Earlier you could read an article with 8 reasons to start a podcast. This article connects to that article by giving 8 tips on how to start a podcast. By now you know that you want to start a podcast, but how do you do that?
A good idea
To start with, of course, you need a good idea for a podcast. You can keep focusing technical matters, but a good idea for the content is the starting point of the process. Think of a podcast idea that suits you, for example about your hobby or something you know a lot about. If you are enthusiastic about the subject, you will share that enthusiasm with the listeners and they will notice that. Your own enthusiasm is a big motivation for the success of the podcast. At first it might seem wise to choose a broad topic that will appeal to a large target group, but in reality it has turned out that podcasts in a niche do very well! You do not have to reach everyone with your podcast, but rather a targeted group of people who are very interested in the subject.
Decide on a format
Next, it is important to think about the format of the podcast. How many speakers will be present? Will there always be as many speakers or can this vary, for example by inviting guest speakers? How long will an episode last? How often will you publish episodes? And many more points to think about. A clear format offers structure to the listeners, so they know what they can expect from you. This improves the experience for the listeners and ensures that they will return to a new episode next time.
Invest in equipment
Fortunately, you do not have to have a lot of equipment to make a podcast. The most important thing you need is a good microphone, because this contributes to the listener's listening experience. In addition, it is important to have a software program to edit the audio file. This allows you to cut away your slips so that it sounds smoother and your speech is not constantly interrupted by 'ehms' and silences. You can also use the editing program to reduce the noise, make the volume the same throughout the episode, add an intro and outro and add music.
Intro
An intro is nice for the listener to know what will be discussed in the episode. A tip is to record the intro after you have recorded the episode. If you record it before, you have to guess what you are going to discuss and that may differ from time to time. If you record it afterwards, you can tell a bit more precisely what will be discussed in the podcast and you also know which topics are most emphasized in the episode. This makes the introduction sound a lot smoother and clearer for the listener.
Prepare a script
It comes in handy to think beforehand about how you want your episode to go. If you just turn on the microphone and start talking, there is a good chance it is going to be a messy story. This is not pleasant for the listener. So it is good to give some structure to the episode. You can decide for yourself how detailed you want to prepare the episode. You can write a very extensive script. The advantage of this is that you can easily follow this script, so that the episode goes as you prepared. This has a disadvantage, however, namely that it can sound too rehearsed and that there is little room for improvisation and spontaneous inspiration. Another way of preparation is to determine the order of topics you are going to discuss and to write this down in keywords. The advantage of this is that you still have a lot of creative freedom and that you still have something that can offer your structure.
Be consistent
If the podcast is a bit successful, you will get regular listeners listening to each episode after a while. These listeners count on you to publish a new episode, so make sure you are consistent. If you have planned to make a new episode every week, do so and upload regularly so you do not have to disappoint the listeners. So make sure you think about whether you can keep it up. You may have the idea of publishing a podcast every day, but that is a lot of work. So think about how often you can make a podcast.
Ask for reviews
Reviews are very important for your podcast. They make it easier for new listeners to find your podcast. And especially if the reviews are positive, they can also convince new listeners to click on an episode. So ask at the end of the episode if listeners want to leave a review.
Have fun!
Finally, we would like to say that it is very important to have fun in making your podcast. Because if you enjoy it, your listeners will feel it and it will motivate you to continue making the podcast.
