It’s no secret that the podcast industry is blowing up, and it’s not going to dissipate anytime soon. So, you might as well get your creative juices flowing and jump in on the podcasting trend!
While many people grab a recorder and start talking, there are many more steps that you should take to create a professional podcast that will keep audience members listening.
Not to mention that the ins and outs of do it yourself podcasting can be confusing, technical and, at times, frustrating. But with a little creativity and determination, you can have a successful podcast up and running in no time.
This list has everything you need to know about do it yourself podcasting from step one to launch date
Find Your Niche
Before we dive into equipment and the technical aspect of podcasting, there are a few steps that we have to address beforehand. The first thing you should do when creating a podcast is to find your niche.
There are over 525,000 podcasts out there, and this number is growing every single day. So, you have to find a niche that’s going to separate your podcast from the sea of others. Maybe you’ll have a dual host podcast on content marketing, a weekly monologue on CBD beauty products or an interview-style podcast with local chefs. The ideas are endless.
Think about your passions, what you’re good at and where your experience lays. Then, think about how you are going to approach your topic with a creative spin because, chances are, there is probably a podcast out there already that covers the topic of your choosing.
But this is no reason to get discouraged or force yourself to pick a topic that might be less interesting to you. Instead, think about how you can make your topic unique to you and your voice. It might take some creative contemplation and a few late nights of thinking but it’s absolutely possible.
At the same time, you don’t want to spend too much time on this step because you don’t want it to keep you from the rest of your do it yourself podcasting journey.
Research Your Targeted Audience
Just as you would do with any business, you need to research your targeted audience. Create a specific person who is going to be your ideal listener. In the business world, this is known as your avatar.
How old is this person? Are you going to be targeting males, females or both? What are their interests? What does their income look like? Do they have kids?
The more details you can point out, the more targeted your audience is going to be and the more you can target your message. By doing this, you will also already have your key audience information to create targeted ads on Facebook and Instagram when it comes time to grow your audience.
Quality Equipment Is Key
High-quality audio equipment is going to be your best friend when it comes to creating your podcast because, unlike videos, a podcast doesn’t have a visual aspect to compensate for poor audio.
The first thing you need is a quality desktop microphone. Now, you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg on your first podcasting microphone. In fact, there are many reasonably priced mics out there that can get you through your first few podcasting seasons before you do decide to make the jump to something a little more expensive.
The next step is to download and setup Audacity, which is a free audio recording and editing software for Windows, Mac OS X and GNU/Linus. While Audacity can be tricky to those inexperienced with it, it’s important to take the time to familiarize yourself with the software and watch some tutorials before you record your first episode.
You’re also going to want to invest in a transcription service so you have a text version of your podcast. This will enhance your user experience, increase web accessibility and provide with you with blog posts of your podcast for SEO purposes.
While there is a sea of other podcasting equipment out there, a high-quality microphone, editing software and a transcription service are going to be the bare minimum that you will need to get you through the first season of your podcast. Take your time with these basics before you potentially spend thousands of dollars on podcasting equipment that you might not get around to using.
Think About Your Message
When the day finally comes to create your first podcast, you can’t just sit down and start talking. Instead, you have to plan what you’re going to say much like you would a research paper.
Remember when you were in school and you were required to create an outline before you wrote your paper? Think about the creative podcasting process in the same aspect. You want to have a general outline of the topic that you are going to talk about with facts, background information and quotes to enhance your conversation.
By no means should write a script and read it word for word. Your audience will spot this tactic right off the bat, which can steer them away from listening to your next episode. A podcast should be a casual conversation as opposed to an academic paper or a keynote speech.
So, use your outline to guide you through your podcast and to ensure that you stay on topic or remember your key information. It’ll make your podcast run much smoother than if you blindly jump in and start talking.
Find Hosting and Create a Website
When you jump into do it yourself podcasting, you aren’t just creating a podcast and calling it a day. Instead, you have to perfect a few other pieces to the puzzle to make sure that your podcast is both successful and seen by audience members.
To start, audience members have to stream your podcast somewhere, so you have to find affordable yet trustworthy hosting.
You also need a website or a blog so people can interact with your podcast and share it with their friends. If you don’t have a website already, you can create one with Wix or Squarespace, which are both popular and user-friendly.
You should also register your podcast on Spotify, Itunes, Google Play and Stitcher so your audience has easy access to your show and can stream it on applications that they’re already familiar with.
Do It Yourself Podcasting
Now that you know the ins and outs of podcasting, it’s time to create your podcast. Do it yourself podcasting may be daunting at first, but if you’re determined and passionate about your topic, the launch process will be completely worth it. And, before you know it, you will have yourself a successful podcast to be proud of.
Take a look at our business advice articles to get on the right track to turn your podcast into a sound side-hustle.