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October 31, 2022
How to Start a Podcast in 2022-2023: A Step-by-Step Beginners Guide
Podcasting is a great way to share your ideas and connect with an audience, but it can seem daunting to get started.
Where do I start?
In the last couple of years, podcasting has become a popular source of entertainment among millennials. With over 250 million monthly listeners in the U.S. and many other countries, this medium is growing rapidly. And, it’s not hard to see why. Podcasting offers you the opportunity to share your unique voice with a global audience and monetize your knowledge or special interests in an authentic way that feels more personal than just another social media platform.
If you are reading this article, there is probably something about the idea of recording and publishing your own podcast that excites you—and for good reason! But how can you get started as quickly and easily as possible? That's exactly what we're going to talk about in this article! We'll cover choosing a topic, setting up your equipment, recording and editing your episodes, and promoting your show. You'll be ready to launch your podcast and start sharing your voice with the world in no time!
What is a Podcast?
A podcast is a great way to share your knowledge, build an audience, and make extra money. It's like a radio show, but you can also listen to it whenever you want, and you don't have to stay in the car to listen. You might have heard of some of the most popular podcasts like Serial, How I Built This with Guy Raz, or Hidden Brain. A typical podcast consists of audio or audio and video elements, either pre-recorded or performed "on the fly," in which hosts or guests discuss a wide variety of topics. People often turn to podcasts when they're driving, working out, gardening, or doing other activities that they can't easily accomplish while reading. Some people subscribe to and download several podcasts and listen to them regularly, either as part of a daily routine or as needed to suit specific moods or situations.
Why Start A Podcast?
There are plenty of reasons why starting a podcast could be beneficial to your life and be something you enjoy doing. First, podcasting is a great way to express yourself. You can share your unique and authentic voice on a platform that feels more personal than Facebook or Instagram—or even blogging. You can talk about things that really interest you and that you have a passion for. Second, podcasting can help you build an audience and a community of people who follow you. You can start a show to help you further your career or even just to connect with people who share your interests and passions. Third, you can make money from your podcast. There are plenty of opportunities for you to profit from your show, including partnering with brands and advertisers who want to reach the people who listen to your show.
How to Choose a Topic
The first step in starting your podcast is to choose a topic. Think about the expertise you have that would be valuable to others. You don't need to be an expert on a specific topic to start a show. In fact, many podcasters were novices in their niche when they first started. If you're just getting started, you can start a general podcast that covers all sorts of topics. As you gain experience, you can focus the show on a specific topic that you feel resonates best with your listeners or that you start to become more passionate about.
Popular Podcast Categories
Most podcasts fall into one of these categories:
Audio journalism
This is a great way for new journalists to practice their craft. You can interview anyone you're curious about and share their story with others. You can also report on current events, topics that are in the news, or even just stories in your community.
Celebrity interviews
If you love talking to celebrities, or you're curious about the lives of people who have made an impact, this is a great way to get them talking. Some people even interview celebrities as a way to get their foot in the door as journalists.
Comedy
Humor can be challenging to write and perform, but it's incredibly rewarding. There are tons of podcasts that are purely comedic. You can try different formats, like a stand-up show, a sketch show, or even a talk show.
Education
Podcasts make it easy to learn on the go. If you're an expert in a specific topic, or you want to learn about something you're really interested in, you can share your knowledge with others on a podcast.
Entertainment
This is a broad category that includes everything from game shows to celebrity gossip. You can create any type of show you want as long as it's something that interests people. If there's something that you and your friends are always joking about, it could make a great podcast.
Religion & Spirituality
Religion is one of the top-performing categories in podcasting and serves as a great way to share your thoughts and introspections on spiritual matters with a global audience. Many churches publish their weekly sermons via podcasts so that members can listen during work or on their daily commute.
Equipment You'll Need
You can get great-sounding audio with your smartphone! It doesn't have to be expensive.
With podcasting, the equipment can be very simple or extremely complex. It really depends on what your goals are and how much you want to spend. But you don't have to spend a lot to get started. You can find everything you need to start a podcast at a local store or online. Here's the basics:
Microphone
This is the most important part of your podcast setup. You'll use it to record your voice. There are a variety of different kinds of microphones that will all sound different. You can spend as little as $20 or as much as $1000 on a microphone. The more expensive ones will sound better, but they may require other equipment like audio interfaces and stands for you to use them. So be aware! You can get great-sounding audio with your smartphone! It doesn't have to be expensive, but we put together a list of the Top 10 Podcast Microphones if you are planning to spend a few bucks.
Headphones
You'll wear these to monitor your voice when you record. You'll want to hear yourself to make sure you're speaking at the right level and you're not popping P's or S's.
Computer / Laptop
You need a computer to edit your podcast. It doesn't have to be a super expensive computer, but it should have enough processing power to run your editing software.
Audio Editing Software
You'll use this to edit your podcast episode. There are a variety of different programs to choose from. They all do the same basic things, but some are easier to use than others.
Podcast Management Software
You'll use this to manage your content and podcast team. Some people use Asana, Trello, or Notion for this purpose, but of course, we recommend using Podpal so that you get the benefit of podcast hosting and management as well as workflow management tools built for podcasting.
Podcast Hosting
To register your podcast with listening platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts, you'll need an RSS Feed URL which is provided by your podcast host. Your RSS Feed contains your podcast data including episodes, show notes, and other details. When you register that RSS Feed URL with listening platforms, they can access your podcast's information and stream it to listeners. Here's the good news, Podpal offers podcast hosting with all plan levels.
Recording Your First Episode
Before you start recording, make sure you have an outline of what you want to talk about in each episode. This will help you stay on track while recording and editing. Be sure to have your equipment ready before you start recording. Turn off anything that makes noise, like the computer or fans. Before you start recording, take a deep breath and just relax and have fun with it. You may be nervous when you start recording, but once you get going you'll be surprised at how easy it is. You can always re-record if you make a mistake. Once you've finished recording, you'll need to edit your podcast.
Editing Your Podcast
"Done is better than perfect"
Editing your podcast can be extremely time-consuming. When you're first starting, we recommend just releasing the raw recording. It's more important to find your voice and get used to your setup. Your listeners aren't going to penalize you for IMPROVING over time. You don't need a fancy editing setup to edit your podcast. You can use a free program like GarageBand on your computer or iMovie on your Mac to edit your podcast. If you just don't want to deal with editing at all, check out Podpal's white-glove service packages. We have Podcast Editors standing by to give your episodes that extra polish!
If you're going to edit your episodes yourself, here are a few things to keep in mind when editing your podcast:
Cut out any unnecessary parts
You don't need to keep every bit of your recording. If you start a sentence and then pause and start another one, cut out the extra pause. Your listeners don't need to hear your deep breaths or the sound of you clicking your mouse or chewing gum while you edit.
Use visual aids
If you're talking about a website or graph, you don't need to read the whole thing out loud. You can just show the visual and talk about it for a few seconds.
Done is better than perfect!
Some people spend hours editing their podcasts and make them sound super polished. If you're just starting out, it's better to keep the focus on great content over great-sounding audio. If you're not giving your listeners value, they'll stop tuning in no matter how great the audio sounds. The goal is to keep your audience engaged and coming back for more.
Promoting Your Podcast
You've created a killer show, now you just need to let people know it exists. You can write a blog post about starting your podcast and the topics you plan to cover. Let your friends and family know about your new show and ask them to share it with their friends. You can also use social media to help you promote your show. Here are a few ideas to help you get the word out:
Create social media profiles for your podcast
Create profiles for your podcast on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. This helps people find and follow your podcast wherever they are.
Create an email list
Create an email list and include a sign up form on your podcast website. You can offer subscribers rewards for signing up, like early access to new episodes, or discounts on products you sell online.
Ask for reviews
People are more likely to review your show if there's an episode for them to review.
Guest host on other podcasts
Guest hosting on another podcast is a great way to get your name out there.
Offer premium content to your listeners
If you have a Patreon, you can offer content that's exclusive to patrons. This is also possible through Apple Podcasts' subscription feature.
Offer rewards
You can include a call-to-action at the beginning, middle, or end of each episode with special offers for listeners who donate to your Patreon or sign up for your email list.
Be genuine
Don't spam your followers and friends. Be genuine in your interactions with people and they're more likely to support you.
Conclusion
Podcasting is a great way to engage with people and share your ideas. It can be challenging to get started, but it's worth the effort. Remember that it takes time to build a podcast audience, so be patient and consistent. Use Podpal to help you stay on track, manage your progress, and reach your goals. Keep these tips in mind, and you'll be well on your way to a successful podcast.
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