the episode with their followers.
- Be a guest on someone else's show to be discovered by their audience.
- Connect with people on social networks and share when you publish new episodes.
- Ask your audience to share the show with their friends and followers.
A common theme in the most successful promotion is word of mouth. A proverb in the Bible says, “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips” (Proverbs 27:2 ESV). It's always best to let others be the ones promoting you instead of your promoting yourself. The best way to get there is to give!
10. Measure growth
Use Google Analytics to track your website traffic. Use LibSyn or Blubrry to track your podcast downloads.
Don't obsess over your numbers! Realize that the median podcast gets 160 downloads per episode. If you're anywhere near that or above, then you're doing well!
When looking at your podcast stats, ignore the “monthly downloads” and consider only your per-episode downloads after at least a month.
The main things you should look for a spikes that may reveal better content (or at least better titles), and you should see gradual growth.
Repeat for every episode
These 10 steps aren't just for starting your show, but for keeping it going. Every episode should begin with a plan; every episode should use the right tools; and you should promote every episode you release. Turn these steps into habits, and you'll have a great podcast with ongoing growth.
What about making money?
There are many ways to make money with your podcast, but it's not a core step to launching a successful podcast, so I didn't cover it here.
What about you?
How did you start your podcast? Do you regret missing any of these steps? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!
Need personalized podcasting help?
I no longer offer one-on-one consulting outside of Podcasters' Society, but request a consultant here and I'll connect you with someone I trust to help you launch or improve your podcast.
Ask your questions or share your feedback
- Comment on the shownotes
- Leave a voicemail at (903) 231-2221
- Email feedback@TheAudacitytoPodcast.com (audio files welcome)
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Disclosure
This post may contain links to products or services with which I have an affiliate relationship and may receive compensation from your actions through such links. However, I don't let that corrupt my perspective and I don't recommend only affiliates.
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Thank you for this podcast! It was wonderful timing, as my husband and I having been mulling over starting a podcast for awhile and needed a little push to get started. We are sitting down tonight and tackling #1: Make Plans!
Wonderful! What will your podcast be about? When do you plan to launch?
DANIEL …. this is really good but what NEWBIEs really need is a step by step instruction on HOW to podcast… HOW TO D/L audacity … how to use the various buttons on audacity … what they do and which ones to avoid.. Most people I know are afraid of the technology involved… I think that would be some of the instruction that newbies actually need… I know I do.
It’s coming. 🙂
As a “newbie”, I found this to be the very thing I needed additionally it proceeds the suggestions that you are suggest as first base in the game. I wanted to know the very basics first and secure a firm foundation for a great podcasting future.
Hello, thank you for this, I’m ready to start! I have been speaking for a
few years and am working on a book. I plan to podcast to build my
platform. My question involves the name I should use for the podcast. My
website (which needs updating) is JenniferHenn.com, my email is
JenniferHennWriter@gmail; however, I call myself The Unlikely
Homeschooler when I do seminars and also on my business card. This year
I discovered there is a Unlikely Homeschool website. It’s an active
site and I want to avoid mix-ups. Do I need to title my podcast
something different than my name?
Hi, Jennifer!
I do recommend choosing a different name for the podcast, in order to avoid confusion. Or, you could contact the other site’s owners and get some kind of written agreement that they don’t mind your using their trademark.
[…] How to start a podcast in 10 steps […]
[…] If you’re an academic, postac, or altac looking for ways to recharge your creative and intellectual juices, might I suggest podcasting? There are plenty of folks #withaPhD who’ve made the leap in exciting ways (check out Liz Covart’s “Ben Franklin’s World” or Sarah Bereza’s “Music and the Church“). You can learn more about the basics of podcasting here and here. […]
[…] Start up expenses, engineering fees, studio equipment, transmission equipment, rent and utilities, people power, content licensing $18k – $20k to get it off the ground, recurring monthly fees. Years ago, that was the only way! Today there is another way that is much cheaper, is very focused on the message, and is free to the listener…podcasts! There are some startup expenses, but as a missionary or pastor you could actually start a podcast for free if you wanted to! Anyone with a smart phone…anyone with a computer and internet…is accessible with a podcast. Our guest on this episode is Pastor Dan Sardinas, Pastor of Northwest Baptist Church in Bradenton, FL. Dan is the host of the Life and Ministry Podcast which can be found at www.lifeandministry.net . Another great source of information for this topic (from a purely technical perspective) would be the following Audacity to Podcast article by Daniel J Lewis. https://theaudacitytopodcast.com/how-to-start-a-podcast-in-10-steps-tap160/ […]
I just want to say, that I read it twice and now I’m nearly 1/4 through listening to the basics and its helping so much thank you for being part of that process. Thank you for having this out there in the digital world.
I’m so happy it’s helping! I’ll have more starter resources soon!