So you want to make a podcast? Great! Podcasts are an excellent way to share your knowledge and build relationships with people who may not know you. However, podcasting is hard work. It takes time, effort, and dedication in order for it to be successful. There are 7 steps that will help make your podcast successful.
Find A Platform
You must start by finding a platform where you want to stream your podcast. If you do not, it will likely be unsuccessful and unrecognized by the public. There are many platforms available where you can host your podcast directly from their website without having to use another hosting service.
Some important things to look for when choosing a podcasting platform include:
- how much does it costs
- its file size capacity
- How often do they purge old content that isn’t being viewed anymore
- Is there any limit on what you can upload within my podcast feed
- Can other people view statistics about who listens to specific episodes of the podcasts
One of the surest things to find the right platform for you is through detailed reviews. Buzzsprout has become pretty popular in recent times, and WiredClip has an informative article about it from which you can decide whether to go with them or not. It’s the best way to get insight into what certain platforms are about and whether you’ll be a happy customer there.
Choose A Topic Or Theme
You have to choose an interesting topic or podcast theme that will keep your listeners engaged. You need to choose one that people are already interested in, but you can always make it more interesting by putting an original spin on the subject. If you want to cover recipes, for example, maybe talk about bizarre food combinations or unusual ingredients instead of just talking about how to cook spaghetti bolognese. You want to make your podcast content stand out, so choose a topic that is interesting and relevant for the people who will be listening.
These same principles can also apply when choosing podcast topics or themes for video podcasts as well. Video podcasting isn’t just an easier way of creating podcast content. It’s also a different type of podcast that offers a different experience for your listeners.
Find Good Equipment
You should know that good equipment means the world to the podcast. If you don’t have it, then your podcast is not going to sound as professional or high quality as it should be. While expensive equipment doesn’t always mean better quality, there are some basics that everyone needs in order for their podcast to sound great!
Here’s a list of things you’ll need:
- Microphone
- Audio Mixer
- Headphones
- Editing Software
It’s not too bad after all! Once you find the right podcast equipment for your needs, then recording and editing will be a breeze.
Decide On The Length Of Your Podcast
The length of a podcast you decide to make is going to depend on your schedule, the length of time that you have available, and also how in-depth you want this podcast series to be. You may wish for it just to be a quick chat about what’s been happening recently or something more long-form where each episode has its own theme.
Create An Outline For Each Episode In Advance
You’ll need to create an outline to go with each podcast episode. This is especially important if you like to improvise your podcast or make it up as you go along. An outline will help ensure that nothing falls through the cracks and can even be helpful during recording! It’s easy for things to get lost in translation when speaking, so having an outline in front of you can keep you on track.
When creating an outline, consider including intro/outro music selections, an introduction, the main points discussed throughout the podcast, and a conclusion. If there was a guest speaker involved, they might have provided questions themselves, but you should definitely ask some questions of your own.
Record Episodes In Advance
It’s always smart to be prepared, so recording episodes in advance is a great idea. If you are able to record episodes at least one week before the podcast goes live, then you can have time to edit it and perfect your podcast for maximum quality. This way, every podcast episode will be of high quality because they’re well prepared ahead of time by making an outline for each episode based on your podcast topic.
Advertise Your Work
Finally, you’ll need to market your podcast; the more listeners you have, the easier it will be to find your target audience and gain a loyal fan base. Luckily there are many ways to advertise your podcast, including social media accounts, promoting on other podcast channels, creating an accompanying website for extra information about yourself or guests of the show, and podcast directories.
Podcasts are fun, interesting, and very popular, meaning they can be profitable. Just make sure to find the right platform and choose a theme people would listen to. You’ll need high-quality equipment and plan the topics and lengths of the episode. Also, you should record multiple ones so that you don’t run out of content and advertise it wherever you can. Good luck!