You can become a big podcaster too!
Podcasts are nothing new. They’ve been a thing since the 80’s, truly picking up in the early 2000’s. However, they’ve gotten more popular than ever with an estimated almost 900,000 podcasts started in the year 2020 alone. How to start a podcast, however, is a pretty complicated question.
900,000 may seem a little massive to most–almost intimidating. But in an era where more people are trying to learn from the internet more than ever, starting a podcast is actually a really good idea for your business.
Podcasts can help grow your market, advertise your business, open new entrepreneurial opportunities, and all-in-all are just fun to make! Per a research report conducted by Edison Research Inc, over 144 million Americans have listened to podcasts.
Of all times to start a podcast, now is the time. The problem is, many are overwhelmed by the process, they don’t know how to start and it seems complicated. If this sounds like you then keep reading to learn how to start your first podcast!
Step 1: Know What Your Niche Is
The very first thing you need to do before starting your new podcast is figuring out what it’s going to be about. Finding a niche is an important first step to being able to start your podcast. If you own or run a business that your podcast is going to be about, this step should come easily.
Find something related to your business, or maybe even the idea of your business directly, and start from there. This step takes a little planning and thinking, but once you’re done here everything becomes easy.
We wrote an article about how to find a good niche for a blog, but you can use these same tips and apply them to a podcast too.
Step 2: Create Your Name and Cover Art
Finding the right name is one of the big keys to starting a good podcast that’ll get active listeners. People will be more interested in listening to your podcast if you have an attractive name and cover art.
Style is also important, as your art can get more clicks if it looks good. If you have bad art, you’ll get less views. We all know the phase ‘don’t judge a book by its cover,’ but let’s face it: Everyone judges books by their cover. Make sure your cover is the best it can be.
If you have a properly established niche, finding a name is much easier, as you want the name to be related to the topic in some way or form.
Step 3: Set Up an Episode Format and Schedule
The next step is finding out how you want your podcast to be. Do you want it to be scripted? Maybe you’re better at coming up with ideas on the spot. Maybe you want to make it a light-hearted audio-show and make jokes, or maybe you don’t. The point being, finding out a podcast style is important.
Episode schedule is also important. You need to know when’s the right time to record and post your content. This takes some time and research on your audience and general podcast statistics. You may also just try basic trial and error.
Once you have an idea of what the best schedule is, make sure to write it down and stick to it. Don’t take too many breaks often, because your readers will start to leave you for your competition. Make sure your schedule works for you and is within reasonable limits.
Step 4: Get the Proper Equipment
Getting the right stuff is a very crucial step to making a good podcast. A good tip is to have a budget that works for you, and base your research on that. Searching for the right items is a very important step, as you want the best audio or picture quality for the right price. Audiences like well put-together content. You can do a lot on a low price budget.
I personally got the items I needed from Amazon and Best Buy, but feel free to browse many different stores if need be. It’s important to invest in a good microphone, however. Below is a great starter option:
If you do have a bit more wiggle room in your budget, the Blue Yeti is also a great microphone option:
Step 5: Sign Up For Multiple Podcast Hosting Services
I cannot stress this step enough. Looking for the right hosting service or services is an important aspect of proper marketing. Things like Buzzsprout, Soundcloud, Spotify, and many other pages are good places to start.
Of course, YouTube is, I would argue, a necessary place to upload to. Most of these tend to offer many services to help out with the process of making a podcast, sometimes they allow you to record on the platform directly.
YouTube recently rolled out its new podcast platform and Spotify also recently added videos to podcasts. Companies are working to create a much more versatile podcast space, which is great for podcasters!
Step 6: Record Your Audio and Edit
Now that you have your podcast ready, the platforms set up, and the right equipment purchased or borrowed, you can start recording. One of the most popular recording platforms for most projects is Audacity. You can find many tutorials on how to use it on YouTube.
You can find great music for your background as well on multiple platforms. One option I see many do is include an intro and an outro in their podcasts. It adds another level of professionalism to it and might be a good idea to keep the viewers engaged. Just make sure to pick music that is copyright-free so your podcast doesn’t get struck down for infringement.
Once this is all done, you can finally post your first episode.
Congrats! You’re a Podcast Host Now!
You’re now the host of your first ever business podcast! Take this time to think about the best ways to market yourself throughout your episodes. Staying consistent with your schedule and style will ensure that you’ll get the clicks, views, and follows that will help you become a successful business owner.
What’s Next?
Always look for ways to improve and grow your podcast. Just because you think you’ve done everything right doesn’t mean you can’t always learn from past mistakes or others and get even better.
Remember, just like any other project, podcasting is a learning experience. Trends and algorithms change, so always make sure to keep in touch with what changes are happening.
Also, be sure to check out our guide on using Pinterest to elevate your business!
