People Have Asked, So Here's a Simple Guide to Starting a Podcast

Having my own podcast was always wishful thinking. Let me share a quick story as to what I mean by this, and then I'll get on with the guide:

After a long work week at a client site, I hopped in my rental car to drive to the airport and start the journey back home. I was going to be home for 48 hours. The first leg of my flight went well, but then I vividly recall looking at my phone and seeing that my second leg had gotten canceled. I was in the Chicago airport and there were zero hotel rooms available. The next flight was twelve hours later. The negative emotion I experienced in this moment was crushing. I know everyone can relate to this feeling at some point in their life.

Starting a podcast was the hopeful thought that would come after the negative emotion. It made me smile to think about talking with people, connecting with folks around the globe, and encouraging people to do the same. So, I started down the long and windy path of building my own - the Talk to People Podcast. 

Now you may be reaching the point of starting a podcast by a different path. But, the destination is the same, so here's a 7-point outline. 

1. Define your podcast's purpose and target audience: Before you start, it's important to know what your podcast will be about and who it's for. This will help you create content that resonates with your listeners and keeps them coming back for more. For me, I always found myself naturally resounding with a certain age demographic and a certain set of values. So, I used this data as a measure that I could return to.

2. Choose a topic and name for your podcast: Pick a topic that you're passionate about and that you feel has enough depth to sustain multiple episodes. For me, I decided that talking to people and connecting with others would work because everyone does it. Come up with a catchy, memorable name for your podcast that reflects its theme and purpose. This is also the step where you claim the name, so look at LLC name availability, website domain name availability, social media availability, and email address availability. 

3. Invest in equipment: You'll need some basic equipment to get started, such as a microphone, recording software, and a way to edit and publish your episodes. While you can get by with entry-level equipment when you're just starting out, consider investing in higher-quality gear as your podcast grows in popularity. Most podcasts start as audio-only so your audience will fixate on that since it's their only sensory input. That being said, listeners will quickly abandon your show if the audio quality is poor. This step can be a bit overwhelming, but the important part is to get what works for you. Also, I have a YouTube video that can be helpful for you where I break this down in detail. 

4. Plan your episodes: Determine how often you want to release new episodes and how long they should be. I would suggest a manageable release frequency that way you can bank episodes and not worry about failing to upload due to unexpected circumstances. Then, come up with a list of ideas for episodes and create an outline for each one. This will be dependent on the format of your podcast, if you're mainly doing monologues than an outline will look different than if you're doing longform conversations with another person. 

5. Record and edit your episodes: Follow best practices for recording and editing your episodes to ensure they sound professional and are easy to listen to. This may include adding a pop filter or wind screen on your mic to reduce plosives, using noise-canceling software to eliminate background noise, and adding intro and outro music to your episodes. There are so many helpful YouTube videos on this! People may hate that I say this (the audiophile community can be vocal), but I would start with using a free audio software like Audacity. The only exception is if you already have access to audio software, for instance Adobe Audition. Practice editing, and you'll develop a workflow and it'll get easier with reps. 

6. Publish and promote your podcast: Use a podcast hosting service to upload and distribute your episodes, and create a website or social media presence to promote your podcast and interact with your listeners. This step is overwhelming at first, but you can start with just a host. A host is a service that allows your podcast to live online and it will connect with all the podcast platforms and update them automatically. I use Buzzsprout as my host - it is considered one of the best. If you're looking for a free host, anchor.fm is available but I would not recommend it long-term. Buzzsprout gives you a web page, so a website isn't needed immediately. I would recommend a website long-term because it will develop your web presence for SEO optimization. So far, I have used Podpage, it is dedicated towards podcasting and everything you'll need will be there!

7. Keep it going: Consistency is key to building a successful podcast. Stick to a regular schedule for releasing new episodes, and be open to making adjustments and improvements as you go along. The Talk to People Podcast currently releases one per week, but I hope to release two per week by the end of the year. There are so many other steps, such as marketing, advertising, and partnerships, but I can create guides for these as needed!

Now that's a loose outline, so reach out if you have further questions or if I can help you along. 

Talk to you next time. 

Chris