How to Start A Podcast in 2024: A Step-by-Step Guide
Are you considering starting a podcast in 2024?
Podcasts have exploded in popularity over the years, and continue to grow, for good reason. In this article by Demand Sage, there are 464.7 million podcast listeners globally as of December 2023, and it’s predicted that the number of podcast listeners will reach 504.9 million by the end of 2024.
Podcasts provide an engaging and accessible way for people to learn, entertain, educate and connect, and are an even better way to showcase your expertise on a particular topic.
Starting a podcast can be a great way to share your expertise, connect with your audience, or simply have fun as a creative outlet. However, creating a successful podcast requires more than just recording and uploading episodes. It takes planning, preparation, systems, organization and commitment.
This blog post will outline the key steps you need to take to start a podcast in 2024, including choosing a hosting platform, submitting your podcast to directories, promoting your show, and more.
You can also refer to my free guide and checklist, Start and Launch Your Podcast in 8 Weeks, to help you along your journey, or check out my Podcast Launch Kit for even more information and guidance.
1. Get Clear on Your Why
Before you dive into planning your podcast, it's important to get clear on why you want to start a podcast. What's your goal? Do you want to educate your audience, share your expertise, or simply have fun?
Once you know your ‘why’, you can better define your podcast's topic and format. Consider your passions, interests, and areas of expertise. Think about what you can offer that is unique and valuable to your audience.
This ‘why’ will keep you grounded and rooted in your creation process, especially as you get deep into your podcasting journey.
2. Choose Your Topic
Once you have identified your why, it's time to choose a topic for your podcast. Choose a topic that you are passionate and knowledgeable about. It's important to choose a topic that you can consistently produce content for and that will resonate with your target audience.
Ask yourself what your target audience wants to learn or hear from your podcast. What are the common questions, concerns, or interests they have?
Use this information to guide your topic selection.
3. Identify Your Target Audience
One of the most important steps in starting a successful podcast is identifying your target audience. Without knowing who you want to reach with your podcast, it can be difficult to create content that resonates with your listeners.
To identify your target audience, consider their demographics, interests, and what they want to learn or hear from your podcast. This information will help you tailor your content to their needs and interests.
4. Research Your Competitors
Another important step in the process is to research other podcasts in your topic area. This can give you inspiration and ideas for your own show, and help you learn from their strengths and weaknesses to differentiate your podcast from theirs.
Take note of what they are doing well and where there are gaps in the market that you can fill with your own unique content.
Researching your competitors will also help spark creativity and create a show that is unique to your and your target audience.
Pro tip: make to sure to research their cover art as well, so you can see and compare how your cover art stands up amongst your competitors.
5. Brainstorm Ideas
Once you have identified your target audience and researched your competitors, it's time to brainstorm ideas for your podcast.
Consider the topics, format, and type of information that you want to cover. Make sure to choose a topic that you are passionate and knowledgeable about. Your enthusiasm will shine through in your podcast and keep your listeners engaged. Think about how you can present your topic in a unique and interesting way.
This is also when figuring out your episode frequency, type of podcast (solo vs. guest) can start to come into play.
6. Choose a Name
Pick a name that is catchy, easy to remember, and relevant to your topic. Your podcast's name should reflect the content and tone of your show. This is also one of the pieces most creators get stuck on. My advice to you is to know you can still continue on with the creation of your podcast, and fill in the blanks on the name later.
It's important to choose a name that will stand out among other podcasts in your niche. My suggestion is always to brain dump all of the ideas you have for names onto a piece of paper, and see which ones fit well together. You can also leverage ChatGPT to help with your podcast name by typing something like “help me create a podcast name using the following keywords”.
If you’re stumped, narrow it down to three options and walk away. Allow space and time to see if these names still resonate with you.
Once you have options you like, be sure to do a quick online search to make sure that your chosen name is not already taken. You can also poll your audience on social media to help you narrow down the name if you’re stuck on a few options.
7. Create Artwork
Design cover art for your podcast that reflects your brand and topic. The artwork should be eye-catching and professional.
Your cover art is the first impression your podcast will make on potential listeners, so it's important to invest time and effort into creating a design that accurately represents your show.
I design all of my and our client cover art through Canva. You can try Canva Pro for free here.
You can also hire a graphic designer through Fiverr or Upwork if you don't have design skills.
8. Choose Your Format
The next step in starting a podcast is to choose the format that works best for you. There are many options to choose from, such as:
Interview-style shows
Solo shows
Co-hosted shows
Narrative storytelling shows
The type of format you choose will depend on your topic, target audience, and personal preferences.
For instance, if you're an expert in a particular field or subject matter, you may want to consider an interview-style show where you invite guests to share their insights on your topic. Alternatively, if you have a unique perspective or story to share, a solo show may be the best option.
Next, you’ll want to consider the frequency of your show. How many episodes are you prepared to record and produce every week, and every month?
Whatever format you choose, make sure it's a good fit for your audience, aligns with your goals for the podcast, your overall mission, supports the amount of time you have to dedicate to production, as well as your deeper ‘why’.
9. Create a Content Plan
Once you've decided on your podcast format, the next step is to create a content plan. A content plan is essential in keeping your podcast organized and ensuring you're delivering valuable content to your listeners.
Creating a content plan can feel overwhelming, so you’ll want to begin by brainstorming topics and ideas for future episodes. Once you have a list of topics, break them down into smaller segments that can be covered in each episode.
You can then take those episodes, script them out fully or record them, and then
Having a content plan makes it easier to create and publish episodes consistently, which is critical for building an engaged audience. It also helps to ensure that your content is relevant to your target audience and aligns with your overall goals for the podcast.
If you’d like a template, I have one in my Podcast Success Vault membership.
10. Choose Your Equipment
To record a podcast, you'll need to invest in the right equipment. The most crucial piece of equipment is a microphone, which should be high-quality to produce clear and crisp audio.
Some people will say that clear audio doesn’t matter, but I couldn’t disagree more. The audio of your podcast is a key differentiator when it comes to listener retention and audience growth.
Additionally, consider purchasing headphones to monitor your recording, a pop filter to minimize background noise, and recording software to edit your audio.
When shopping for equipment, keep in mind your budget and needs. You don't have to break the bank to get started, but investing in high-quality equipment will make your podcast sound professional and attract and retain listeners.
In fact, you can download my free Tech Guide that has a list of my recommended headphones, microphones, accessories, and recording software.
11. Record and Edit
Once you have your equipment, it's time to start recording and publishing your podcast. Make sure you have a clear process in place for recording, editing, and releasing episodes.
If you’d like some guidance on how to structure your production process, as well as templates to help you with shownotes, production schedule management, pitching and securing guests, check out my Podcast Manager in a Box.
It’s a plug-and-play project management system on Trello that takes the stress and overwhelm out of planning, recording and producing your podcast episodes.
When recording your episodes, it can be helpful to sometimes have an outline. Once your outline is done, if you have one, you can hit ‘record’ on your first episode! If you don’t need a script, you can skip this part and go straight to recording.
I like to use RiversideFM for recording, as I find it delivers the best quality recording and is simple to use.
Next, you’ll get into the editing portion of your interview. This is where you import the audio or video file to remove any mistakes and add music or sound effects if necessary. I use Descript to edit my episodes, and it also makes creating content (such as videograms, audiograms and quotes) way easier.
Your first episode is your chance to make a strong impression on your audience, so make sure it's polished and engaging.
At this stage, you can also script and record your intro, outro and trailer, and pair it with royalty-free music.
12. Choose a Hosting Platform
Next, you’ll want to choose a hosting platform. Examples include Spotify for Podcasters, Buzzsprout, and Libsyn. I always recommend Libsyn to my clients.
Your hosting platform will store and distribute your podcast to directories such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
It's important to choose a hosting platform that meets your needs and budget, as well as provides features like analytics and customer support. Consider factors like storage limits, bandwidth, and pricing when choosing your hosting platform.
13. Submit Your Podcast to Directories and Market it
Once you've chosen a hosting platform and uploaded your trailer, it's time to submit your podcast to directories such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. This will make it easier for potential listeners to find your show.
It's important to optimize your podcast's metadata, such as its title, description, and keywords, to improve its discoverability. You can also consider running ads or guest appearing on other podcasts to reach a wider audience.
You’ll also want to create a social media presence for your podcast and promote it to your target audience. You can use social media platforms like Instagram, Tiktok, Twitter, and Facebook to share updates, engage with listeners, and promote new episodes.
You can also consider creating a website for your podcast, which can serve as a hub for all your content and information. Another effective tool is to create an email marketing newsletter that drives new listeners into your community in exchange for a free resource, and you can then email them every time there’s a new episode.
In fact, my podcast called As It Relates to Podcasting has a library full of resources and guest interviews to help you with the promotion and growth aspect of your podcast.
To keep your audience engaged, it's important to be consistent with your publishing schedule. Whether you release new episodes weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, stick to your schedule and let your listeners know when to expect new content.
14. Promote
Finally, you’ve made it through to your launch. You’ll want to ensure you’re promoting your podcast, as it’s crucial to reaching your target audience.
In addition to submitting your podcast to directories and creating a social media presence, you can encourage your listeners to leave reviews and share your podcast with their friends and followers. This can help your podcast gain more visibility and credibility in your niche. You can also consider reaching out to other podcasters or influencers in your industry to collaborate or cross-promote your shows.
One of my favorite tolls to use right now is OpusClips, which you can try here.
In conclusion, starting a podcast can be a rewarding and exciting endeavor in 2023. By following these steps, you can create a successful podcast that connects with your target audience and shares your expertise with the world.
With the right planning, equipment, and promotion, your podcast can become a go-to resource for your listeners.
What’s next?
Ready to get started? Remember to download my free Start and Launch Your Podcast in 8 Weeks guide and check out my Podcast Launch Kit to help you.
You can also reference my tech guide to help you pick your equipment, as well as check out my podcast, As It Relates to Podcasting, to help you build out your marketing, promotions and growth strategy.
It’s time to share your voice, power and impact with the world. I believe in you!
