Podcasts are becoming increasingly popular thanks to their “mobility”. Today, whether one is gyming, traveling, or eating, they can dive into topics of interest without having to set aside time to read or watch a video. It has also become a great marketing tool for businesses to get discovered; in essence, its simplicity and convenience have become particularly appealing to the on-the-go entrepreneur. Do you have a great idea for a podcast but don’t know where to start? Before you throw your hat into the ring, learn some great tips that will get you started on the right foot.
Identify the reason for starting the podcast
The first step is to identify why you want to create a podcast; is it a passion or a business project. Ask yourself what solution your podcast aims to solve. For instance, starting a business podcast can help you find a new audience, complement your blog, or better your brand. Identifying the reason for starting the podcast will keep you grounded as you find your space in the market. Purpose will keep you motivated when it becomes difficult to get a show out.
Find your niche
Now that you have a reason for starting the podcast, ask yourself, “Who are you making the podcast for” in essence, who do you intend to listen to it? Simply identify the biggest struggle of a group of people; what is the one thing that keeps them lying in bed awake at night because they can’t stop stressing or obsessing over it. For example, if you are a nutritionist, you might start a podcast educating people on healthy eating habits or lifestyles. Your target audience could be anyone (male or female) interested in weight loss, healthy eating, exercises, etc. Identifying the people to listen to your podcast will help you when creating content and building it.
Name your podcast
Did you know there are over 700,000 podcasts available to date? A lot, right. This means it is so easy for your podcast to get lost in the search buttons. Naming your podcast is a very crucial exercise that must be taken seriously. Do some research on podcast naming and learn how to come up with a creative name that will get people hooked to your site. Below are some simple tips on naming your podcast.
- Avoid ambiguity with spellings and pronunciation. Ambiguity is a speed- bump to mouth to mouth discovery.
- Make sure the name is clear, concise, and evocative
- Make it unique-avoid names that are too similar to existing shows
- Don’t stuff your keywords
Design a good cover and intro
When starting a podcast, the goal is to grow your audience by getting more people to listen to you. One way to go about this is by having a good cover and intro for your podcast. Besides the fact that your podcast host requires you to upload a channel art when uploading a show, having a well-designed channel cover and episode art helps you run and maintain a consistent brand. When creating a cover, avoid overused images, too many words, and gimmicky fonts. You can use tools such as Adobe Spark and Canvas Pro to help with the designs
On the other hand, having a good intro and outro music adds an element to your podcast.
Use the right software to record and edit
At this point, you might want to pick up some equipment and software to get you started. Well, it is true that some of the best podcasting software and equipment can break the bank. However, that shouldn’t worry you. If you take the time to learn and use some of the readily available equipment and software, you will be surprised at what you can do. A good headphone, pop filter, and microphone such as the Blue Yeti should get you started. To get the best from these devices, you will need to build your software skills. Learn about various podcast software options such as Adobe Audition, Reaper, GarageBand, Audacity and the likes depending on the device you are using to record. You will also need to learn how to convert audio files from one format to another to accommodate different hosts. It is also good to learn a bit of image editing skills to help you create attractive covers for your episodes. Acquiring such skills before hosting your show will go a long way saving you a lot in time and cash. Then, again you can always outsource some services rather than doing everything on your own.
Script your show! Good content is key
With the right equipment and editing software, you are ready to begin recording. Well, the big question is, “What are you going to say” will what you say keep your audiences or chase them away? The answer comes down to good content. You need to produce quality content that audiences can resonate, and engage with on a regular basis. Below are some great tips when creating content.
- You need to make your content about your audience, not you
- Ensure your content solves a problem? Does it improve the quality of life of your audience?
- Visualize it! make great sure of social media and podcast cover visuals
- Create attention-grabbing headlines without making click baits
Choose your podcast hosting
A podcast or a media host is a service that stores your audio/recording and allows your listeners to listen, download, and subscribe to your podcast. Having an account with a podcast host allows your content to reach a broader demographic. You can look at podcast hosting platforms such as Castos, Transistor, Captivate, or Buzz sprout
Share your podcast on various directories.
You want your podcast to be discovered, right? Once you have a host, you can submit it to various directories for listeners to discover, subscribe, and download it.
Tip:
A good podcast host must have auto submit or guided submission tools to help with the sharing.
Final thoughts
Starting a podcast can seem daunting. If it is not the fear of starting out, it is the excuse about the inability to afford the equipment and software. As seen from our discussion, starting a podcast doesn’t need to be too complicated or expensive! With some open source tools and our tips, you should be on the right track to creating a nice podcast show.