Need to launch your personal podcast (or a podcast on your firm) however don’t know the place to start out? I’ve put collectively a podcast launch guidelines you need to use to get your venture up and working, together with ideas gathered from my private expertise and insights from members of the HubSpot Podcast Network.
Let’s rewind earlier than 2018, once I began my very own present, Balanced Black Girl. I used to be one of many estimated 120 million people listening to podcasts month-to-month. Ultimately, I had an concept of my very own and was in a position to launch with no prior audio expertise — and if I can do it, you possibly can, too.
In actual fact, beginning a podcast is simpler than ever because the medium has elevated in recognition and profitability. Right here’s the last word guidelines that can assist you begin a profitable podcast.
Desk of Contents
Beginning a Podcast Guidelines
- Decide your area of interest.
- Establish your perfect listener.
- Title your podcast and safe social media handles.
- Resolve which format and publishing schedule you’d prefer to comply with.
- Choose a podcast internet hosting service.
- Create podcast cowl artwork.
- Get your podcasting tools.
- Create a roadmap and attain out to potential visitors.
- Plan your launch episodes in additional element.
- Report and edit your first three episodes.
- Write the present notes on your launch episodes.
- Create a podcast trailer.
- Add and schedule your trailer and launch episodes.
- Submit your podcast to on-line podcast directories.
- Market your podcast and rejoice your launch.
1. Decide your area of interest.
In case your present is simply too common, listeners won’t ever know what to anticipate on your present. In the event that they don’t know what they’ll get, they tune out. Kyle Denhoff, Sr. Director of Advertising and marketing at HubSpot, echoes this sentiment.
“The extra centered you’re, the simpler it’s to construct an viewers. For instance, be the technique present for B2B entrepreneurs or the information present for AI lovers,” says Denhoff, who oversees demand technology for all channels, together with podcasts.
For my present, I began by determining the style and area of interest that my podcast would fall below. This made it simpler for platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify to categorize my content material so my target market may discover it. As an illustration, my podcast present falls below the broader wellness style, with a extra particular concentrate on the expertise of Black ladies.
Different widespread podcast genres embody:
- Arts.
- Information.
- Music.
- Finance.
- Enterprise.
- TV and movie.
- Schooling.
- True crime.
- Society and tradition.
Professional tip: Decide which style greatest describes the podcast you’d prefer to create or the business you’re in, and hold this subject in thoughts as you propose out your content material and put together for launch.
2. Establish your perfect listener.
After selecting the wellness style, I took time to zero in on my perfect listener, which I discovered much like creating a buyer persona. Creating an excellent listener helped me hone my messaging and create a clearer focus inside my style.
Listed below are some traits I like to recommend contemplating when describing your target market:
- Age.
- Earnings.
- Pursuits.
- Hobbies.
- Occupation.
- Schooling degree.
- Geographic location.
I additionally discovered it helpful to brainstorm. I requested myself the next questions.
- What is that this listener taken with?
- How typically do they take heed to podcasts?
- The place do they find out about new podcasts?
- If you happen to had been having a dialog with this listener, what questions would they ask?
- What different podcasts is that this particular person listening to, and what does that inform me about what they need to hear?
The solutions to those questions helped me craft content material that was particularly related for my potential listeners.
Professional tip: You probably have buddies or colleagues who suit your perfect listener profile, it may be useful to survey them to get their suggestions in your podcast concept and study extra about their media consumption habits.
3. Title your podcast and safe social media handles.
At this level, what your podcast is about and have recognized your perfect listener. Now, it’s time to decide on a reputation.
Whether or not your podcast identify is said to your small business or one thing completely new, carry out an in depth search to make sure the identify you need is out there. You don’t need to decide a title already related to every other podcasts, manufacturers, or registered logos.
At this stage, I additionally suggest registering the domain name and social media accounts you’ll be utilizing to advertise the podcast and interact your viewers. Whilst you gained’t want them straight away, the very last thing you need is to create art work and produce your podcast, solely to seek out out that the handles you need have been taken.
Professional tip: Working a search within the U.S. Patent and Trademark web sites can assist you guarantee there aren’t any present logos on the identify you need.
For extra insights on choosing the proper area of interest, naming your present, and extra, you possibly can take a look at HubSpot’s video on 9 professional ideas for beginning a podcast.
9 Pro Tips to Start Your Podcast in 2024 (FREE Guide)
4. Resolve which format and publishing schedule you’d prefer to comply with.
After naming your present, it’s time to get into the weeds of what your podcast will seem like by selecting the format kind and your publishing cadence.
Widespread podcast codecs embody:
- Scripted.
- Interviews.
- Storytelling.
- Documentary.
- Conversations.
When contemplating the publishing cadence you’d prefer to comply with, word that the commonest podcast publishing schedules are weekly, bi-weekly, and month-to-month. That stated, consistency is extra essential than frequency relating to podcasting. Above all, select a schedule you possibly can preserve.
Professional tip: Denhoff recommends beginning along with your podcast’s function, suggesting that you just “outline the worth your podcast goals to supply. Are you filling a necessity for information, schooling, or leisure? Your content material ought to align with the position it performs in your viewers’s life.”
As an illustration, if the worth you present is leisure, then a scripted or storytelling format would possibly work greatest. Conversely, since considered one of my targets is to amplify the voices of Black ladies within the wellness area, most of my present makes use of an interview format.
5. Choose a podcast internet hosting service.
Now, you need to choose a podcast internet hosting platform. These platforms provide help to retailer episodes and make them accessible in RSS feeds so you possibly can distribute them on platforms like Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
I feel Buzzsprout is a superb place to start out, because it presents a free plan and low-cost paid tiers. If you’d like extra superior options like monetization options, listener analytics, and subscriptions, premium companies like Captivate or Libsyn might be a great match for you.
Professional tip: Get your personal web site. This manner, you possibly can change internet hosting companies if want be whereas offering a seamless transition on your listeners.
6. Create podcast cowl artwork.
Your cowl artwork offers podcast listeners a primary impression of your present earlier than they press play, so that you need it to be good. I like utilizing instruments like Canva to create my cowl artwork and templates for various kinds of episodes.
Earlier than I began to work by myself graphics, I discovered it useful to browse directories like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts to determine widespread visible components among the many top-rated exhibits and add people who suited my model.
When creating your art work, be sure that:
- It’s straightforward to learn in smaller sizes.
- It’s constant along with your branding.
- It’s a transparent picture that doesn’t seem blurry.
- It doesn’t include any copyrighted photographs or logos of non-affiliated corporations.
Professional tip: It’s additionally crucial that your podcast art work is the proper dimension. Apple suggests utilizing a 3,000×3,000-pixel image to future-proof your art work.
Incorrect sizing can impression your podcast’s potential to publish and show in directories accurately, so that you’ll need to be certain your art work is the precise dimension. So, when your art work is full, add it to your podcast internet hosting service to make sure it exhibits up accurately throughout platforms.
7. Get your podcasting tools.
Your podcast recording setup may be as advanced or so simple as you’d like. If you happen to’re opting to file at an area studio, this is able to be the right level within the course of to analysis choices close to you and ebook a recording session.
If you happen to plan to file at house and are searching for a simple setup, you’ll want the next:
- Headphones.
- A laptop computer or pc.
- Recording software program akin to Squadcast, Zencastr, Zoom, or Riverside.
- A USB or XLR microphone (when you use an XLR microphone, be sure to get a mixer to attach the mic to your pc).
- Modifying software program akin to Alitu, GarageBand, Audacity, Adobe Audition, or Descript.
Professional tip: You don’t want to interrupt the financial institution on recording tools to start out a high-quality podcast. Try this listing of beneficial podcast tools and discover the gadgets that suit your funds and expertise degree.
8. Create a roadmap and attain out to potential visitors.
Whilst you could also be itching to get behind the mic at this level (I do know I used to be), I discovered it useful to create a high-level define of your present’s first 10 to twenty episodes earlier than you file.
Once I spoke with Joe Fier of The Hustle & Flowchart podcast, he described a technique you possibly can break down the primary 20 episodes based mostly on their function:
- Introduction: 1 episode (5%).
- Worth episode: 6 episodes (30%).
- Neighborhood episodes: 3 episodes (15%).
- Provide episodes: 2 episodes (10%).
- Visitor appearances: 4 episodes (20%).
- Repurposed content material highlight: 4 episodes (20%).
This is only one instance and may be tailored based mostly in your style and the content material varieties you’ve chosen to create.
If you happen to plan to interview visitors, I like to recommend creating your visitor listing and reaching out at this stage. I discovered that confirming availability with visitors helps me plan out my podcast schedule prematurely so I can keep according to my publishing schedule.
Professional tip: If you happen to plan on that includes different individuals in your podcast, take a look at your present community for potential visitors. It’s robust to get individuals on board with chilly outreach when you don’t have any present materials individuals can assessment earlier than they comply with the interview.
9. Plan your launch episodes in additional element.
As soon as your general plan, you possibly can map out extra particulars concerning the episodes that can accompany your launch. Sure, episodes.
In spite of everything, getting podcast listeners isn’t that completely different from how music artists draw consideration to their work — you lure them in with a great music, nevertheless it’s not till they’ve listened to the opposite songs within the album that you’ve got actually caught them.
Fier agrees and states, “Launching with two or three episodes is greatest since you need to hold your viewers in that momentum.”
In my expertise, beginning with a couple of episodes additionally offers you an opportunity to earn extra downloads, scores, and critiques in a shorter time period, which may be useful for discoverability and rating on the charts.
Fier goes on to suggest utilizing the primary episode as an introduction that “highlights your experience after which exhibits individuals the place you’re going to take them in your podcast.” From there, you need to use the follow-up episodes to point out them what that appears like.
Professional tip: If you happen to plan to characteristic visitors in your present, Fier suggests bringing your first visitor early on to introduce your viewers to the kind of interviews they will count on. “It’s additionally an excellent advertising and marketing technique to get a visitor to introduce you and your present to their viewers,” he says.
10. Report and edit your first three episodes.
With the define of every episode in your launch plan, it’s time to file and edit. Earlier than recording, I prefer to create a script for every podcast episode outlining the factors I need to make (if it is a solo present) or the questions I’d prefer to ask the visitor I’m interviewing.
Making a strong script or define is particularly useful if you’re a brand new podcaster getting used to the medium.
As soon as your scripts are prepared, file your launch episodes in your recording software program of selection. You’ll be able to then edit them your self or rent an editor to take action. When modifying, be conscious of background noise and filler phrases that would distract the listener.
Professional tip: Learn your scripts out loud to listen to how they sound. This may provide help to think about your content material as a podcast earlier than you begin recording.
11. Write the present notes on your launch episodes.
Now that your first few episodes are recorded, it’s time to put in writing the present notes.
Present notes are basically brief weblog posts that accompany every podcast episode. They’re an excellent place to place a common description of the episode together with neighborhood hyperlinks, akin to an e mail sign-up.
Once I write present notes, I like to incorporate:
- A common abstract of the episode.
- Time-stamped chapters of various subjects we cowl.
- Details about my visitor (if it’s an interview).
- Hyperlinks to sponsors and any talked about assets.
Whereas it may be tempting to gloss over present notes, it’s price placing in some effort. I’ve discovered that moreover serving to with search engine optimisation, which may convey new listeners to your present, present notes may hold your viewers engaged and able to comply with your content material on different platforms.
Professional tip: Embody hyperlinks to related assets, akin to books or research you point out through the present. This creates extra worth for listeners and might improve engagement.
12. Create a podcast trailer.
As one closing step earlier than importing your first present, file a trailer. A trailer is a brief audio clip that introduces your podcast to new listeners and will get them excited to tune in. In your podcast trailer, you’ll need to embody:
- An introduction to your podcast and what it’s about.
- When listeners can count on new episodes.
- A teaser of what’s to return or highlights so the viewers is aware of what to anticipate.
- A call-to-action inviting the listener to return again.
Professional tip: Hold your trailer participating and informative however concise. One to 2 minutes in size is all you want.
13. Add and schedule your trailer and launch episodes.
Now that you’ve got your first three episodes, present notes, and a trailer, you’re able to publish. Add your audio recordsdata and present notes to your podcast host, and schedule your episodes to publish in your desired launch date.
Professional tip: Your launch date ought to fall on the day of the week you propose to publish shifting ahead so your viewers is aware of proper from the beginning when to tune in.
14. Submit your podcast to on-line podcast directories.
As soon as your first episodes are uploaded to your podcast service, it’s time to undergo podcast directories so listeners can tune in to your present. Keep in mind that directories can take a couple of days or a few weeks to approve your podcast. You’ll need to issue that point into your launch plan.
I like to recommend beginning with the platforms which have the widest attain. The top three podcast directories based mostly on variety of listeners are:
- Spotify, with 25% of whole listeners.
- Apple Podcasts, with 20% of whole listeners.
- Google Podcasts, with 16% of whole listeners.
Streaming your podcast to different platforms akin to Stitcher, Castbox, Pandora, and Amazon Music may be managed inside your podcast host settings.
Professional tip: Revisit step two to see which streaming companies your perfect listener makes use of to find and comply with their podcasts.
15. Market your podcast and rejoice your launch.
Congratulations — you simply launched your first podcast! Now, it’s time to get the phrase out by advertising and marketing your present to your perfect listeners and celebrating your laborious work.
I’ve discovered that short-form movies are glorious methods to advertise my podcasts, so I exploit Instagram reels to spotlight high clips from my interviews.
Professional tip: Fier suggests leveraging YouTube as a podcast marketing channel, saying, “Video goes to be a bit of podcasting at the moment. YouTube will probably be the place a whole lot of momentum is going on for podcasts due to their algorithm.”
For much more data on organizing, producing, and advertising and marketing your podcast, obtain our Ultimate Guide to Starting a Podcast without spending a dime. You’ll even get e mail outreach templates and tips about the most effective methods to measure success.
Issues To Know Earlier than Beginning a Podcast
After publishing greater than 270 episodes of my present, I can say that the journey has been thrilling, shocking, and rewarding. Once I recall my early days, there have been loads of issues I had but to study.
Right here are some things I like to recommend understanding earlier than you begin a podcast.
Know the worth of visitors.
Getting used to the podcast format can take a while. To offer your self a head begin, Fier says, “Guesting on different exhibits may be the most effective first step since you get to apply the muscle.”
Plus, guesting can also be a wonderful technique to attain a wider viewers and promote your personal present in the long run.
Listeners don’t thoughts advertisements as a lot as you assume.
In comparison with different advertising and marketing channels, podcasting is among the extra advertising-friendly choices. One survey confirmed that 46% of podcast listeners don’t discover advertisements intrusive in any respect. In distinction, 77% of individuals discover advertisements considerably or very intrusive on YouTube, and 64% discover advertisements considerably or very intrusive on TV.
As such, don’t really feel shy about working with sponsors who’re a great match on your model. In a podcast setting, advertisements are much less prone to be a turnoff for listeners. If you happen to can tie advertisements into the theme of your present or episode, they are often particularly priceless on your viewers.
Podcasts take preparation.
Podcasts are a wonderful technique to construct neighborhood along with your target market, however if you wish to grow your show’s audience, you have to put together. From figuring out your perfect listener and drafting a launch plan to crafting outlines for every present, the significance of analysis, planning, and preparation by no means goes away.
That stated, you don’t want to realize perfection to be ready. Belief me, although, I do know the temptation of getting each element good. When you’ve performed the work, the most effective factor you are able to do is to get began. Over time, you possibly can alter your technique based mostly in your metrics and listener suggestions.
The whole lot You Must Begin Your Podcast At this time
I actually love the podcast medium and consider increasingly individuals ought to give it a attempt. And keep in mind — when you’ve acquired a podcast concept that’s chomping on the bit, this podcast launch guidelines can function a roadmap to turning it right into a actuality.
Editor’s word: This publish was initially revealed in September 2022 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.