How to Create a Podcast: Step by Step Guide 2023

aroundknowledge.co.id – How to Make Podcasts – If you're thinking about creating a podcast, your idea has a lot of potential. Statistics show that podcasting has skyrocketed in recent years. 75 million people in the US listened to podcasts in 2018.

By 2024, that number is expected to reach 164 million. You can find podcasts on almost any topic, niche, and industry you can think of. And that's the beauty of podcasting. There's a place for everyone in the podcasting world.

However, it may seem intimidating to start with. Don't worry. We're here to help. In this article, we'll break down step by step how to start a podcast and grow it over time.

13 Steps How to Make a Podcast

Here are the steps you need to take to make your podcast great.

1. Choose a Podcasts Theme

The first way to make a Podcast is to choose a theme. Your podcast should focus on something you are already passionate about or interested in. This is very important because you have to select the episode that you want to record a few years from now (assuming it works!).

Here are some questions to ask yourself.

• What is my goal in creating this podcast?
• What is my "reason"? Why did I do it in the first place?
• Who is my audience?
• What is the “special sauce” or interesting premise that makes my podcst stand out?

It's important to stress test when an idea strikes you. Give it a try and think of 20 episode ideas, including interviews you could do along the way. If you can't think of 20 right away, you may be out of ideas before the show starts.

2. Define Podcast Formats

Next you need to figure out what type of podcast you want to export in terms of structure and flow. Here are some examples.

• News. This is usually a quick, fast, and easy-to-digest format.
• Nonfiction script. Typically, these focus on one main topic for an entire season and include educational podcasts.
• Novel manuscripts. It's like an audiobook, but divided into episodes and seasons.
• Interview. The host sits down with the others to pull their hair out and gain insight.

You should also consider the length and frequency of episodes or posting frequency.

3. Build a Podcast Brand

The third way to make a Podcast is to build a brand. Like all businesses, brands make or break whether they grab people's attention or make them pass you by. Here are a few things to consider for creating a killer podcast brand:

• Podcast name. Short, interesting, and easy to pronounce. Drop unnecessary words like “podcast” or “the” at first.
• Podcasts Description. Take time to tease him. Shoot for 400-600 words.
• Podcast cover art. Make it eye-catching and colorful. Don't use too many words. Use Canva or hire a designer from a freelance gig website like Fiverr, Upwork or Guru.
• Podcasts category. From comedy to true crime to politics to self-help, categories are the main way to find your audience.

4. Get Podcasting Tools

Having the right podcasting equipment is not only a great thing to have, it's also a must. After all, if a podcast isn't great, no one will be listening to it for very long. Here's a list of tools that will help you record high-quality podcasts.

• USB or dynamic microphone. USB microphones such as the Blue Yeti are the easiest to use. If you're concerned about background noise interfering with the audio of your podcast, you can record along or consider a dynamic microphone such as the Shure SM7B.
• pop filter. The pop filter prevents the clicking sound of your mouth when speaking near the microphone from being recorded. You can get one for around $10.
• Microphone stand. The microphone stand allows for hands-free podcast recording. The essential podcast recording device that fits right on your office desk. You can also easily adjust the distance and height of your mouth to move around while podcasting.

5. Select Your Recording Software

The next way to make a Podcast is to choose software to record your Podcast. Hardware aside, you'll need audio software to record sound from your microphone and save it as an MP3 file. Here are some good options.

• Adobe Audition (Mac/PC, Rp. 300 thousand/month). If you want full audio editing capabilities, Adobe provides them in Audition.
• GarageBand (Mac, free). GarageBand comes pre-installed on your MacBook and can record audio from your podcast microphone.
• Audacity (Mac/PC, Free). Audacity is easy to use and a great alternative to paid podcast editing software. There are also lots of tutorials online to help beginners get started.

6. First Podcast Episode Overview

Great content is essential for success in podcasting. Overview is a great way to make sure you're giving it the attention it deserves.

First consider the purpose or point of the episode, then work backwards. You need a hook or teaser to engage your listeners, a guest introduction, a digest with guest questions, a transition to a new topic, and a closing to wrap things up.

Don't worry about writing a complete script unless the category is a form of script such as fiction or nonfiction.

7. Record Podcasts

Now is the magic time! Here are some tips for shooting a great first episode.

• Find a quiet place without a lot of echo. This can also be prevented by using blankets to cover hardwood floors or walls.
• Make sure your computer is set to accept audio input from the microphone. If you have a condenser microphone, run phantom power.
• Don't record too hard. Otherwise, the final product may change. Test your own decibel meter by laughing or talking to make sure it stays amber and doesn't turn red.
• Create high resolution audio files in WAV or AIFF format. It will most likely convert the file format for publishing, but it will give you the best audio quality.

8. Record Intro and Outro

The intro and outro will play into the start and end of each episode, so make sure you do well. Make sure your intro explains who you are, what the podcast is about, and why they should listen beside you.

An outro should call listeners into action or ask them to do something when the episode is over. This can include subscribing to Apple Podcasts on Spotify, following you on Instagram, contributing to Patreon, or signing up to our newsletter. Limit intros and outros to 30 seconds each.

9. Podcasts Editing

The editing phase brings everything together. You can intensify the sound by removing the “ums” and “uhs”, removing gaps, and reducing any dialogue you may encounter.

Here are some additional editing tips.

• Don't make the music too loud.
• Do not use copyrighted music!
• Use noise reduction, equalization and compression
• Uses a high pass filter to avoid unwanted rumble.
• Transition to another audio clip using cross fading

If the learning curve seems too much for you, consider hiring a professional editor from a site like Fiverr, Upwork, or Guru. When you're done, add an intro and outro, insert a commercial, and you're ready to debut.

10. Deciding on a Podcast Hosting Service

A common misconception about podcasts is that you can upload them directly to platforms like Spotify, Stitcher or Apple Podcasts. However, the reality is that before submitting an audio file to a podcast directory, it must be hosted first.

To do this, you can use a podcast hosting platform such as:

• Buzzsprout
• Podbean
• Castbox

After hosting your podcast, submit your RSS feed to place your episode on the podcast platform. You can do this manually or via the podcast hosting provider's dashboard.

11. Select Podcast Directory

There's no shortage of directories where you can list your podcasts. We list the most popular ones below, but feel free to distribute your content outside of this directory. Submit podcast music, artwork, name, description, etc.

Apple Podcasts

Apple Podcasts is the largest podcast directory and should definitely be your first choice. It attracts a wide audience and has different categories for podcast submissions. To create an account and submit shows, visit the Apple Podcasts for Creators page.

Stitcher

Stitcher is another great place to get exposure for your podcast. The second largest podcast directory, Stitcher is home to popular podcasts covering interesting topics from leadership marketing to home brewing.

Google Podcasts

By submitting your podcast to Google Podcasts, you can reach a larger audience for your podcast. You can add podcasts by opening Google Podcasts Manager and submitting the podcast's RSS feed.

Spotify

The popular music streaming service is also a podcast directory. Podcasts grow rapidly in listenership, so you'll want to include the show in your recommendations to increase your visibility.

12. Promote Podcast Episodes

You want to create a buzz around your podcast to get noticed and increase your chances of being featured in podcast directories. To do this:

• Create a landing page to let people know what you're up to and give them the opportunity to join your mailing list.
• Announce releases to our email list and ask them to leave a review after listening.
• Reviews increase your chances of being featured in the directory.
• Start your podcast with a few episodes (ideally 3) so listeners know you'll be posting content regularly.
• Make a transcript of the episode so you can find it in a search engine.
• Use a tool like repurpose.io to convert small snippets of your podcast audio into video format and post them to social platforms.
• Use your listener reach to spread the word about new episodes.

13. Make Money with Podcasts

There are several ways to make money from podcasting.

• Immediate support. This is when the podcast host asks listeners to make a donation to support the show. If your audience likes your content, they will donate some money to keep your podcast running.
• Sponsors. Sponsorship is where the host promotes their sponsor during the show. Your sponsorship income depends on the number of times your program is downloaded. Most sponsors pay Rp. 15 million, with an average tariff of Rp. 220 thousand and Rp. 750 thousand CPM.
• Selling products. Another way podcasters make money is by selling products that complement their topic. This may include products, courses, books, live events, consulting services, and more.

Once you've released a few episodes and started building your audience, you can start thinking about monetizing your podcast.