People worldwide constantly search for accessible, engaging, and diversified content about various topics of interest to them. Therefore, podcasting has been under the spotlight globally, causing the industry to bloom in the last decade and encouraging thousands daily to learn how to make a podcast.
Individuals of different generations and professions are getting more enthusiastic about podcasting as an impactful channel to reach a broad audience. The best part of the process is not having to be an audio specialist or an expert content creator to start podcasting.
This article is a step-by-step guide for beginners introducing how to make a podcast with practical and applicable instructions.
What is a podcast, and why make a podcast?
A podcast is a pre-recorded audio series about a specific topic, such as business, food, music, travel, etc., which can be streamed on the internet or downloaded for later listening. There are many dedicated platforms listeners can use to access the podcast, e.g., Google Play, Spotify, Sound Clouds, etc.
Podcast listening time has increased by more than 37% in 2022 compared to the last two years. It offers a remarkable opportunity for content creators to enlarge their fan base and spread their thoughts worldwide.
Following are the primary podcasting advantages:
- The platform is still growing and can take in lots of new podcasters
- Less intense competition compared to other media forms like video content
- Easy to use and doesn’t cost much to get started
- Contributes to increasing the value and size of personal and business network
- Helps individuals gain an authority position in their industries or communities
Before jumping to how to make a podcast, make sure to know why you want to podcast. Defining your inner motive is the boosting force behind successful podcasting.
Planning the podcast
Starting a podcast requires fundamental preparations to maximize the influence and reach a broader audience of the target community
Choosing the podcast niche
The primary purpose of podcasting is to provide expert advice listeners are seeking. So, knowing the podcast topic is essential. However, choosing a niche you can talk about through several episodes will give listeners the consistency they want.
While figuring out what to talk about, you must identify who you are talking to. Choosing the right audience is vital for adhering to powerful content creation.
Choosing a name for the podcast
Choosing the podcast name isn’t easy, as it must correspond to the podcast niche and topic. The podcast name plays a significant role in forming the first impression listeners would have about the podcast. Therefore, the rule of thumb is to choose one that enables listeners to anticipate the podcast’s purpose. Here are some suggestions to come up with the right podcast name:
- Consider key phrases relevant to the podcast topic
- Choose a name that reflects the podcaster’s personality
- Names should be easy to remember and search for
- It’s recommended to be 20 to 29 characters long
Choosing the podcast format
The next step is defining the most accessible format to present the podcast content. There are many podcast formats, and the most common ones are:
- Solo style
- Co-hosted podcast
- Interview podcasts
- News recap
- Documentary
- Educational podcasts
Podcast Brand Identity
Giving the podcast a unique brand identity is a must. Design visuals professionally, like a logo and an episode cover, to stand out from competitors while introducing the podcast to listeners.
The logo and the cover are what listeners see in the directories initially, so they must be meaningful and eye-catching. In addition, here are some helpful suggestions:
- Add the podcast name to the cover
- Make it easy to read
- Don’t make it misleading with too many details
- Focus on a design that represents the podcast brand
Creating an intro and outro for the podcast improves the brand identity. Furthermore, adding music to the opening, end, or during the podcast is preferable. The music must set the tone, create emphasis, inspire reactions, etc.
Writing the podcast description
Podcast description is what listeners check after the podcast name and cover. It entices listeners and motivates them to click through and listen. Therefore, the description must be well-written, catchy, and include information about the podcast and relevant keywords to make it appear in search engine results and podcasting directories.
Podcast equipment and software
Recording a podcast has two main requirements: equipment and recording software.
The microphone doesn’t have to be advanced in the beginning as you can upgrade it later, but it’s important to record a quality sound. Also, it would help choose reliable software to record the podcast. Nowadays, many online podcast recording platforms are available for affordable prices.
Podcast episodes planning, recording, and publishing
After getting all the basics ready and sorted out, it’s time to start preparing the first few episodes of the podcast.
Podcast length and schedule
Deciding on the podcast duration is important and has to take into account the listener’s availability. The ideal episode length is 20 minutes. However, podcast length depends only on the quality and nature of the podcast and how much time the podcaster can drag the listeners’ attention without losing focus.
After determining the episode length, scheduling is the complementary step. When scheduling a podcast, the two main factors to consider are choosing quality over quantity and aiming for consistency.
Recording the podcast
The podcast recording is where the magic happens. Whether it’s done in a professionally equipped studio or using an online software with basic recording tools, the following tips apply:
- Test the equipment and the software before you start recording to check the voice quality
- Eliminate all sources of noise and maintain silence around as much as possible
- Speak confidently and clearly and rehearse before the actual recording day
- Utilize all available AI podcasting tools to edit the episode, like adding a transcription, trimming, adding an intro, or removing the background noise
Picking the podcast host
The final edited podcast recording must be uploaded online. Some podcasting platforms offer limited free storage to start with. However, there are many hosting providers, and when choosing one, the main features to check out are:
- Price plans
- Storage capabilities
- Website integrations
- Audience analytics
- Monetization support
- Social sharing features
- RSS feed
Publish the episode
After choosing the hosting provider, upload the podcast to your account and create a new episode. The podcasting directories will pull it automatically and enable it to listeners via the RSS feed.
Submitting the podcast to directories
Directories help listeners discover, subscribe, and listen to the podcast. Therefore, after publishing the podcast, you must choose directories and send them the RSS link.
Podcast Marketing & Monetizing
Now it’s time to announce your presence.
Podcast Promotion
Now that the podcast is published, you need to make listeners aware of it. So, it’s critical to build a robust promotion strategy and use multiple marketing channels to get the podcast in front of the targeted listener; for example:
- Social media platforms are a great base to start with. Sharing some teasers on social media, scheduling early bird posts, etc.
- Cooperate with other podcasters to appear as a guest on their show; in return, they will appear on your podcast later
- Build a website for the podcast and ask listeners to leave reviews
- Invite popular guests to the podcast and benefit from their network
Make money from the podcast
One last tip you would love in “How to make a podcast” is how to make money from it! Podcasting can be a hobby, but also it can be a part-time or even a full-time job. There are many ways to monetize the podcast:
- Sponsorships and advertisements by using the podcast for commercials
- Listeners’ subscriptions or direct support through donation or crowdfunding
- Merchandise or paid Content; Many podcasters produce some unique products exclusively and sell them through the podcast
- Affiliate marketing; podcasters get paid each time a product is bought using custom hyperlinks
- Live events and public speaking at a later stage of the podcast journey when it becomes popular
Boost the podcast’s success
Another bonus tip on how to make a podcast is performance monitoring. The most important metrics to monitor a podcast are:
- Subscriber count
- Monthly episode downloads
- Unique page views to the podcast page
- Average listening time
Analyze the data and use it to improve the podcast quality over time.
Conclusion
Many people are thinking about starting a podcast with the podcast industry buzz. Although it can be complicated for some of them, it’s not impossible, and many have already done it successfully with zero pre-experience.
