The truth is, you don't need much to create your own podcast from home. Starting a podcast can sound exciting at first but quickly seem more daunting than it really is.
If you've been sitting
on the sidelines wondering when you should launch your podcast and how to do
it, our guide will answer your questions.
Grab a cup of coffee,
bookmark this page, and keep reading to find out how you can start podcasting
right from your own computer.
Work on Your Podcast Name and Niche
There are three simple
naming camps you could follow when starting a podcast:
- The personal name: Ex: The Joe
Rogan Experience, #AskJoe Show
- The clever/creative name:
ForAllMoms
- The descriptive name: The
Content Marketing Show, The Fashionista Show
A personal name is something you
should avoid unless you've already got an audience. If someone started 'The Rob
Johnson Show' and it was about tech trends, people would think, "who is
Rob Johnson?" and move on to another podcast.
If you plan to build a
personal brand and host your show yourself, you can incorporate your name into
the title with something descriptive, like "All Things Tech with Rob
Johnson."
If you are a creative
sort of person, go with a clever/creative name and let it reflect
in the name you choose.
It's essential your
clever/creative name is related to the topics you will discuss; otherwise,
people may have a hard time finding your podcast when searching for information
on your topic. Try to also incorporate a description of your show into your
clever/creative title or tagline. You can put out great content, but what's the
point if nobody can find it?
While a descriptive name is the most
searchable, some may argue they're the most boring. If you name your show what
your target audience is searching for (a niche, a category, etc.), this
strategy could garner more viewers.
If a pilates instructor
called her show 'The Pilates Podcast,' you would have very little doubt as to
what her show is about. A descriptive name is a great idea, but it can also
reduce how memorable and unique it is.
Remember, you're going
to need to say your podcast name quite a bit when recording your episodes, so
avoid something too long and wordy and make sure it rolls off the tongue.
Get Your Podcast Cover Image
Creating a design guide
will help you maintain a consistent look and brand. Each time you upload a new
podcast show, your podcast host usually requires you also upload channel art.
When starting a podcast
and creating your channel cover art, all you need to do is pick a color
template for your channel that will be the core of the rest of your designs
like episode cover art or maybe even your merch. If you want to understand what
color would be best for your target audience, here's a guide on color psychology.
Get Podcasting Equipment
The bare minimum you
need when starting a podcast is a computer with a microphone and access to the
internet. Check out this guide if you have a microphone not working on
Mac.
You will also need
software to record and edit your episodes, podcast hosting, and eventually, you
can invest in better equipment. It's important to note that the more limited
and lower quality your setup and equipment are, the more limited your podcast's
sound quality will be.
Before You Record Your First Podcast
When you're all set with
the essential podcast equipment and tools for recording and starting your show,
you can move on to the preparation stage. Before you start recording your first
podcast, here are a few things to first consider.
Topic Ideas
Be sure you have at
least 5-10 episode topic ideas ready. When you launch your show, you should be
prepared with at least 3 episode outlines. You can jot down your podcast topics
on reliable Google sheets or any other note management app of your choice.
Welcome Message
When you are first
starting a podcast, you need to come up with your show's welcome message. This
message will be your pitch about who you are and why you matter.
When it comes to
scripting and outlining each topic for your show, have these three things
ready:
- The topic
- A brief and simple outline of
the episode
- The key takeaway of the episode
This planning stage will
allow you to have flow with some structure to rely on when recording the show.
This also prevents your show from being all over the place.
Record Your First Podcast
Many hosts like to
record only one podcast a day, while others prefer recording 3-4 podcasts in
one sitting. Choose whichever works best for you, as long as you are following
a schedule and sticking to your podcast publishing schedule.
Editing is usually the
most time-consuming part, but after your first few episodes, it becomes easier.
Here is a format you can use for editing your podcast:
Teaser + Intro + meat + ad + meat + CTA + Meat +
Subscription/review reminder + Outro
Promote and Marketing Your Podcast
Not marketing and
promoting your podcast is the same as throwing a party and not sending an
invite. After releasing your first podcast, make sure you let the world know
that your podcast is live.
Announce your podcast on
your social media accounts, and be sure to create accounts for your podcast as
well! Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and even Reddit are
social media platforms you can promote your show.
It's expected not to get
a ton of views on your first few podcasts. But as you continue publishing
episodes, listeners will browse your old episodes as well.
Starting a Podcast: A Beginner's Guide
Starting a podcast can
sound exciting at first but quickly seem more daunting than it really is. The
truth is, you don't need much to create your own podcast from home. Start
podcasting from your own computer with this complete guide to starting a
podcast.
If you've been sitting
on the sidelines wondering when you should launch your podcast and how to do
it, we hope our guide answered some of your questions.
Now is the time to
start! If you have any helpful tips you would like to share, let us know in the
comments below.
