How To Start A Podcast In 2024 (10-Step Guide)

If you’ve ever wanted to start your own podcast, now is a perfect time! With so many people staying at home and looking for different forms of entertainment and education, podcasts have become more popular than ever. In fact, the podcast industry as a whole is expected to see a compound annual growth rate of 31.1% from 2021 to 2028, according to Grand Review Search. Plus, they’re relatively easy and inexpensive to produce. Here’s a quick guide on how to get started.

What is a Podcast?

A podcast is an audio-only episode series with one or more hosts covering a certain topic or genre.

Podcasting is a great way for people to stay up-to-date on their favorite topics, learn something new, or just be entertained. Many podcasts are free, and people can listen to them at their own convenience. 

People can listen to podcasts while they’re commuting, working out, doing chores, or just relaxing. Plus, there are podcasts for every interest. So everyone is sure to find something that’s right for them.

Examples of Podcast Topics

Here are a few of the endless possibilities when it comes to choosing a topic for your podcast. With so many options available, the only limit is your imagination.

• Sports
• True Crime
• Current Events
• Gardening
• Travel
• Bookkeeping
• Health & Fitness
• Financial Advice

Side note: In addition to coming up with a topic, you’ll want to come up with a theme for how you will deliver the content to your listeners. A podcast can be funny, serious, educational, informative, or a combination of any of the four themes listed.

Why Start a Podcast?

The great thing about podcasts is that there are a lot of benefits associated with it. Here are a few reasons why someone may want to start a podcast in 2022.

Gain a Following

If you’re looking for a way to gain a following and build an audience, creating a podcast can help you achieve that. Podcasts are a great way to connect with like-minded people and build relationships with potential customers or clients. So if you’re looking for a creative way to reach a wider audience, creating a podcast is something worth considering.

Build Credibility Within a Niche

For starters, podcasting is an excellent way to build credibility within your niche. If you produce a high-quality show that offers valuable information and engaging content, listeners will begin to see you as an authority on your chosen topic. And as your show grows in popularity, so will your personal brand.

Starting a podcast could help you gain experience as well as credibility in a short amount of time if you stay consistent and work hard at it.

Make Money

Podcasting can be extremely profitable. There are many ways to monetize a show, from sponsorship deals to merchandising to ad revenue, and much more. If you build up a large enough audience, you can easily make enough money from your podcast to cover your costs and even turn a profit.

According to a recent study done by ZipRecruiter, the average podcaster in the United States makes $53,904 a year, which comes out to $4,492 a month and $1,036 per week. Not bad for a side hustle.

Have Fun With Friends

What’s better than hanging out with your friends and having a good time? Doing it while podcasting! You can talk about whatever you want, whether you want to chat about your favorite TV show, the latest gossip, share your passion for music, or just have a laugh, podcasting is a great way to do it. So if you’re looking for a fun and easy way to connect with your friends, you can try podcasting today. Who knows, you might just have the best time of your life.

Inform/Teach Others

Have you ever had something you’re passionate about that you want to share with the world, but you’re not quite sure how? Well, starting a podcast is a great way to do just that! Podcasts are an excellent way to inform and teach others about a wide variety of topics.

There are many different ways to use podcasts to educate others. For example, they can be used to provide information about a certain topic or to share expert insights on a particular subject. They can also be used to create awareness about an issue or cause. Additionally, podcasts can be used as a tool for marketing or promoting a product or service. Regardless of how they are used, podcasts are a powerful way to reach out to and educate others.

Express Yourself

Podcasting is a great way to express yourself and connect with others who share your interests. Unlike other forms of media, podcasts are usually produced by individuals or small teams, which gives them a more personal feel. Whether you’re interested in sharing your thoughts on current events, interviewing guests, or just goofing around with friends, there’s a podcast for you to discuss.

10 Steps to Starting a Podcast

So you want to start a podcast? Great! Here we provide a step-by-step guide on how to start a podcast from scratch. Though it may seem like a lot of work, it will be well worth the effort in the end to be the creator and producer of your own content. The following are 10 steps on how to get started with your very own podcast.

1. Choose a Topic

Podcasts should be focused on a certain topic

If you’re thinking of starting your own podcast, it’s important to choose a focus. Sticking to one topic will help you attract listeners who are interested in that subject, and it will make it easier to come up with new ideas for episodes. It also helps to have some expertise on the subject matter, so that you can share valuable insights with your audience.

Topic should be something you could make episodes for long-term (ideally a hundred plus)

A good rule of thumb is to choose something you could make more than 100 episodes for. This could be a specific niche within a broader topic or an umbrella topic with many subtopics.

For example, a niche topic you could choose is baseball. Or you could choose to make the podcast about sports in general which would allow you to cover everything sports related.

Once you have a general podcast topic, find out what people are searching for within that topic by using a search engine optimization (SEO) service or by observing related searches when you type in related keywords on Google. You’ll see a drop-down list of all of the searches related to those keywords, and you can use them to get podcast ideas.

What to consider when coming up with a topic

When coming up with a topic to base your podcast on, consider what your interests or passions are, and how you can deliver that to others in the form of a podcast.

Try to consider what you’d like to see more of in the things that interest you and fill that void. Chances are, plenty of people are also waiting for someone to fill that void, they just don’t know it yet.

Consider audience

Think about who your target audience is and what they might enjoy. For example, are they older, younger, male, or female? Determining your intended audience will help you to produce suitable content that they will appreciate.

2. Choose a Name/Title

Name should be broader than the topic you want to cover

When choosing a podcast title, it’s important to choose a name that is broad enough to encompass all the topics you want to cover.

For example, a name like stockadvice might be too narrow because it would limit you to only discussing stocks. Whereas if you were to choose a name like financialadvice, it would give you the option of discussing stocks as well as the other various topics related to financial advice.

By choosing a broader name, you’ll be able to attract a wider audience and keep them engaged for longer. So make sure to choose a name that will give you plenty of room to grow!

Title can be your name, something clever, or a descriptive name

A podcast is a great way to get your name or your business out there. And, with so many options for podcast titles, you’re sure to find one that fits you or your business perfectly. If you’re stuck on ideas, consider something clever and catchy, or something descriptive.

Choose a name that will pop up in google searches related to the topic

One thing to consider in order to make your podcast successful is to choose a title that will pop up in Google searches related to your topic. So see if you can incorporate a popular keyword in your niche that people search a lot into your title or name. For example, if you are covering financial advice, a popular keyword to consider is ” Wealth.” By including this keyword in your podcast title, you are more likely to show up in search results when people are looking for advice on how to improve their financial situation.

Consider social media handles when coming up with names.

Make sure your desired podcast name would be simple enough to function as a social media handle. You’ll want to keep the name fairly short and avoid placing insignificant numbers in the title. Only use numbers if it makes sense with the type of content that will be being put out.

For example, a traffic podcast could potentially be named after a specific freeway like “5 South.”

Check to see if the name is available or if it’s been taken on certain social media platforms

With your podcast, you should be clipping off interesting segments and posting them to various social media platforms as a way of directing traffic to your podcast.

For this reason, you’ll want to ensure that your desired podcast name is available as a social media handle across multiple platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and TikTok. This way, it’ll be easy for your audience to search for the podcast directly from the clips you post.

Choose a name that would be easy to remember

This ensures that people won’t have to think too hard when trying to remember your podcast. Some podcasts use creative puns or wordplay in their names, which can be effective in both sticking in people’s minds and helping your show appear in search results. Others keep it simple by using their own names or the names of the hosts.

3. Come Up With Episode Format

One Podcast Host or Multiple

First, you will need to decide whether you want to have one host or multiple. If you plan on having multiple hosts, it is important to make sure that they have good chemistry and can work well together.

Content Format

You will also need to decide what type of content format you want to provide. Potential ideas for a podcast format could be news/current events, interviews, or satire.

Podcast Length

Podcasts come in all shapes and sizes, but there are some common lengths that tend to be popular with listeners. The length of a podcast episode will usually depend on the format and content. For example, a news podcast is likely to be shorter than an interview podcast, which in turn is likely to be shorter than a narrative podcast.

Ultimately, it’s up to the individual podcast creators to decide how long their episodes should be. However, most podcasts tend to fall into one of the following common lengths:

• less than 10 minutes (14%)
• 10—20 minutes (15%)
• 20—40 minutes (31%) – Average Podcast Length
• 40—60 minutes (22%)
• Over 60 minutes (7%)

SOURCE: Buzzsprout Platform Statistics

Posting Schedule

Whether you publish episodes once a week or every two weeks, there’s a publishing frequency that will work for you. The most important thing is to be consistent with your content and develop a connection with your audience. With so many different frequencies to choose from, you’re sure to find one that fits your style and schedule. Just to give you an idea, here are the most common publishing frequencies in the field of podcasting:

• 0—2 days (7%)
• 3—7 days (36%)
• 8—14 days (39%) – Average Podcast Posting Schedule
• 15—29 days (17%)
• Over 30 days (1%)

SOURCE: Buzzsprout Platform Statistics

Recording Schedule

If you’re thinking about starting a podcast, one of the things you’ll need to consider is your recording schedule.

How often do you want to release new episodes? And how will you coordinate the schedules of all the people involved in the production process? 

Keep in mind that the more people you involve, the more complex the scheduling process will be. One good suggestion would be to keep the team small, with no more than three or five people. That way, you’ll be less likely to run into conflicting schedules, personalities, and more.

4. Create Cover Art

Creating eye-catching cover art is essential to gaining new podcast listeners. Good cover art also just gives your podcast that extra professional feel, which adds credibility in your viewer’s eyes. To come up with something nice, here are some guidelines to follow:

Create a logo

Having a great logo for your podcast is essential to help build your brand. Your logo should be simple, yet easily recognizable.

Make sure it grabs the listener’s attention

A strong and recognizable logo can help listeners identify and connect with your show, and it can also be a valuable marketing tool. But while a complex and detailed logo may be tempting, it’s important to keep things simple. A logo that is too busy or complicated will be hard to read and remember, so it’s best to stick with clean lines and basic shapes. 

In addition, be sure to choose colors that will stand out against a variety of backgrounds. With a little thought and creativity, you can create a podcast logo that is both memorable and eye-catching.

Stand out from the competition

A successful podcast logo should be unique, memorable, and reflective of the show’s content. With so many podcasts on the market, it can be difficult to create a logo that stands out from the competition. However, with a little creativity and effort, it is possible to design a logo that perfectly represents your podcast. Or if you aren’t well-versed on Photoshop, you can hire a freelancer to create a nice logo for you on Fiverr.

5. Intro/Outro Music

Podcast intro and outro music can be a great way to set the tone for your show and make it feel more professional and polished. It can also help listeners to remember your podcast and make it easier for them to find in the future. So if you’re looking to give your podcast a boost, consider adding some intro and outro music.

One thing to keep in mind when choosing podcast intro and outro music is to make sure you’re using royalty-free music to avoid copyright issues and potential fines from music artists. 

Using free podcast music is a great way to get started. Not only will you be able to find a variety of genres to fit your podcast’s theme, but you’ll also be able to download the tracks without having to pay a single cent. 

You can search through an array of free songs from any of the following sites:

• Incompetech
• Silverman Sound Studios
• Pixabay
• Purple Planet
• AudioJungle
• Soundstripe

For more information, you can check out our article on How to Find Royalty-Free Music for Podcasts (2024) for what songs you’re allowed to use, and for a bunch of free and paid sites to legally download music from and use in your podcast.

6. Recording Equipment

If you’ve ever wanted to start your own podcast, there’s good news- you don’t need to spend a lot of money on equipment. A simple setup consisting of a microphone and a recording device is all you need. As long as you have these two things, you can start producing a podcast. 

Microphone

• Audio Technica ATR2100x-USB – $79  on Amazon

For beginner level podcasters, I’d recommend using a USB mic, and the Audio Technica ATR2100X-USB is a great option.

• Shure SM7B is by far most popular (non-USB) – $399 at Guitar Center

For more advanced podcasters, the Shure SM7B is a popular mic choice. It’s often used in well-known podcasts. If you want to use the SM7B, you’ll need to purchase an audio interface as well to connect to your computer.

• Old iPhone headphones mic – $17.68 on Amazon

If you’re on a tight budget, you can use the microphone on your old Apple headphones. I’ve seen a lot of TikTokers using this option in their videos, and the audio quality is actually pretty good compared to the audio from a stock camera.

7. Editing Software

If you’re thinking about starting a podcast, one of the most important things you’ll need is good editing software. This is what will allow you to record and edit your episodes, add music, sound effects, and anything else you want. 

Luckily, there are a number of different softwares available, both free and paid. No matter what your budget is, there’s an editing software out there that’s perfect for you.  Here are some options:

Free editing software for beginners

• Audacity
• GarageBand
• Alitu – Highly recommended for beginners because this software pretty much does a lot of the editing for you. It will help with background noise reduction, editing out breaths, level audio throughout, and more. So, using this software could really save beginners a ton of time.

Paid/Advanced software

• Adobe Audition – $20.99 per month
• Logic Pro X – $199 one-time payment
• Hindenburg Journalist – $99 one-time payment

8. Set Up Podcast With Buzzsprout

What is Buzzsprout?

Buzzsprout is an online platform that allows users to create and share podcasts. It is simple to use and offers a variety of features, making it a great option for podcasters of all levels of experience. 

With Buzzsprout, you can:

• easily record and edit your episodes
• add show notes and transcripts
• upload your images and files 
• track your audience with detailed stats
• share your episodes on social media
• embed your show on your website or blog. 

Best of all, Buzzsprout is free for up to 2 hours of audio per month!

Here are just a few simple steps to get you started:

• Fill in podcast info

Basically, all you need to do is to take all of the info from the previous steps and input it when creating your account.  The first step is to fill in the “Podcast Info” section.  In this section, you’ll need to provide a title, description, and author.  Don’t worry, you can always change this later if you need to.

• Upload cover art

Next, upload some cover art. This is the image that will represent your podcast on Buzzsprout and all the other platforms where your podcast is syndicated. Make sure it’s something catchy that will grab people’s attention! 

• Choose category

Now it’s time to choose a category or genre for your show. This will help people find your podcast when they’re searching for something new to listen to.

• Upload content

After you’ve finished the first 3 steps, your account will be created.  The last thing you need to do is to upload your first piece of content. This could be an audio file or an image. Once you’ve done all of that, you’re ready to start sharing your podcast with the world!

Buzzsprout Pricing

If you’re looking for an affordable way to get your podcast off the ground, Buzzsprout is a great option.

Their free plan allows you to upload up to 2 hours of content per month, making it perfect for starters.

And if you find that you need a little more storage, their paid plans are very reasonably priced. Plus, these paid plans come with a number of other great features, like detailed statistics and the ability to use custom domains.

So whether you’re just starting out or you’re a seasoned pro, Buzzsprout has a plan that’s right for you:

• Free

Can upload up to 2 hours of content per month

• $12/Month

Can upload up to 3 hours of content per month

• $18/Month

Can upload up to 6 hours of content per month

• $24/Month

Can upload up to 12 hours of content per month

9. Get Podcast Listed on Multiple Streaming Platforms (Apple, Spotify, Google, & More.)

You’ve just finished creating your very first podcast episode and you’re eager to share it with the world. But before you hit publish, there’s one more important step…

Submit RSS feed link from Buzzsprout to these podcast directories to get it listed on their platforms and gain more overall listeners:

• Some of the most popular mainstream platforms include:

Apple	offers an easy-to-use interface and a large selection of podcasts
Spotify	has a user-friendly interface and provides users with the ability to create custom playlists
Google	offers a variety of features that make it easy to find and listen to podcasts

 

• Other less mainstream platforms also have their own unique advantages:

Stitcher	offers a variety of exclusive content not available on other platforms
SoundCloud	provides users with the ability to upload their own audio files and share them with others
Blubrry	a great option for podcasters who want to monetize their content
Pocketcasts	a popular platform for Android users

 

10. Promote Show

Once you’ve created your podcast, it’s time to start building a following for your show. Here are some tips for getting the word out about your new podcast:

• Create a website

One of the best ways to promote your podcast is to create a dedicated website. This will give listeners a one-stop shop for all things related to your show. You can post episodes directly on there and possibly sell merch as well as other fun things. Make sure to include an RSS feed so that people can subscribe to your podcast and never miss an episode.

• Create social media accounts

Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram are a great way to promote your podcast.  They allow you to share your content with a wide audience and connect with other like-minded individuals.

• Create a community

By building a presence on social media, you can reach a larger audience and create a community of engaged fans.

• Let followers know when new videos are being posted

Allows you to post regularly about when new episodes are being released and direct them to go listen through a link or short clip.

• Set up an account with BuzzSprout

Gives you access to powerful tools for marketing your podcast and growing your audience. One cool thing about Buzzsprout is that they actually give you a free website with your subscription, so that will save you quite a bit of money as well.

By taking these steps, you can get your podcast off to a great start and reach new listeners from all over the world!