Many of know what they are. You listen to them, subscribe to channels on Spotify, Soundcloud or iTunes. Now it’s time for you to take the leap and learn how to start a podcast of your own.
How to Start a Podcast
1. Mind Games
The first step will always be mental. Every plan of action needs to start with a goal in mind. What are you going to talk about for 30, 60 or 90 minutes? Do you want to stick to a schedule? Is it just you, or are there others’ opinions you want? These are all great questions you must answer before starting a podcast. These answers will determine how well listeners receive your content.
2. Hardware
While it’s true that you can start a podcast on your phone, the kinks aren’t all worked out for it to be seamless. Even smartphones have limited audio space, background-noise canceling technology and different upload speeds. What you need is some hardware.
The better audio equipment you have, the better your sound will be, to a point. We’re not advocating buying the best microphone money can buy. Talking into your phone might not be the best choice but speaking into your computer via some mics will do the trick.
3. Software
It’s 2018 – there’s an app for everything. And when there isn’t an app, there’s a website. When there’s not a website, there’s free audio-recording software like Audacity or GarageBand for Apple users.
A few clicks and you’re on your way to start talking.
4. Extra! Extra! Hear All About It
Phew! You made it. Your podcast file is ready for upload. Like all things internet, it needs a host. Options abound when it comes to this stage. iTunes, Soundcloud, TuneIn, Simplecast, Shoutengine, Libsyn, Anchor, Spotify, you name it.
And no, we aren’t making some of those names up.
Make sure whichever host you use, you can share easily with your social networks. There’s no point in creating an audio file that people can only navigate from their desktop.
Choosing to skip a step here and there is a wrong choice. If you go into podcasting willy-nilly, then you’re in for some trouble. Podcasting requires the same courage as public speaking. If you think people judge you when you stand in front of a room and speak, wait until you’re between their ears.
