Hello and welcome to The Podcast Collaborative blog! Here, we’ll be discussing anything and everything related to podcasts– How to start, how to find guests and choose topics, how to reach your target audience, and so much more! The Podcast Collaborative is a growing community of podcasters and guests who are looking to work together. Our Facebook group is constantly growing and is a great way to establish real relationships and collaborations with others. There are opportunities to promote your podcast, as well as community support and encouragement. You can learn more about our Facebook group and join it here! In addition to the group, there is an opportunity to join an exclusive community, the Podcast Collab Club. This directory membership is a streamlined platform that allows you to take your connections to the next level with others who are also serious about podcast collaborations. It is designed to help you quickly and easily find podcast guest and host matches to suit your needs, saving you hours of research. The membership is $14.99 per month. Find out more about this exclusive Club and its perks here! We would love to have you join us if you’re interested! Until then, let’s get started with today’s topic.

Do you want to start a podcast but are not sure how? You’ve come to the right place. Today, we’re discussing how to start your own podcast. Podcasts have grown in popularity over the years, and are arguably one of the hottest things right now. There’s a podcast for everything– business, self-improvement, parenting, health & fitness… You name it. The vast amount of podcasts out there, across a variety of platforms, can feel a little overwhelming or intimidating to someone looking to start their own. But don’t worry, it’s not as hard as you think. Let’s dive into the important details.

Determining your topic and audience

First and foremost, it’s important to determine why you want to start a podcast. Is it going to be strictly something fun, or do you think it’ll be a great asset to your business? Figuring out the “why” will help determine the topic of your podcast. If your podcast is going to be more of a hobby, maybe you’ll choose a topic you’re passionate about. But if it’s related to your business, your topic will be closely related to that. It may be helpful to create a list of topics and then think about the big ideas, or specific ideas, within those topics. For example, let’s say art is a potential podcast topic for you. Think about all of the things that can go along with that: Art history, influential artists, themes in art, art in different cultures, and more. All of these can be potential topics for different episodes of your podcast. 

If you have a topic in mind but can only think of two or three things to talk about, you’ll probably want to consider another idea. Choosing broader topics might prove to be more helpful. Once you narrow down your topic, it’ll be easier to identify your audience. You will have a hard time growing an audience if you don’t know who you’re creating content for. If you already have some type of audience or following outside of your podcast, you may want to tailor your podcast topic around that audience. If you don’t have an audience, don’t be discouraged! Everyone starts somewhere.

First impressions: Naming your podcast

With your topic out of the way, now it’s time to name your podcast! Now, your podcast name can be just about anything. It can be a name that is somehow related to your topic, or something completely off the wall and unrelated. One way to decide which route you want to go is to ask yourself this: Do you want people to find your podcast when searching for the topic? If the answer is yes, you’ll want to choose a name that is somehow related to your topic. For example, if your podcast is all about health and fitness, you may want to go with something straight to the point like, “The Fitcast” or “Healthy Living”. If you’re not a fan of simple, searchable names, you could try something out of the box. What better way to get someone’s attention than with a name that sticks out? This could be a play on words or simply a random word that might earn you a click. If you’re a beginner with no audience, we recommend going with the searchable option. Whatever you choose, make sure you search to check that no one is using it already!

Format

Once you’ve chosen a name, it’s time to think about your show format. How long will each episode be? How often will you release an episode? What will the structure of each episode look like? There are a lot of options out there, and no two podcasts are the same. Just because your favorite podcast’s episodes are an hour long doesn’t mean yours have to be. The length of each episode will largely depend on the topic of the episode. Think about how much time is needed to get your point across without repeating yourself or going off track, which can potentially bore (or confuse) your audience. Don’t cut down good content, but don’t drag it out. If there is a specific topic that you could talk for hours about, you may consider editing the audio and cutting it into two separate podcasts. 

Overall, keep your audience in mind. Once you grow your audience, you could survey them about podcast length and frequency and ask for input on what they prefer. You will also want to plan the structure of each episode. For example, will you start each podcast with a teaser or overview of the topic, or will you jump straight into an introduction of yourself and the podcast? Remember that over time, you will have new and repeat listeners, so you probably don’t want to use the same exact introduction every time. 

Creating cover art

Now, it’s time to get even more creative. Think about the podcasts you’ve listened to. Did something about the cover art catch your eye? Cover art is typically the first thing people will see when they scroll through their favorite podcast app, so it’s important to make a good first impression. It might also be what you and others share on social media to advertise your podcast. You may consider cover art that has something to do with your podcast topic, or at least incorporating something from your topic into the art. 

Again, think about your audience. How can you appeal to them? For example, if your podcast is about business, you may want to incorporate a silhouette of someone holding a briefcase, or have your podcast name scribbled across a piece of paper. You can use editing apps like Canva to create simple cover art, or if graphic design is your forte, design your own however you choose. This is your podcast, and it is a reflection of you and your passions, so personalize and make it your own!

Recording your podcast

Arguably one of the most important parts of creating a podcast is the recording equipment. Audio quality is vital, and luckily it doesn’t cost too much to get a good quality microphone. A USB microphone is a great option, as it’s easy to use: Just plug it into a computer and you’re ready to go. That being said, a reliable computer (or similar device) and internet connection are also important factors here. These simple USB microphones can work just as well as more expensive microphones, as long as you choose the right one. Some of them can even plug right into your iPhone, rather than a computer.

Some USB microphones have a built-in headphone jack, so you can plug in a pair of headphones or earbuds and monitor yourself while you’re recording. Why? So you can hear what’s being recorded and what it sounds like, and identify any audio issues in real time. This saves you the trouble of recording an hour-long podcast and reviewing it only to find out that your microphone began to sound distorted halfway through. If you plan to have a co-host or local guests on your podcast, you may want to invest in multiple microphones. There are many, many microphones to choose from, so do your research, take your time, and ask around if you need to. You can even try to look up what kind of microphones your favorite podcasters use!

Closing

Now that you’ve chosen a topic, determined your audience, chosen a name, decided on your podcast format and structure, created cover art (or have an idea of what you want it to look like), and got a microphone, you’re almost ready to start your own podcast. Almost. Overall, the task of starting a podcast may seem daunting, since there are so many steps necessary for preparation. But we promise that it is well worth it! We hope that you found this article informative, and that you check back for How To Start a Podcast: Part Two! Next time, we’ll be discussing recording and editing software, finding and incorporating music into your podcast, scripting your podcast, publishing your podcast, and more! Thank you for reading. We hope you’ll check out our website and Facebook group, and take advantage of the Podcast Collab Club membership and its perks. We would love to have you join us! Feel free to contact us if you have any questions. See you next time!