The steps to follow to create a podcast
In the last few months, the team behind WebSelf has been initiated to the creation of podcasts. Therefore, here are the steps to follow to create a podcast that will be an efficient communication tool.
Find a topic
It is great to launch a podcast, but before you start recording your episodes, take a moment to find the perfect topic. It is not necessary to choose one single theme and talk about it for 200 episodes; it should mainly be an inspiration, a guideline. What do you want your followers to feel when they listen to your podcast? What are your values? Do you prefer to have a humoristic, empathic, serious, or mysterious tone?
It is likely that you already follow a few podcasts. Consequently, try to find what would make yours unique.
Think about a name
There is the question about the name. You have probably already noticed that most podcasts have a name that captures people’s attention or at least that summarizes the main topic or guideline. Finding the perfect podcast name can help you stand out; it should also be easy to remember. Moreover, try to keep it short. Most of podcast names are made up of two or three words maximum.
Do not hesitate to write a few suggestions on a sheet of paper during a brainstorming session. Ask your entourage and your target audience to know what they think about it.
Create the cover
A picture is worth a thousand words. If you want to stand out from other podcasts, you need a professional and beautiful-looking cover. Do not hesitate to use bright colors if they fit your brand image. Consider keeping it simple since podcast cover dimensions are generally small too.
Most of the time, podcast covers are only made up of the name. Using a font that represents your tone and values could be relevant. On the contrary, you can also decide to use a picture of yourself if you want to increase your notoriety or are already an influencer.
Write the content in advance
When we listen to a podcast episode, everything seems smooth and easy; however, to reach this goal, you must be prepared. It is not the question here to write all your text in advance because you will sound like a robot. Instead, think about making a list of the topics and ideas you want to cover. Make a checklist. Knowing what to cover when recording the episode will be easier.
And if you lose your idea or make a mistake, do not worry. Unless you make live episodes in front of a crowd, editing and removing content is possible.
Invite interesting guests
We find strength through unity! If you decide to create a podcast, it could be relevant to invite interesting guests from time to time. For example, if you want to talk about food and nutrition, you could invite a nutritionist, athlete, or cook to discuss various topics and themes.
Moreover, this is particularly interesting if it is your first podcast and you want to increase your notoriety. By inviting other people, you will also have access to their communities since there are great chances that they share the episode once it is available. Our experience shows that our episodes with special guests were the most popular.
Record your episodes
Recording your podcast episodes in a professional studio is unnecessary when you start. A good mic and video editing software are often all you need. Make a few tests to check if the sound is great, and start recording everything.
Here is a tip: think about recording two or three episodes simultaneously. This way, you will save some preparation time. Also, keep a glass of water nearby to remain hydrated during the recording.
Putting them online
Now that you have all your podcast episodes, it is time to broadcast them. Of course, you can add your episodes to your website. Otherwise, you can broadcast them on Spotify, Apple, and Google.
Since it can be challenging to be present on different platforms at the same time, you can use tools made especially to help you manage your podcast. For our part, we can recommend you Podbean. Besides accessing statistics, this tool lets us publish our episodes on multiple platforms at once.
Promoting your podcast
Once everything is online, more work remains to be done. Indeed, as we mentioned earlier, there are hundreds of existing podcasts. To get an audience, you need to work on the promotion and notoriety of your project.
First, tell your community that you have launched your podcast. Display the episodes or their links directly on your website, social media, and newsletters. Second, talk about it to your entourage and mention it when you have the opportunity to do it. You may have few downloads at the beginning, but keep everything online; it will increase with time when you add episodes.
In conclusion, what is holding you back if you have the idea of creating a podcast? Start the process by finding the perfect topic, name, and cover, then write your first episodes’ content. Think about inviting guests, and record everything. Do not forget to prepare an official launch and celebrate your victories. Good luck!