How to Start Podcasting: A Checklist for Writers
Starting a podcast can be exciting and fun, but it can also be a daunting task. Hopefully this checklist helps to demystify your podcast launching experience.
1. Preliminary Planning
Before anything else, it’s important to understand the concept and purpose of your podcast. There are some questions we can ask ourselves when getting started, such as:
What is my podcast’s purpose?
Some purposes could be societal contribution, growing an audience for written work, career advancement, financial, fun, etc. Knowing your purpose can help you make brand and content choices that get your podcast closer to your definition of success.
What kind of content will I produce?
Think about your genre, audience, desired length, subject matter, and where your content fits into the larger podcast space. Are there podcasts like yours? It can be helpful to look at what those podcasts are doing that you can learn from. You can also determine how to differentiate yourself from similar shows.
Who is my audience?
Target audience is important to consider when planning and strategizing a podcast. As I discussed in my last post, “Why Writers Should Consider Podcasting,” having a somewhat niche audience can be a big advantage in podcast visibility. No show that is ‘for everyone’ can cut through the search or suggested list algorithms without huge amounts of funding. For independent podcasters, a narrowed audience is usually the best way to cut through the noise and grow a following of dedicated listeners.
2. Create a List of Possible Episodes
A list of possible episodes can help us see the whole of what a podcast can be, which can inform decisions about content, format, keywords, and production.
If my podcast is ‘always on,’ (meaning the podcast is released regularly and indefinitely, possibly for years) then it’s good to have about 50 episode ideas before proceeding with the podcast. For limited series or podcasts with shorter seasons this number is obviously much lower.
Regardless of your planned release schedule, creating a list of possible episodes can be one of the most helpful and inspiring steps of creating a podcast.
3. Plan Format and Schedule
Think about the length, possible segments, intro and outro, interviews, how many hosts, etc. It can be helpful to create a first draft episode outline for one of the topics you plan to do when trying to determine show format. Plan in the draft how long each segment will be, and be prepared to adjust as you go.
You’ll also need to decide how many episodes you plan to release and how frequently. Keep in mind your audience demographics and how much time you have to dedicate to podcasting. Ask yourself, “Who will be listening and when?” Then adjust your format to best suit your time management needs and projected audience’s listening habits.
4. Create 3-5 Episode Outlines
Using the show format you’ve decided on, create a handful of episode outlines. Doing this before recording any episodes can help ensure the episodes are cohesive. It’s easy to accidentally create a pilot episode that ends up being very different from the content that follows.
5. Write Your Podcast Description
Now that you have a few episodes outlined, you can write an accurate show description. Be sure to include keywords that your intended audience will be searching.
6. Create a Production Plan
Production needs vary greatly from podcast to podcast. Keeping in mind your budget, you’ll need to consider the recording space, equipment, and post production.
Find a Recording Space
Some people prefer to rent space at a recording studio, and other people prefer to set up a recording space at home. The main difference (aside from studio rental cost) is that a recording space will typically have recording equipment, so you won’t have to find and buy your own. Recording studios are also soundproofed, meaning you won’t have any echo or background noise—things you either have to contend with in a home or office setup, or be prepared to remove in post.
That being said, it’s not terribly difficult to set up a podcasting space in your house or apartment. Closets full of clothes, rooms with rugs and couches or carpeted spaces are great for recording. It’s also possible to get all the equipment needed for podcasting (besides a computer) fairly inexpensively.
Equipment Needs
You’ll need a microphone, mic stand, XLR cable, and headphones for each person participating in the podcast in-studio (call-in guests can be recorded through third party platforms such as Zencastr). You’ll also need something to record into, such as a Zoom Handheld Recorder, or an interface that sends your mic feeds to a computer application such as Garageband or ProTools.
If you plan to purchase equipment for a home setup, I would recommend seeking the advice of an audio engineer or producer. There are lots of setup options, and an engineer can help you figure out what works best for you, your podcast, your space, and your budget.
Post Production
Your podcast most likely needs to be edited before it’s released into the wild, so think about what kind of post production you might need to outsource. For example: audio correction, dialogue edits, music or sound effects added, mixing and mastering. These are things you may be able to do yourself depending on skill level, or may need to pay an audio professional to do for you.
7. Record and Produce a Practice Episode for Feedback
Record, produce, and listen to an episode. Then if you’re ready, ask a few friends or colleagues to listen to your practice episode (you can call it a pilot) and give you feedback. Give yourself feedback as well. What’s working? Does anything feel slow? Is the sound quality professional? What needs to change going forward to make this more entertaining, informative, or successful for you.
8. Record and Produce the First Batch of Episodes
Making sure to apply the feedback you received on the practice episode, it’s now time to record, produce, and finalize the first few episodes.
9. Create or Outsource Artwork
This is a step many people undervalue, but having professional looking artwork and branding for your podcast is the equivalent of an attractive book cover. Should we choose podcasts based on the cover art? No, but we do. Amateur looking artwork (unless very intentionally) can suggest that a podcast will also have poor production and audio quality, which will deter people from listening.
10. Find Your Hosting Site and Create an Account
A hosting site is where your podcast lives on the internet. From there it is launched around the world to all the other apps. There are a handful of hosting sites, including Audioboom and Acast, that help negotiate payments from advertisers for podcasts that have over 1,000 listens per episode. After comparing the hosting sites you are interested in, simply create your account and profile, then you can upload your artwork, description, tags, and schedule episodes.
11. Announce a Launch Date
Announcing a launch date and creating anticipation on social media makes a big difference in the attention a podcast receives. Any sharing or reposts about your podcast are free advertisements.
12. Launch Your Podcast and Keep Going
You have a podcast now! After launching, just keep up the good work. Continue releasing your podcast on schedule and engaging with others on social media. Consistency is key for growing a podcast audience.