How To Start A Successful PODCAST: The Ultimate Guide For Beginners

Key Takeaways

if you're looking to build an audience share a message and even make some money starting a podcast will be one of the best decisions you ever made today you're going to learn how to start a podcast step by step the simple way [Music] some people think that they're too late to get into the podcast game but the reality is podcasts have never been more popular more people than ever across the planet are looking for quality podcasts tech giants like spotify are even making major investments into podcasters themselves not to mention brands have never had larger appetites for advertising to podcast audiences according to a recent study 51 of americans over the age of 12 have listened to a podcast of that 32 percent listened in the last month so should you start a podcast now the answer is an emphatic yes now i know the idea of recording editing and launching your own podcast can make a lot of people feel overwhelmed so today i'm gonna make it simple by arming you with everything you need to set your podcast up for success i'm so excited to help you start on your podcasting journey and if you stick with it podcasting can help you open up a lot of doors one of the best things about podcasting is the intimate connection that you get to build with your audience you see these listeners will spend 30 minutes or more with you at any given time and in this day and age where social media has shrunk attention spans that amount of attention is pretty unique giving you the ability to dive deep into topics beyond that podcasts can be consumed almost anywhere anytime and this lets you turn your audience's previously unproductive times like say driving home from work into rewarding educational or entertainment experiences now despite these clear benefits here are two of the biggest reasons why people don't start a podcast number one they think they're not a great speaker and the truth is most professional podcasters aren't when they start either they need to work up the skill you need to start where you are use what you have and do what you can it's not enough to have a good idea to succeed we must act number two they think podcasting as a medium is oversaturated the reality is there are less than seven hundred 000 podcasts which might sound like a lot but when you compare that to the 500 million blogs online you realize there's a ton of room to grow and a lot of audiences that are still untapped now the first thing you need to do to start your podcast is identify a theme it's really important that when you do this you stress test your idea by writing out at least 20 different episodes ideas including what you would discuss and if you were interviewing someone who you would interview this is so crucial because if you can't think of 20 episodes right off the bat you'll probably run out of ideas before your podcast ever picks up steam you need to make sure that your idea has legs for example the school of greatness by lewis howes has over 1 000 episodes great podcast themes have longevity also when choosing your podcast theme take this into consideration would you be happy and satisfied making new episodes on this theme two years from now choose something that you're passionate about your passion will be your greatest motivator allowing you to stay disciplined when things feel difficult now once you have a general idea of your theme you'll want to ask yourself some questions to button up your podcast idea the first is what practical reasons are leading you to start your podcast is it to generate leads build authority make a passive income this is something that's really important to know upfront as it will help you monetize later on also what is the why for starting your podcast in addition to those practical reasons having a deep intrinsic purpose will really help you stay motivated what important message or mission are you trying to share with the world next you need to ask yourself who is the show for so take some time to create a podcast avatar and this is simply your ideal listener so don't skip this step as it's gonna help you better understand how your ideal listeners think feel and behave meaning you can address them directly this will help your podcast have a more intimate feel that will make listeners feel more connected to the show ask yourself what are they interested in what do they believe what are their activities and their lifestyle what are their favorite things empathy with your listener will empower you to create better podcasts the next thing you need to know and this one is really important is how your podcast helps your listeners how are they going to benefit are they going to learn how to have better finances will they feel healthier and more fulfilled after listening to it or will they learn how to have better relationships this can be anything not just limited to that list but make sure it is clear and concise the last thing you need to know is how your show will stand out one of the notable things about your podcast that would cause people to talk about it a really simple way to stand out is by choosing a niche that is an inch wide but a mile deep niches help you eliminate perceived competition another way to stand out is by using style personality or an unconventional format or editing style the next important decision you'll need to make is choosing your podcast's format here are some of the most popular formats for podcasts interviews these podcasts feature a single host who interviews individuals who fit in with a particular theme think the joe rogan experience then we have scripted non-fiction and typically these podcasts have a single theme for an entire season think serial news these podcasts give you the news in a really digestible format think npr's up first educational podcasts these scripted non-fiction podcasts primarily seek to teach something think revisionist history lastly we have scripted fiction and these podcasts are similar to radio dramas and are often scripted and highly produced think limetown ask yourself are you gonna do interviews will there be more than one host will you fly solo all of these formats can ultimately make a great podcast but it's really important to have your format nailed down as it will affect the types of equipment and software that you need to invest in to execute more on that later when it comes to format there are two common questions that beginners have number one how long should my podcast be and the answer is really really simple however long you need to give your audience value but not a minute longer number two how often should i publish my podcast and the answer to this is that consistency not volume is the key no one wants to subscribe to a podcast that is unpredictable so choose a publishing schedule that is easy to maintain because you can always scale up later let's discuss making your podcast rant this is going to be the first impression that potential listeners have of your podcast so it's important to put some care into this however i really want to note here that nearly all of these elements can be changed over time so don't fall into the trap of perfectionism naming your podcast don't underestimate the power of a name your podcast name should speak directly to you and your audience ideally listeners should know what your podcast is all about just by hearing the name alone however don't get too hung up on this as now a lot of podcast platforms include a hook or short description along with the podcast name make sure to include keywords that make it easier for people to find your podcast but avoid keyword stuffing or you could get penalized remember podcast platforms have search functions too choosing your category or subcategory there are tons of categories to choose from from history to arts to culture now since listeners browsing these categories for new shows will do so by interest it's really important to choose a category that accurately represents your podcast if your show is listed in a category that's completely irrelevant to its content well you're going to run the risk of being removed from some directories writing your description when it comes to your podcast description take writing it seriously this is the thing that possible listeners are going to read that will ultimately help them decide whether to listen to your podcast or not make it engaging answering who you are what you're about and what value you offer also make sure to include any relevant keywords to help people find you now let's talk about cover art as your first impression your cover art needs to be beautiful stand out and visually communicate your subject here are some best practices your cover art should be between a minimum of fourteen hundred by fourteen hundred pixels and a maximum of three thousand by three thousand pixels compress your files to optimize them for mobile use and don't use too many words or your artwork will feel really cluttered artwork can be easily created yourself by using canva but if you lack an eye for design don't worry you can find highly skilled designers on fiverr or 99 designs gear and software you'll need now that we have your podcasts brand down it's important that we take some time to discuss the tools you'll need to get your podcast started the reality is if your podcast doesn't sound great nobody is going to be listening for long most people listen to podcasts in headphones and bad sound quality isn't just distracting it's genuinely uncomfortable first let's talk about microphones when it comes to mics we have three major categories first we have usb mics usb mics are typically the most accessible for people just starting out as you just need to plug them into your computer's usb port open your recording software and you are good to start recording while they are the easiest and often most affordable they are generally the worst sound quality of the three mic types you also shouldn't use two usb mics on the same computer while recording a podcast as this can cause a lot of potential issues with both usb ports acting as a sound input next we have dynamic mics dynamic mics reject background noise very well and as a result are a great choice when you have two people speaking in the same room they are also quite durable and don't require external power one con to dynamic mics is that there is a lack of sensitivity and that means you need to keep your mouth close to the mic to ensure consistent recording levels lastly we have condenser mics and these are the most sensitive of all the microphones with the largest frequency range these mics require 48 volt phantom power to operate condenser mics are much more suited for quiet sound treated spaces as they are a lot more sensitive now let's talk about interfaces if you're opting to use a usb microphone then you won't need to worry about an interface simply plug your microphone directly into the usb port on your computer and then head over to your recording program settings and select that microphone as your audio input but if you're using a condenser or a dynamic microphone these will require an xlr connection for this you have three options you can use an audio interface like the ones from the focusrite scarlet series an interface is a piece of hardware that expands and improves the sonic capabilities of your computer giving you the ability to connect to professional microphones they basically act as a middleman allowing sound to go in and out of your computer a major benefit of interfaces is that they have really good preamps meaning that the sound is extremely high quality another option is to hook up the xlr microphone to an external audio recording device like the zoom recording series this means that you can record independently of your computer allowing you to host your podcast anywhere external audio recorders will save your audio to an sd card which you will upload to your computer later when you start editing one thing you should really be aware of is these devices often only have one headphone output so you'll need an external headphone amp if you're recording multiple people lastly we have a podcast machine companies like rode have created standalone podcast machines giving you recording effects processing and an intuitive console to control it all now these are typically more on the expensive side and they're probably a better option for experienced people looking to upgrade than for those just starting out beyond interfaces and microphones here's some other gear that can really help boost the quality of your production a shock mat this suspends the microphone mid-air and prevents vibrations from leaking into your recording a pop filter this prevents the sound of plosives which are really harsh consonant sounds like p's or b's over-the-ear headphones unlike earbuds over-the-ear headphones offer noise rejection better sound quality and more comfort desktop microphone stand or a boom pole having a good microphone stand means it's a lot easier to keep the mic a consistent distance from your mouth and this really helps with volume control recording software you'll need now once you have all the hardware you'll need software for recording and sound editing for pc users audacity is a great free recording software for apple users garageband is an awesome free software but if you're looking for software that has more capabilities adobe audition is a powerful paid software that works on both operating systems now due to the fact that you might be interviewing some guests remotely here are great programs for recording phone calls zencaster uber conference ecam call recorder and call now how to record a podcast now recording a podcast seems a lot more complicated than it really is first find a room with solid sound you'll want to choose a space that has minimal noise think about things in that environment that might make noise is there a fan on your computer are there refrigerators running cell phones cats dogs a television a cleaner recording will be easier to handle later in the process the fix it in post attitude is a really big beginner's mistake if you have hardwood floors or rooms with a lot of windows you'll need to try and minimize echo while it's most effective for professionals you don't need to spend a bunch of money on sound treatment right off the bat echo can be really easily reduced with movers blankets you see soft objects absorb sound and help to create a cleaner recording echo can be pretty hard to remove in post production next adjust system preferences to make sure that sound from your microphone is actually going into the computer if you're using a condenser microphone ensure that phantom power is up and running open your software and then change bars and beats to time since you're recording a podcast not music we don't need bars and beats make multiple tracks and use one track per sonic element you see tracks work like layers so you'll want to separate tracks from other voices music sound effects etc this makes it really easy to make changes to individual sound sources when editing set a conservative recording level never record audio that is too loud you can always go back and make things louder but if you record too loud it's going to sound distorted to set a good modest input level speak at a normal to loud speaking voice and aim to make this around negative 20 decibels or about halfway up which is yellow on most meters then test with a hearty or emphatic phrase to make sure that the level never peaks above zero decibels or goes into the red record a high quality audio file compression artifacts which are those noticeable sound distortions compound over time so make sure that your initial recording is as high quality as possible like a wav or aiff file resolutions of 24 bit 48 kilohertz are great even though you'll probably be uploading your podcast for distribution as an mp3 or aac file you want to start off with as high a resolution format as possible be consistent with your mouth placement and tone pay attention where your mouth is in relation to the microphone you don't want to have wide ranging volume levels on your podcast try setting your microphone up slightly to the side of your mouth so those bursts of air don't go directly into the pickup but don't set it at too extreme an angle or you'll be working against the pickup pattern if your microphone's directional when setting up your podcast recording environment for the first time make sure to make a test recording and listen to it in comparison to other podcast quality make sure to listen to that test recording through headphones car speakers cell phone speakers and a laptop because your listeners might be listening on a variety of devices always remember to record 30 seconds of silence this helps you capture the noise print which is kind of like the sonic fingerprint of a room it's gonna be really helpful in post-production here's a pro tip don't be self-conscious about your voice you don't need some crazy thick juicy radio voice to get people listening absolutely everyone hates the sound of their voice at first and eventually you'll get used to hearing it pro tip number two even if there are mistakes along the way there's no need to stop or pause the recording you can always edit the recording later and get rid of the flubs how to outline your first episode no matter how good your recording is there's no substitute for great content and a confident performance you see your podcast can't just sound great it actually needs to be worth listening to a key to making this happen is by creating an outline unless your podcast is meant to be scripted you don't need to script the entire show you just need to create an outline based on the transformation that you want your audience to have start with the end in mind what's the purpose of this episode what's the takeaway that you want your listeners to have picturing your listener avatar while creating an outline can be incredibly helpful here's a generic episode structure that you can use to fill out your outline first start with the hook then you'll move into the introduction then the welcome episode overview the ad spot the interview the call to action and the outro here's some helpful advice on interviewing when conducting an interview for the first time it's really important that you focus on making the guest feel comfortable before hitting record make sure to warm the guest up and build rapport creating a welcoming environment will go a long way to getting more insightful answers you want to make sure that you have questions prepared but don't be afraid to divert from them often the real magic happens when the conversation begins flowing naturally so ask follow-ups to prompt them to go deeper now let's talk about recording an intro and an outro having a great intro and an outro for your podcast not only adds personality but it can really help catch that listener's attention and ultimately help them take action both an intro and an outro include theme music that represents your podcast's character let's start with an intro a great podcast intro will hook your listeners and give them a glimpse into the value your podcast is going to deliver it should tell listeners these three things firstly who you are in one sentence introduce yourself highlighting your experience and why your perspective matters two what your podcast is about in one or two sentences state clearly and concisely what your podcast purpose is three how they'll benefit from listening this is the most forgotten yet most important part of a great podcast intro you need to tell your listeners how your podcast is going to improve their life now let's talk about an outro an excellent podcast outro thanks listeners for tuning in includes your tagline and gives them something to do next this is sometimes called a call to action and really helps develop a deeper relationship with your audience here's a pro tip only give one call to action per episode the more things you ask your listeners to do the less likely they are to take action here are some example actions that you might want your listener to take leave a review on apple podcasts join your email newsletter support your show on patreon or follow you on social media how to edit a podcast for a lot of people editing a podcast is the less appealing part of production but it's definitely not an optional part of the process and the reasons for this are simple often conversations can result in tangents less is more cut the fat and only keep the good parts of conversations that genuinely offer the listener value poor quality audio can also result in what is known as ear fatigue and this is when the act of listening takes too much effort and focus causing the listener to get tired and exit early lastly when used tastefully and in the right context cinematic music sound effects and transitions can really elevate that listening experience here are some of the most common editing mistakes number one making the music too loud make your music softer than you think it needs to be then listen to your intro in a variety of different environments with several different devices like a car stereo headphones or your laptop you want to get a good idea of how your podcast will sound in a variety of different contexts number two is too long of an intro your intro should move at a quick pace and roughly be 20 to 30 seconds in length don't let it overstay its welcome number three is using copyrighted music unless you get explicit permission from an artist and the recording label to use a track you can't use it however there are plenty of royalty-free music options that easily solve this problem youtube audio library 909 music on soundcloud the free music archive epidemic sound and soundstripe are just a few of them when editing your first pass should be to organize the content and make a cohesive and engaging podcast your second pass should be to clean up the audio here are some pro tips to make your audio sound a lot more professional remove gaps of dead air as they will be highly noticeable to a listener crossfade between tracks to avoid any jarring transitions use noise reduction this feature helps you filter out any unnecessary background noise use a high pass filter this allows sounds above a certain frequency to pass through while everything else is filtered out because most speaking voices don't generate any fundamental frequencies below 85 hertz you can set a high pass filter around 80 to 100 hertz to help remove rumble and plosives that you don't want your listeners to hear anyway use equalization this helps compensate for certain frequencies that might seem to stick out in a recording don't cut or boost anything more than six decibels as you want to hear the recording sounding natural add compression compression takes your sound and evens it out ensuring that the loudest parts are closer to the average volume of the recording while this is a really helpful tool don't use it in extremes start with a ratio of two to one use a de-esser a common problem you may run into with vocal recordings is the harsh presence of s and t consonants in words called sibilance a de-esser gets rid of this unpleasing sound and makes the voice easier to listen to for long periods of time again less is more mix your tracks properly ensure that the volumes of each track and voices are at comfortable ranges master your audio this will bring your podcast to a loudness range that is similar to other podcasts peak level represents the volume before the sound starts to distort generally a peak level of negative 1 decibel is good for podcasts your rms level is the average level of your signal an rms level around negative 16 to negative 12 decibels is a great range now if you don't have time or interest in editing your podcast don't let that stop you you can hire someone to edit your episodes for you there are freelancers on fiverr and upwork and there's even a professional service for this very purpose called weditpodcasts.com now let's talk about podcast hosting one really common thing that people misunderstand about podcasts is you don't upload them directly to platforms like apple podcasts or spotify instead you need a separate host for your audio files to do this you use a podcast hosting platform like buzz sprout transistor or podbean once you have your podcast hosted you submit an rss feed an rss feed is a standardized way to send a cast your content to podcast directories rss feeds ensure that your episodes are automatically placed on all the directories adding the necessary code to ensure your listeners see the proper titles and descriptions and hear the right audio files if your podcast is hosted through buzzsprout then you can submit your podcast to all the major directories directly from your dashboard it's that simple google podcasts is a little different your show will be picked up by the search engines after it's up and running for a while which is really just typical google here's a pro tip before launching your podcast try to have three to five episodes recorded and edited launch the first three so that your listeners have a few episodes to get to know you better but keep two to release in your regular publishing schedule that way you're ahead of production and won't ever feel like you're creating down of the wire marketing your podcast when making a podcast you need to take time to let people know it exists here are some simple marketing ideas create a landing page for your podcast this landing page should give people the chance to opt in into a mailing list which you can use to interact with your audience use tools such as repurpose.io and wave.co to create little snippets of your audio in video format then publish it on social channels you can give incentives to listeners who review the podcast sometimes simply reading the review live is enough monetizing your podcast after you've a few podcast episodes launched and have begun to build up an audience you can begin to think about monetizing your podcast here are some of the most popular ways that podcasters monetize sponsorships this is when a podcast promotes a sponsor during the show how much you make from sponsorships depends on how many downloads or listeners your show gets sponsors will typically pay on a cost per 1000 basis with rates ranging from 18 to 50 direct support direct support is when a host asks listeners for money to support the show if people love your content some might be happy to support you to keep the podcast running affiliate sales podcasters can also earn money from affiliate marketing typically podcasters make a percentage of what they sell for the company they're promoting selling products one of the common ways that podcasts make money is by selling products that complement the show we have books courses physical products the options are really endless hopefully this video has given you everything you need to know to start your first podcast comment below with the video you'd like to see next and we'll make it happen don't forget to like and subscribe so you don't miss out on more helpful tips to grow your online business remember we're a channel for small business owners with big plans thanks so much for watching i've been your host tyler and i'll see you next time on learn with shopify you