Starting a Podcast

So, You Want to Start a Podcast? How to Plan and Where to Begin in Three Steps

If you are passionate about a topic, whether it be college football, marketing strategy, mindfulness coaching, or stamp collecting, you are likely not the only one. Podcasting is a phenomenal avenue for knowledgeable experts to share their ideas, passions, knowledge, and experience with those who share their enthusiasm and want to collaborate. To create a podcast, all you need is a mic and a computer, right? Unfortunately, it’s not quite that simple if you want to be successful.

Before you decide to commit to a podcasting routine, know that if  you were to ask any of the most prolific podcasters, they would tell you that there is significantly more planning and strategy that goes into their daily, weekly, or monthly release than it may seem. Before you decide to create a podcast, name it, promote it, and record it, understand the three fundamentals below of what it takes to get started.

Commit to a Regular Cadence

It is human nature to begin a new interest or hobby with gusto, only to find that commitment and interest dwindle with time. It’s why many people start training for a marathon, but never cross the finish line, or learn to crochet but never complete that first afghan. The point is that to build up a dedicated audience of followers, you must prove your commitment releasing regular podcast episodes with systematic frequency. Dedicate yourself to releasing new episodes on a consistent basis, whether it be every Monday, weekly, bi-weekly, or with some other frequency. Just ensure that the schedule to which you commit is reasonable based on your availability and existing responsibilities. This leads us to the next critical planning component.

Build a Content Calendar

Doubtless, no matter what your topic of expertise, you feel strongly that there are dozens—no hundreds—of hours of airtime that you could fill up with content. Start ticking off topics on your fingers. If you only reach ten or so topics before you pause to think, then know that you may have only identified a few months’ worth of episodes. What happens then? To ensure you can sustain your initial momentum and meet your committed schedule as we mentioned before, you will need to build a content calendar in advance. Spend time sitting down and creating a list or a spreadsheet in which you ideate at least a quarter’s worth of content, but preferably a year’s worth. By identifying all your topics far in advance, you won’t run the risk of hitting the inspiration wall on the day your podcast is set to air.

Invite Influential Guests

One way to grow your audience and expand your following is to collaborate with fellow industry experts. While you may feel like you don’t need anyone else to help you fill up an hour of airtime, know that your fans and followers will want to hear insights and perspectives from other influencers like you. Not only will collaborating with others add an intriguing element to your show and turn your monologue into a compelling dialogue, but when your guest promotes his or her appearance on your podcast with his or her network of followers and fans, you have the opportunity to 10-X your fan base.

The Final Cut

To summarize our podcasting get-started tips in a simple phrase, it is this: When you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Give your podcast the best possible chance for long-term success by committing to a schedule, building a content plan in advance, and inviting others to share their thoughts. By completing these three simple steps, you will set yourself and your show up for success and will make it easier on yourself to focus on your passion, not on podcasting logistics.

How can Nickel City Sound & Media help?

Our team is here to help you with creative direction, storyboarding, recording, and we can even help get you set up with podcast platforms such as Podbean. If you want to take the next step in creating your podcast, contact us today. We’d love to help with your project!