Podcasting – Online Freedom Formula

It seems like just about everyone has a podcast these days. Should you have one too? Keep reading to learn everything you ever wanted to know about starting a podcast. From conception and technological set-up to promoting and making money from your podcast, here are 7 tips on how you can start a successful podcast. 1. Choose A Topic You're Passionate About Before you even start recording, you're going to want to make you know why you're starting this podcast. While this might sound easy, you don't want to take this step lightly. Starting a podcast involves a lot of hard work that you might not even realize. And it's work that not everyone is cut out for. You'll want to start by figuring out which topic you can endlessly talk about with genuine passion. Do A Test Show An excellent way to figure this out is to do a test show without any preparation or notes. See if you can fill 30 to 60 minutes talking about this one topic in a way that's interesting. If you can do that, you have your niche. Find Your Niche Next, you'll want to search for other podcasts that fit your niche. If your niche is oversaturated with other podcasts, you'll want to think about how you can make yours different. For example, find a sub-niche for a more targeted audience. 2. Brand Your Podcast Once you have your topic, you'll want to build your podcast's brand. This starts with the name. Name Your Podcast You'll want your podcast's name to be not only memorable, but it should also speak to your audience and ignite interest for your topic. The more direct and descriptive your name is, the better off you are. Keep in mind that a good chunk of your audience will find your podcast from a Google or iTunes search, so make sure there's a keyword or two in your show's name. Design A Logo Next, you'll need a logo. You'll want to make sure your logo is eye-catching and attention-grabbing. Think about how your logo would look in an iTunes listing -- you'll want it to pop. 3. Format and Structure Next, you'll want to figure out the structure and how to format your show. Here are two factors to keep in mind. The Schedule Will your podcast will be a weekly or monthly show? Whichever schedule you choose, it's key to keep it consistent. An easy way to lose audience members is inconsistency. Audiences like a consistent schedule. Show Length Now, decide on your show length. You might want your podcast to have segments of various lengths. 30 to 50 minutes is the right length for a podcast. Long enough for in-depth conversation, but short enough for the average work commute. Some podcasters prefer shorter 20-minute episodes. Whichever you choose, just remember -- consistency is key. You don't want to set an expectation for 45-minute episodes and then drop down to 15. 4. Plan Your Content Now it's time to plan the content of your podcast. Your success will significantly depend on your conversations, guests, flow, topics, personality, and overall engagement. Keep A Running List Of Show Topics You'll want to maintain a running list of show ideas. As soon as you have an idea, write it down and plan how you can include it in an upcoming show. Anytime you think of something relevant to your show, write it down. Consider Segments Some podcast episodes are broken down into segments. For example, if your niche is tied to current events, you might want to have a section where you cover news topics. You may want to have a guest interview as the central part of your show. Make sure to plan for all of your segments and keep the flow and timing in mind. Is There a Script? You may want to consider following a script. This could be a couple of sentences or some talking points; whatever works for you. Just make sure it sounds like a conversation and never like you're talking at your audience. 5. Record, Edit, And Broadcast Your Podcast Once you've figured out the plan for your podcast, it's time to record, edit, and broadcast. To do this properly, you'll need the right gear to provide a quality listening experience for your audience. The Tools The tools you need are a microphone, microphone stand, USB box, compressor, headphones, and maybe a big mixer if you want to record guests on a separate mic. 6. Grow Your Audience Now that you've created a podcast, it's time to spread the word! Which unfortunately is the hard part. It's best to focus your efforts on making the most engaging and entertaining podcast you can possibly Create. An engaging, well-crafted podcast should naturally attract listeners. There are a few additional things you can do to help grow your audience. Have A Strong Website You'll want a simple, clean, and professional-looking website. Launch a quality website with a simple WordPress theme to get it up and operational. Build a Community Engage your audience by encouraging them to get involved in live chats. Or conduct surveys, polls and ask for feedback. Get Those Ratings You'll need to use social media to help your audience spread the word. If your podcast is mainly distributed on iTunes, encourage your audience to rate and review your podcast. This helps boost your pod's standing in the iTunes directory, which helps people discover your podcast. 7. Monetize Your Podcast Similar to starting a blog, the first step is to make sure your podcast contains authentic, quality content. Then comes the monetization. Sell Advertising Placements Similar to ad space on a blog, you'll need a broad audience to bring in actual revenue. Be careful, though. Ads run the risk of your audience getting turned off by unnatural, awkward plugs between your quality content. Start A Podcast Now that you have these seven easy tips for starting a podcast, you can get started today. Remember to have a clear plan, be consistent, and spend time building your audience. For more digital tips, check out our blog!