Do you want to start a podcast in 2019?
I’ll share how to start a podcast in 5 EASY steps!
This is a complete guide to get started podcasting quickly and publishing it into a major marketplace like iTunes or Spotify.
From that point, you can go on to attract fans, listeners, and customers. I hope that you find the video I put together to be helpful. You can watch it below.
Afterwards, I’ll do a breakdown of the entire video so that it will be easy to access all of the notes and links.
Starting a podcast doesn’t have to be confusing, difficult, or downright frustrating.
In fact, if you follow the steps that I’m outlined, you can get set up pretty quickly.
The first and most important part is coming up with a KILLER SHOW IDEA. One that listeners are gonna want to tune into.
This is part art and part science. No one could have predicted the success of some of the podcasts out there. However, there are some tried and true tips that I’d like to share with you down below.
1. Pick a KILLER Show Idea
The style of your show is going to dictate the individual format of your podcast episodes, along with the ways you can actually monetize the thing.
I’ve made plenty of marketing mistakes along the way and I can tell you that the style of show will also affect the marketing of your podcast.
So what do I mean by the “style” of your show?
Well… put simply, there are two types of show ideas. There are educational shows and entertaining shows.
Educational shows are meant to teach something to the listener. They should be bite-sized lectures, informative interviews with experts, or even group conversations on a particular topic. Educational shows have the aim of helping someone accomplish a task, whether that’s building a business or starting a blog.
When coming up with an idea for an educational show, you need to do some competitive research to see who the other teachers are out there in the industry. How can you stand apart? Why aren’t they teaching effectively?
My show on iTunes is an example of an educational show. I am teaching people how to raise money with a crowdfunding campaign. I’ve been teaching students about this since 2012.
Putting out content over the years has allowed me to build up a following of loyal listeners who regularly tune in to my episodes. They also “binge listen” to my show.
I have also leveraged my show into other areas, like speaking in public, giving workshops, and being a moderator at industry events.
Educational podcasts are a great way to become an authority in your industry. They can help you network with big-name influencers in your industry. They will also open up the doors to monetizing with digital courses, books, and other forms of teaching.
On the flip side, entertaining podcasts have a different aim, focus, and approach. An entertaining show like Serial, has the goal of producing an emotional reaction in the listeners and fans. Typically, this is done through storytelling, however it can also be as simple as back and forth banter.
Your success as a podcast host will depend on your ability to get your listeners to FEEL something after listening to your show, and thus, want to listen to more episodes.
Take a second to think about which box your show fits in. Maybe it even does a little bit of both, but typically, it will focus on one or the other.
2. Determine Show Logistics
Will you be interviewing guests in person or on Skype?
Will you build a studio or record episodes from your home?
Is there going to be a video component?
It’s important to take some time to think about the logistics for your show, because that will determine your equipment needs.
For example, if you want to record a podcast in person at an office and also produce a video recording of you talking with your guest, then you’ll need a completely different setup than someone who’s just doing online interviews on Skype or Zencastr.
Often times, recording with Skype is an easy way to get started with video. You don’t even need a fancy microphone. However, as you progress, you’ll have to start learning a bit more about microphones and gear.
Eventually, if you want to capture quality video, you’ll also need to learn a bit about video production. As you can see, the logistics of your show will dictate the equipment that you need to start the podcast.
To make this easier, I put together a simple podcasting setup that you can access here.
But, if you don’t want to check out those resources quite yet, I’ll cover some of the tools, equipment, and resources that you’re going to need down below.
Almost every podcast has this gear in common, no matter what the show is about.
3. Podcasting Gear and Equipment
This is probably the first thing on everyone’s mind. To share your voice with the world, you need the right equipment.
Only, gear can be expensive. Great microphones can cost hundreds and hundreds of dollars. If you’re doing a video podcast, that number can get into the thousands.
So… what is the best possible equipment and gear for your show? Also, what are some quality low-budget options?
I shared exactly what I recommend for beginning podcasters in this comprehensive podcasting tutorial.
However, I also have some general equipment advice in the video that I’ll link you to down below.
In the video above, I share some advice on the topic of microphones, audio editing, online file hosting, and more. I think you’ll like the video a lot.
When it comes to this gear, I have a few decision points that I want to walk you through below.
Again, the amount of gear that you need depends on your show logistics and style. Also, just because you have all of the perfect equipment doesn’t guarantee that your podcast will be successful.
Ultimately, it’s the launch and marketing strategy behind your podcast that will determine its success. This is what I focus on in my free course and one of the reasons behind the success of my own show.
Let’s talk a bit about what you gotta do to get the word out, attract listeners, and build a loyal following of fans.
4. Launch and Market
Make no mistake, the marketing strategy will literally determine the success of your show. If you do it right, you can make a splash onto the scene and start building momentum.
Personally, I’ve documented how I’ve gotten to key milestones with my own show, like my first 1,000 downloads, my first 7,500 downloads, and also what I learned after my first 20 shows.
One of my biggest lessons learned is that there is a huge difference between creating a great-sounding show and getting the word out about it. You can have a fancy microphone, killer podcasting studio, and even a great quality voice, but if you can’t market the show, no one’s gonna listen.
A powerful podcast launch goes beyond just simply ranking in the iTunes New and Noteworthy section. If this was all you had to do, then a bunch of shows would go on to be hits.
While ranking well in the beginning can help to gather a small listener base and build up a bit of momentum, it’s not a sustainable way to grow a show over time. To do that, you have to begin to build out your distribution channels.
Of course, every great marketing strategy is going to contain social media outreach. I’m talking about building up a Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, and even YouTube channel to share your podcast episodes with interested fans.
These social media channels are your core distribution mechanisms. I re-purpose my content for each of them and also share my episodes on YouTube to broaden my fan base.
Social media promotion will comprise a percentage of your downloads, but it won’t be a silver bullet. You also have to get out there and toot your own horn. I’m talking about PR and being a guest on other shows.
Public relations outreach is a killer way to get on other podcasts that might have a similar listenership to yours. You can gain access to new audiences, and also associate your podcast in iTunes with those shows. You’ll rank for more keywords in the marketplace.
By doing influencer outreach, you can also get great guests to come onto your show, which improves the quality of your podcast episodes and widens your audience.
Along with doing social media and PR outreach, I also believe that “interlinking your episodes” is a killer way to grow downloads and effectively promote your show. By this, I mean referencing podcasts that are in your archives and sending new listeners there.
You want your listeners to “binge listen” to your podcast, meaning that they go into your archive and start listening to all the podcast episodes you’ve put out thus far. By creating a mini series or simply referencing old shows, you can promote your podcast effectively.
Lastly, the big mega-return that you’ll get for all of your promotional efforts will be your email list. This is what contributes to a spike in downloads for my individual episodes. It’s a powerful way to get the word out all at once to your tribe.
If you don’t know how to build an email list, I would definitely hop onto my free podcasting course and learn a bit about how this whole promotion thing works.
5. Monetize
A solid business strategy is at the heart of every show. Why?
Because without money coming in the door, you won’t have the resources to grow, expand, and improve your work.
Money is the lifeblood of every business and it will ultimately determine how many people that you can reach around the world.
Personally, I’ve found monetization to be a bit of a sticky subject. Lots of beginning podcasters don’t believe that they can actually earn money from their show.
Also – many podcasters think that if they just focus on making good episodes, the money will eventually follow. WRONG!
I’ve found that the key lies in identifying the right monetization strategy for your particular niche. Every industry, category, and niche is different. Some shows monetize well with sponsorships. Others are better monetized with merchandise, and some with books and online courses.
Right off the bat, there a few ways you can make money from your podcast:
- Crowdfunding (think Patreon)
- Merchandise
- Sponsorships and advertisements
- Digital products, like courses
- Books
- Speaking gigs
- In-person events
- Livestreams
- Physical products, and more.
While you can do each of these, the real question is thinking about what your audience wants.
Maybe you don’t have the resources to create a physical product, but people who have physical products are desperately wanting access to your audience. In that case, sponsorships would be a great fit. Take a look below at some of the recent podcasting statistics.
Infographic by: MusicOomph.com
When brainstorm monetization strategies, I first like to think about the value I’m already providing with my show. Am I teaching something? Am I making people laugh? Am I making them feel like part of a community?
I then take that experience and brainstorm ways I can extend it. In the case of my show, I sought to give further in-depth educational information in the form of books and courses. I also connect people with resources through the sponsors.
All monetization works off the basic value that you’ve already created with your show. You’re just simply asking yourself how you can create another layer or rung in the ladder of value that you’re providing.
How can you give your core fans an even more extensive experience?
