10 Essential Steps to Create a Good and Engaging Podcast

But let’s start from the beginning. What is a podcast, who can make it, and how does it all work? 

We have prepared a few tips for you to help you organize your game plan. A podcast is nothing but a broadcast. Listeners can choose it depending on their interests, preferred style or length of particular episodes. Most podcasting platforms are free, and podcasts are available for downloading from the internet or streaming online so that any interested person can access them.

It is similar to being a YouTuber or wanting to become an Instagram influencer, you need to have a good idea to ​​attract your followers. Are you a specialist in a certain field? Can you attract people with your stories, or maybe you are simply into unusual topics? Maybe podcasts are a good way for you to express yourself.

1. Define your game plan.

Let’s analyze it with an example. First of all, define your goal. Think about who might be the recipient of your content. Check the frequency of searching for a given topic, as well as the age and gender of those people. It would be good to write down topics for the next 2-3 months. Choose the content you want to include in the first episodes and try to figure out how much time you need to cover each topic. Divide it in a way that each episode has a specified time, e.g. 30 minutes. It is worth mentioning that for many people the best is 20-40 minute episodes due to the average travel time to work. The followers knowing how long it takes to listen to an episode will organize their time better to be able to get to know your full statement on a given topic. Finally, choose a catchy name that goes well with the theme of your podcast and suits your audience. It’s a good idea to list keywords in the generator and try to experiment with different synonyms to find the best title.

2. Make sure to match the content and tone of the statement to your followers.

While creating audio content, focus on your audience. Your style should be different from mature people with experience, mastering their skills, and different from young enthusiasts who do not like the monotonous, overly specialized language, and expect a rather playful approach to the topic.

3. Choose an interesting form.

In your podcast, you can use the monologue form. You also have other options to choose from: interview, co-host broadcasts, panel discussions, or script-based podcasts. hosting a podcast with guests is a valuable addition that will allow you to extend the perspective of your topic, share interesting facts or learn more about the particular topic with the expert.

4. Don’t forget about the graphic aspect.

It’s not a mistake! Although podcasts are based on audio, it is also worth thinking about the cover and logo. These two elements should be consistent with each other and the content they conveyed, as this will strengthen your brand recognition. You can design the logo and cover by yourself in free graphic programs or use help from it specialist.

5. Try to be consistent.

While creating a program script for each episode, it is important to maintain consistency of speech, sticking to a certain pattern. Such a framework can look as follows: introducing yourself, introducing the topic, discussing the issues, calling for action, and brief summary. Following the example of the professionals, it is also worth creating or choosing your own sound to start and end a broadcast. You can use free sites such as AudioJungle, Premium Beat or Bensound. Once you’ve chosen a song, download it and add it while editing each episode.

6. Choose the right equipment and recording location.

When you start recording podcasts, a microphone is crucial (USB is the most popular). You should also have soundproof headphones, a microphone arm and a shock mount. Of course, when you are just starting your business, all you need is classic equipment that you will find at a reasonable price. A soundproofed room is the perfect place for recording. If you want to create podcasts, but you don’t have a suitable room for them, try to prepare a studio with soundproofing materials, such as foam panels, to ensure the best possible quality of the recording.

In order to save time while editing audio, you should use microphone techniques. Pay attention to the short distance of the microphone from the mouth, it's tilting or moving too far from it.

7. Use professional sound processing.

Do not broadcast anything before processing. Use recommended editing programs (e.g. anchor) to cut out unnecessary fragments, improve / adjust the sound quality, or add the music background. When editing, start by organizing your content then move on to the other corrections. Compression is also crucial, using mutes between particular elements or sound settings so that your voice is soft and pleasant to your listeners.

8. Choose a streaming platform and podcast hosting.

The most popular streaming platforms on the market are: spotify, apple podcasts (formerly itunes) and google podcasts. You can also share podcasts on your own website and let your listeners download them to any device.

You also need to think about hosting - the hosting platform will store, broadcast and catalogue your audio. The best pages in terms of tools, features and prices are Buzzsprout, Podbean and Simplecast. Once you polish your broadcast, you will be able to upload your audio via the URL or RSS channel that you will find on your hosting site’s dashboard. It is worth thinking about the already mentioned anchor, which offers free podcast hosting along with audio editing.

9. Don’t forget the descriptions and catchy titles.

The listeners, while choosing the podcast that suits them best, usually pay attention to the description. You have to include there information such as: who you are, to whom you are addressing your content and what the listener can learn from you. This is one of the most important steps to attract your audience.

Choose the right episode titles. You can use the key analysis in the title and emphasize valuable things for the listener, e.g. what the listener can learn or what will attract his attention. “5 ways how to ...” or “this is what everyone should know” are common catchphrases that often help with good positioning.

10. Let them find you.

Ensure a bigger number of listeners thanks to the right promotion: share information about your broadcast or preview materials on social media, invite guests - thanks to this you will also be able to reach their followers, build credibility by sharing reviews if you have a budget for it, think about a paid promotion.

Don’t forget about expanding and taking care of your audience. In each episode, encourage the listeners to subscribe. Ask questions, provoke discussion, get inspiration from topics suggested by your listeners and let the most engaged followers get to know you or mention their messages in the broadcast.

Ready to start making a podcast?

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