I’ve been toying with the idea to create a podcast for around two years now and I finally decided to take the plunge after attending a podcast talk at BlogOn. I must admit I had no clue about podcasts or how to put one together before I started, which is why I thought about putting a post together, a podcast for beginners blog post with all the information in to start your own podcast that I needed to know when I first started! So if you’re looking for Podcast help you’re in the right place!
So if you’re looking at creating a podcast this blog post is for you, I’d also suggest checking out some popular podcasts before you create your own podcast and see what you like from theirs, although don’t copy their podcasts, adapt and make them yours.
Reasons To Start A Podcast
Before I jump into starting a podcast it’s important to know why you want to start a podcast. If you think starting a podcast is going to make you rich quick, it doesn’t work that way, in fact just like a blog it’s a long process! Some of the best podcasts took years to generate a following. If you’re going to make a podcast, do it because you want to and because it’s something that interests you otherwise you might feel let down when it takes a while to gain a following!
How To Start A Podcast
Well, to begin with, you need a theme, something you’re going to be talking about. It can be anything that interests you, travel, sci-fi, TV or just general lifestyle. If you want tips on podcast ideas just take a look at your general lifestyle and pick something you do literally daily and something that interests you.
You then want to think about your podcast schedule, are you going to have a daily podcast, weekly podcast or a monthly podcast. Think about what time you have to start a podcast, how long it’s going to take you to record, edit and have the podcast ready to publish and think about if you’re going to have guests on your podcast because you’ll need time to find them as well. My advice on starting a podcast would be to start doing it monthly and go from there.
Getting Podcast Guests
Creating a podcast can be a lot of fun although if you’re by yourself, at some point you’re going to need to find a guest or two so that you’re not just talking to yourself on your podcast!
A podcast isn’t like a blog, you can’t just pop along to Content Conga and ask them to make a load of the podcast episodes for you like they would blog posts, you have to hunt these guests out yourself.
The best way to get guests in my opinion is ask your friends and family first, they might be up for it but if not, ask on social media, or better yet ask on your podcast and one of your followers might want to!
Beginners Podcast Equipment
If you want to know how to make a podcast you’re going to need the best podcast equipment or at least starter podcast equipment. You need to make sure you have the right products, to begin with, you don’t want to spend a fortune on expensive equipment when you’re only just starting.
Blue Microphones Yeti USB Microphone, Space Grey
I started with a Yeti microphone, it cost £100. My first thought was that it’s too expensive and I was put off podcasting, trust me it’s worth it. People who have been making podcasts for over a year will be using microphones that cost up to £500, £100 for a beginners mic is nothing in comparison.
The blue yeti microphone is really easy to set up, you literally plug it in and go. Follow the instructions in the manual and you’re ready to go. The yeti mic is great for podcasting and the one I’d recommend when you first start.
Audacity
Audacity is a free audio editing software that I use to edit my podcasts. It takes a little bit of time to get used to it, however, once you know what you’re doing the podcast editing will take you no time. If you’re starting a podcast this is the software I’d recommend, it’s free to download and has everything you need to make an amazing podcast.
Podcast Hosting
You’re going to need podcast hosting if you want to make a podcast. I find that Podcast.co is a great place to start. You’ll have to pay a fee each month of £15 at the moment but the price might increase. They do everything for you and once you have accounts on Spotify, iTunes and other places you can find podcasts. They distribute your podcast everywhere each month without you having to lift a finger!
Making A Podcast
When it comes to making a podcast there are a few things you’re going to want to do. Recording an introduction and an outro are two things you need to keep in mind, a podcast structure is an important thing and it’ll make your followers recognise your podcast. An introduction and outro are great for creating a podcast, it makes them longer and will draw your followers in, giving them a lot more information.
Podcast Introduction
A podcast introduction needs a few things. Introduce yourself, what your podcast is about and what people are going to expect when they listen to your podcast, the first 10 seconds are critical and will determine if someone listening is going to stick around or leave. Make sure it’s inviting and people are going to want to listen to you!
Podcast Outro
The podcast outro is as important as the introduction, spend the time giving your listeners information. Tell them where they can find you outside of the podcast, do you have a website or social media accounts you want to gain subscribers on? Tell your guests about these and direct them so you can get some new followers!
Podcast Trailer
Finally think about doing a podcast trailer, something that people can listen to and build the hype around your podcast. Tell people what to expect from your podcast and when they can listen to new episodes, such as “Hi, I’m Bob from Bob & Co, come listen to a new episode on the 1st of each month” perfect. I’d suggest making a podcast trailer before creating a podcast full time, that way you can practice recording a podcast.
Conclusion
MAKE A PODCAST! Podcasting is so much fun, I really enjoy it and it can be a really productive hobby. Again don’t make a podcast to make money because you’ll be waiting a while, make one because you enjoy it. Follow the simple tips to creating your first podcast and if you’ve got one, leave a comment so we can have a listen!
While you’re here take a listen to our Cubs On Tour podcast, our very own podcast that took us over two years to put together and I’m so glad that we finally did!
