How to Start a Podcast: 5 Tips for Starting a Podcast

A podcast is an episodic series of digital audio files that listeners download and stream online. Although podcasts come in a variety of formats, most include spoken-word audio centered around a specific topic or theme. Businesses, organizations, and individuals create podcasts to increase brand awareness, share information, and connect with an audience.

Podcasting is an accessible medium that requires minimal equipment. Learn more about what podcast equipment you need to start your own podcast.

1. 1. Computer: Use a laptop or desktop computer to research your topic, record your podcast, and convert recordings into shareable audio files.
2. 2. Microphone: Although you can use your cellphone or computer to record audio, a professional podcast microphone improves the sound quality. USB microphones plug directly into your computer or via a dongle, while XLR microphones connect to your computer through a separate audio interface.
3. 3. Pop filter: A useful piece of audio recording equipment, pop filters are small screens typically made from nylon or metal that reduce or eliminate plosive sounds from harsher consonants. They also reduce sibilance, a hissing sound made from air passing through teeth during consonants like S and Z.
4. 4. Headphones: Use a pair of headphones to test audio levels while recording and listen to audio quality while editing.
5. 5. Audio editing software: Record and edit your podcast with audio recording software, also known as a digital audio workstation (DAW). Examples of free podcast editing software include Audacity, Adobe Audition, and GarageBand for Mac users.

Developing, recording, editing, and distributing a quality podcast takes time. Consider these general steps for how to start your podcast.

1. 1. Identify your topic and goals. Choose a podcast topic that suits your interests and skills. Write down what your goals are for making a podcast. Podcasters create content for a variety of reasons, including brand awareness, audience engagement, and sharing information about a topic that’s important to them.
2. 2. Listen to other podcasts on your topic. Explore successful podcasts that center around your chosen topic. Listen to episodes, read reviews, observe average episode lengths, and learn more about what kind of content works for the subscriber base.
3. 3. Develop your format. There are several podcast formats to choose from, including interview, monologue, fiction, and nonfiction narrative. Decide how many podcast episodes you want to produce for your first season and roughly how long each episode will be. Choose whether you will act as the sole podcast host or partner with a co-host.
4. 4. Choose a title. Once you’ve established your format, choose a podcast name. Keep it simple and direct. Include essential keywords that will improve search engine optimization (SEO) and help new listeners find your show.
5. 5. Write a script or outline. Depending on the format of your podcast, write out some show notes. Even if your podcast is a loose interview format, a basic template of talking points can keep the conversation on track. Consider writing an intro welcoming listeners to your show and an outro with a call to action for reviews and subscriptions.
6. 6. Prepare a space for recording. Set up your podcast recording equipment in a quiet space in your home. Rooms with cushions, curtains, and carpeting absorb echoing reverberations that can decrease vocal audio quality.
7. 7. Record your podcast. Using your show notes as guidelines, start recording your first episode. Be patient—it can take time to get comfortable behind a microphone. Keep a glass of water nearby and take breaks when necessary.
8. 8. Edit your audio. Start by cutting out any unnecessary content. Keep your podcast focused on your topic by editing out sections that ramble. Consider rearranging segments to make the narrative thread of the episode as clear as possible. Postproduction is the time to remove or fix any sound quality issues as well.
9. 9. Prepare your podcast for distribution. Write a brief description of your show that includes helpful SEO keywords. Create simple cover art or hire a graphic designer to help. Save your cover image in the correct file size—podcast cover art can be as small as 1400x1400 pixels and as large as 3000x3000 pixels.
10. 10. Upload your audio files to a podcast hosting service. Podcast hosting platforms store your audio files and provide you with an RSS feed that links to your podcast. Some popular podcast hosting services include Buzzsprout, Castos, and Anchor.
11. 11. Submit your show to podcast directories. Using your new podcast’s RSS feed URL, submit your show to podcast directories like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher.
12. 12. Market your podcast. Create a podcast website and post about it on social media. Find online groups related to your podcast’s topic and engage with the members. Invite other podcasters with overlapping interests to co-host for an episode. Get creative with how you reach out to potential listeners and stay reliable with your release schedule. Above all, focus on consistently uploading new episodes to increase your listener base.

Before starting your podcast, consider some of these general tips.

1. 1. Record each voice separately. Recording each vocal separately can enhance sound quality and allow you to edit each audio track more effectively.
2. 2. Consider adding music. Intro music can hook listeners and improve the production value of your podcast. Search online music libraries for royalty-free music that fits the tone of your show.
3. 3. Record a test episode. If you’re having trouble recording your first podcast, take the pressure off by recording a few test episodes first. Relax, press the record button, and speak naturally.
4. 4. Choose your topic carefully. Select a topic that will interest you for years to come. Countless hours go into researching, writing, recording, and editing a podcast. Being passionate about your topic will help you stay motivated.
5. 5. Be patient. It takes time to build an audience. Stick to your release schedule and focus on consistently improving the quality of your podcast. In time, monetization can be possible through sponsorships, advertisements, or donations directly from your podcast listeners.

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